New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-04-30
TILE THIRTY-DAY BILLS.

After brief but we hope, restful trip to
this city Governor Black has returned to the
capital 10 grapple with the most arduous and
depressing task which falls 10 the lot Of a Chief
Magistrate. lie is about to begin the eXamina-
ton Of the thrty-day bills. How many Of these
good. bod and Indifferent measures were left
In his hands when the Legislature adjourned
neither ne nor anybody else knows TO n GER
tainty for the list has not yet been completed.
Ru; there are nearer 500 than 700 Of them. and
probably more than confronted Governor Nor
ton year ago when he sat down with heap
OF 10 before him. Mr. Black is in one sense to
be envled for the chance which he has-and
which. It is to be feared be is not going to make
the best possible use Otto veto some Ubiquitous
bills of the first magnitude, including the Great
or New.Yorh charter, the Civil Service spoils
job ard the Graduated Inheritance Tax bill.
BIT in a general view Of the situation he IS en-
tilted TO sympathy: and yet to less sympathy
than h. might justly claim If he had declared
himself rcsolutcly on the evils Of overlegislatOn.
One Of Governor Griggss first utterances on
taking Office a protest against this abuse
OF the lawmaking power. accompanied by the
explicit declaration that he should veto all bills
which did not meet n substantial public neces-
Shy. In consequence Of this pledge the amount
of supcrfuous legislation was largely reduced,
70 the advantage of the State OF New-Jersey and
the relief Of the Governor
Governor Black was reminded Of this salutary
example but neglected to follow II, for reasons
which perhaps seem less convincing to him now.
as he contemplates the enormous grist turned
out by the legislative mill. than they seemed
when the wheels first began 10 revOlve. At all
events his work for the next month and more
Is cut out. and very serious work 1t Is or
course he cannot possibly give n critical exam
na,lol to every one Of these bills. or even to the
larger part of them. He will naturally take up
first the most important ones, those which
seem to be the most important Many Of the
rest will receive scant attention, and either be-
come laws or die in his hands as the result of n
casual impression which may or may not be
well founded 1t is to be expected that the Gov
crnor will try to do his whole duty. remember
ing the generally safe rule that in case of doubt
the waste-basket has stronger claim than the
statute-book
Just before the adjournment we said that time
was always needed 10 show how many improper
little jobs had slipped through an expiring Legis-
la,ure There has not yet been time enough 10
complete the record Of the last session. but 1t is
already evident that In the field Of appropriation
there was considerable m!schievous activity
toward The last. In the Supplemental Supply
bin appear a number Of items which require a
good deal more light than anybody thought 1t
desirable to throw upon them-fees to lawyers
for defending claims to seats in the Legislature
for example, and gratuities 10 clerks. On the
face Of them there IL no good reason for such
Disbursements Of public money. and the Gov
ernor will need 10 consider their merits very
carefully before letting them pass. Fortunately
he has power to veto separate Items in the bill
II Is a power which ne ought to exercise with
scrupulous regard for the rights Of taxpayers
Legislative generosity at their expense Is com.