New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-02-14
A BILLS TORTUOUS COURSE.
THE LEGISLATURES METHODS
WHAT MUST Re DONE BEFORE MEAS
IRE BECOMES A LAW.

When the visitor from abroad has conple'eo
the tour Of the great building GROWING C"P''0'
Hill In Albany, which dominates the panoi a'''
Of the city as one approaches 1T from the nun"
sen; wher the lofty corridors imposing assem-
bly, rooms massive staircases and awe-ihsP""9
courtrooms have been Inspected ana an i"ea
has been given 20 the visitor OF the a"'o'''
money which has been expended on 'he SUI"
IRE and the time consumed In bringing " - 10
present incomplete condition. the inquis'''Ne
stranger is prone TO ask: How do YOU MAKE
your laws in this fine building?
The guide. with the love for truth which is
characteristic Of his calling. will probably say
that the laws are proposed in the shape OF pil''
which originate in both branches Of the Lee's-
lature: that bill when il has passed one
house must go 10 the other for concurrence
that in the second house ii may he altered o'
amended and must then be returned Tor aP-
rroval TO the chamber whore II originated ne
will say also that when the bill has nnaiE re-
coived the approval of both branches of the
Legislature It goes to the Governor FOR hls sig
nature. and when that has been attached the
bill becomes a law.
The visitor from abroad listens and takes
notes. and goe. away happy in the belief that
ne has mastered the question and knows how
York 10 operated. But ~ no will look beneath
the surface he will find that he knows nothing
about the matter and further inquiry Will re-
veal tho fact that his ignorance is shared by
MANY men who were born and grew old In the
State and who are possessed Of more than aver
age intelligence.
THE NEW MEMBERS IGNORANCE.
An old employe Of the legislative department.
In Speaking Of the lack of information on the
subject remarked that only small minority OF
he members know anything about legislative
affairs when they first enter the Legislature
and many Of them need the assistance OF d
coach during the entire session
The time was when every man had 70 be
looked after" he said and kept constantly In
formed and posted what was expected OF
him. Tina, was when the majorites were
small. and when few men might have turned
affairs away from the lines laid out by the par
tics Rut I'm such times az we had when Tweed
ran the game or as now, when the majority Is
en- largo that the minority ceases To be much Of
a factor, there is less need for keeping the
members posted The party in power has
leader he dictates what must he done. and the
rest takes care Of itself"
The legislative machinery In the lower house
consists Of 80 members. who are all elected for
a term Of one year. They receive for their ser
vices 81 800 a year. and 81 FOR every ten
miles that they travel in going 70 and return
ing from the places Of meeting. once IN each
session "on the most usual route" The Senate
is composed OF fifty members who receive the
same compensation ana the same mileage as the
members Of the Assembly. There also pro-
visions made for greater compensation When
the Senate is closed convened in extraordinary
session. or when serving members of the
court for ihe rial Of impeaChmcnts Senator's
end such members Of Assembly shall he
appointed managers Of an impeachment shall
receive an additional allowance of $40 day.
Bat additional nay cannot be reasonably eX-
pected. end the compensation Cor acting as
state lawmak'r cannot he an inducement TO
leave renunorative work.
Every member comes the Legislature with
something in thu way of a hill a petition i'm
his pocket" said az old member. and with many
It is a burden which they do not know how TO I'M
load. The bills were the outgrowth Of discus
sions In the village club the result Of consula-
lions and interviews with the manufacturers Of
the district which the member represented; or
they may have been the pet schemes of some
great corporation or ~ political boss hut they
must all take Tho same course. and the rapidity
with which they sometimes 60 through stagger
the new members as much as uncaled-for delay
grieyes them and they are as unable TO account
for the one as the other.
IT ALMOST TOOK HIS BREATH AWAY.
Some time ago" said William y. Hawley, ir.
assistant clerk Of the Assembly, "a new member
presented n bill in which some Of his friend,
knew that his constituents We're deeply interest
ed He knew nothing about pushing matters
Il, hut ic took
Of him. and in the shortest time possible The
measure was put through. The day after the bill
had become n law the member came 10 the clerk
all smiles and said: Well see that bill o mine
got through all right. hut, bgosh don't know
how it happened,
\ member who stood near when the story Wa
iold said There are others, | know case
where bills were locked up. hammered down an'
kept away from third reading completely a
though they were locked in a safe deposit Naul
Of which the key had been lost. Nothing ina
the member who introduced them could do or sa!
would bring them out, and this state Of affair
was tust as mysterious 10 the unfortunate mem
Der AS the rapid progress was to the more luck.
legislator"
According 10 the new method OF procedure, tn
member who has bill to introduce makes It on
in duplcate. and deposits both copies in the bi
box which forms part of the clerks desk
There is a slit in the box much ike that In
letter-box and through this and into the box tn
bills are thrown when they take their first ste
toward becoming laws.
The procedure is simple in the extreme. and IN
introduction OF a bill resembles nothing so niue
as depositing a letter. Before the bill box was III
vented by the late James w. Hustled, all bin
were presented by the members In open session
The member would rise and say, MIR Speaker
hold IN a. document, which
be snatched from his hand by page. who Woul
rush with It TO the clerks desk. Anticipating n
coming the Speaker would say: The gentema
from Schohare offers the following. First reaC
ing OF a bill: and the clerk would sing: "Th
people Of the State OF New-York. represented /