New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-04-16
"a " HING"

The old processes by which laws were enacted
have become obsolete at Albany. In the ola
slow-going times the function OF law-makihS
was essentially 1eliberative. 1t was invested
with certain dignity almost of majesty, with
which haste was Incompatible and summary
procedure incongruous. The men whom the
people endowed with 1t had sense OF response
bility little less than solemn. They proceeded
to their task with something like seriousness:
with a consciousness that they were making
laws fraught with good or i'll for all the people
q most momentous trust-and that If their work
was to be permanent in character and benefcent
in operation 1t must be proceeded with deliber-
ately. cautiously, and with the most exhaustive
consideration of all sides and all phases OF
the subject in hand. They listened patiently.
weighed all arguments carefully. and when they
reached their conclusion, whatever it might be,
it could not be said that they had acted arbi-
trorily or hastily or without having at least
given all sides n hearing.
All that is obsolete at Albany. Our legislators
POW do not listen to argument or appeal, do not
deliberate do not consult the opinions and
wishes of constituents They caucus upon
measures coming before them, not as 10 their
effect upon the general welfare, but as 10
whether or not they will be TO the advantage or
disadvantage of the party in powcr-that Is
whether they will promote the personal fortunes
Of the LEGISLATORS themselves upon the
decision Of that question determine whether
to drop them or liam them through They are
doing a good deal of canning" this year. 1t s
getting to be n rather important question
whether they are not tanning through so
many measures for the sole object of perpetll-
ating the party in power and themselves in Of
flee that the great body Of voters will presently
begin to consider themselves unnecessarily and
heedlessly damned and do some jammng Of
the hammers themselves in retaliation.
That legislative monstrosity, the Greater New
York charter, has been damned through both
houses. and has reached the Governors desk,
where il awaits his Endorsement of that sort
of legislative procedure The ridiculous Anti
Cartoon bill having been damned through
the Senate, It is now proposed TO liam it
through" the Assembly and probably jam the
Governor into signing it afterward notwith-
standing his belief that it is utterly silly ana
absurd And there are. no doubt. others. Jam
ming" is the rule Deliberations calculation,
caution, all the slow processes are out Of vogue
We are in hurry, and cannot wait. We SEND
men to Albany to make laws: and they think
they must make them, and lots OF them, ana
make them quick. Like the fellow who want
Cd whiskey AM wanted it bad" we want laws
and want them bad And we are getting them
about as bad as they can make them. After us
the delugc," said Nine. PompadouT amid the
high revels Of the Court of Louis XIV. And
the deluge came. The power of the 1tepublica
machine at Albany seems absolute. 1t is WELD
cd with the reckless insolence and shameless
disregard Of consequences which found express
sion in the faunt of the royal favorite. But is
II too late TO stop 'jammng' for just one sober
moment and postpone The deluge!