New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-04-01
THE FREE PASS BILL.

The Legislature has decided to recognize the
fact that even "betwixt frinds" the State Con-
stitution must be permitted TO stand. That IS
to saw the Assembly-the branch of the Legs
laure known In political nomenclature as the
lower house-has so decided. Or rather. 10 be
absolutely precise. Mr.. Bondy. OF Syracuse. mas
decided though not without signs of reluctance,
that he will not subject the members Of the AS
sembly of which he Is one of the ornaments. TO
the temptation Of abrogating the Constitution for
the sake of saving railroad fares. The bill pro-
vdng for free transportation on the railroads
of the State Of State officers members OF the
LEGISLATURE and Judges of the higher courts by
the issuance Of certificates from the office Ol the
Secretary of State which should be recognized
by the railroads as transportation tickets passed
the Senate on March by the decisive vote of
81 to L. 1t was in face of the specific provision
of the Constitution prohibiting, under heavy
penalties, the issuance Of free passes or frank
ing privileges to any person holding public office
by any transportation, telegraph or telephone
company But twenty-seven Senators were I'M
able to withstand the temptation to ride rough
shod over the Constitution in order to ride free
on railroads Lingering reverence for the or
ganic act or perhaps fear of consequences. on
vote against the measure on the first trial; but
It's advocates were hopeful Of reversing that
action until Tuesday. when. as already intmat-
ed, Mr.. Bondy, of Syracuse. who had given no.
ticc that he would call it mp, announced that he
| had changed his mind md decided not to pur-
| sue the matter.
The announcement was something Of sur
prise 10 the advocates of the bill who Il i said,
| had made n careful canvass. which showed that
| sufficient number of votes could he mustered
| TO insure its passage. Ii was found. however,
during the twenty-four hours preceding The time
fixed for calling it up that several members who
| had expressed willingness 10 vote for the Dill
| had weakened. and that Mr. BOndy's action was
| taken In consequence. The mystery OF this
| change Of front was solved later. when 1t came
| to he known that Speaker OGrady had signi-
fed with considerable distnctness that he was
| unaterably opposed to the bill. and would use
! his best endoavors to prevent its passage The
| power of the Speaker Of the Assembly in such
matters Is something that has TO be reckoned
with as members well understand. II is doubt
| less due TO his personal attitude that the Legs
| lature owes It's escape from foolish and mex
cusabe blunder-a blunder for which the party
| in power would have been held. and very prop
| erly held, responsible, and whose consequences
| could not have been other than damaging, if not
disastrous to its future prospects. The Speaker
is accordingly entitled in an unusual measure TO
the thanks of the Republican party.
! But what n disgraccful exhibition it was. after
all. of incapacity selhshnesS and greed on the
part Of the legislators who favored it. They aD-
parently saw nothing in il except an opportunity
| to take advantage Of their official positions TO
save themselves few dollars in travelling OK
! penses. So. paying 10 heed to the constitutional
inhibition, they jumped at it and came near
passing IT, 1t is hardly conceivable that Gov
ernor Black would have given il his approval
if it had been passed, and. even if he had, it is
quite certain that it would have been overturned
by the courts on sight. 1t is a fortunate cs-
cane. but the narrowness of it only furnishes
another illustration Of the possibilities of legs-
lation and the force rs well Of the Swedish
Chanceors observation when he took his son
10 a sitting of the Diet 10 see how fOoshly the
world Is governed