New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-03-24
THE GOVERNOR SIGNS.

Governor Morton has done WHAT De WIS oon-
fdently expected to do. He has signed the
Raines bill. which now becomes the Excise law
of the State. and in so doing has made himself
responsible in n pre-eminent degree for It's moral
anC political consequences In saying that ne
has mo hesitation in commencing the measure
as whole" the Governor presumably does not
mean to imply that 1t has caused him no
ANXIETY The memorandum which he has put
forth in justification of his signature is suff-
cient evidence of the perpexiiy he has Deem
in. and unless all the usual sources OF inforIna-
ton have been strangely Mt fault II required
considerable pressure TO overcome MS reiic-
lance to perform the task cruelty thrust upon
him. We refuse to accept stereoyped phrase
as proof that a man Of Mr. Mortons ln'ell'-
gence probity and discretion put his name with
out miscivng to Il crude and fnr-reachng meas
IRE which he knows that host OF upright citi-
zens detest. which is acceptable only to the
managers of perfdious political machine, ana
which was driven through the. Legislature by
a lawless exercise Of force so soon as the fact
became evident that regular and orderly course
of procedure would inevitably lead to It's def"a'.
The Governors memorandum Is remarkable
for the points which 1t leaves untouched. Those
who wanted nothing but his signature may not
care how feeby he defends II. but the rest OF
the people including great majority OF the
party whose honor and welfare are 10 con
siderable extent In his keeping. will derive no
satisfaction from this document excepting the
melancholy satisfaction Of having their convic-
lions mistaken by anything which he couih
say. The Governor devotes considerable space
TO the contention that the bill was one which
ought under the Constitution TO have been sub
mitted to municipal action. That was de-
batable question from the outset and still re-
mains debatable The courts will probably be-
called on to settle II. He admits that the law
may need to be amended in some details. but
he refrains from pointing out numerous pro
visions to which its trainers obviously gave no
thought. and which will either be dead letter or
productive Of great O,NrAges and just resentment
He thinks the Legislature made a sincere effort
to comply with the suggestion Of his last annual
message as IL he had never learned that its
compliance was obtained by acts Of tyranny
seldom, II ever parallcled In the history Of the
State, and in defiance Of an explicit constitu-
tional Injunction. lie says that me law is en-
titled to fair trial, the fact being that the bill
having been forced into his hands by abom-
naby unfair methods was entitled TO CON
temptuOus rejection by the Executive. He de-
ScriDeS the law as pam ana concise, whereas
1t is a monument of complications and dlfYnse
ness He remarks also that it is "comprehen
sive." which we admit without a reservation.
the geological meaning Of that word fitting It
exactly, since II possesses pecuaritics that are
| characteristic Of several diverse groups" He
| likewise maintains that the State has right
| TO some portion or even all Of the tax" claim
which Is invalidated In morals, though not
necessarily in law, by the fact that the division
of the proceeds Is a low appeal to the cupidty
of rural communities. which we believe they
| will resent at the first convenient opportunity.
Governor Morton saws not n word about the
most odious feature and the fundamental pur-
pose Of this measure-namely its creation OF
a new and powerful adjunct to corrupt and
| despotic political machine OF which he hopes TO
be the beneficiary. Tha, Is az once the most
striking and the most pathetic of all the omis-
sions for which his message Is remarkable. 1t
reveals with painful distiEctness the magnitude
Of the sacrifice which he has made In his eager
ness to grasp a shadow. and presagcs the h'l-
initiation which he Is destined to feel when he
awakes to find that he has been betrayed.