New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-02-19
BIENNIAL SESSIONS.
THE OPPOSITION TO GOVERNOR BLACKS
PROPOSITION ALL FROM INTER
ESTED SOTrRCES

PROPOSITION ALL FROM INTER
EsTED SOURCES
To the Editor Of The Tribune
Sir: Governor Blacks proposal to bring New
York In line with all the other States Of the
Union except New-Jersey. Rhode Island. Mas
sachusetts South Carolina and Georgia, the
only ones still clinglng to the annual session OF
the Legislature. meets. as was expected. sharp
opposition. There seems to be common agree
ment among the best informed that If the poll
tician will only allow the people to vote on
the amendment It will be adopted by an over
whelminG majority. The attitude of the entire
State and OF the entire press is uniformly Of
Thanksgiving when the Legislature adjourns.
The complaint is universal of over-legislation
and constant tinkering of laws TO the infinite
annoyance OF those who must live under them
The expense OF the annual session grows year
by year more appalling. and yet doubt Is ex-
pressed as to whether the people can rid them
selves Of this old OF the sea.
The first opposition came. was expected
from Albany Every hotel and saloon keeper
hack driver. grocer or other person whose in
come is increased by the Legislature and its
followers Is. OF course. bitterly opposed to hav-
ing such harvest occur only once In two years.
readymade editorial has been sent
throughout the State and has already appeared
In various quarters opposing the plan. The
papers neglected to print. however the letter
that went with It. calling their attention to the
fact that the $250OO0 paid TO these country
papers for publishing the session laws would be
lost on the alternate years AS a matter Of fact.
ell newspapers run not for the public interest
but for the income that can be secured from the
public treasury will oppose the relief which the
taxpayers wish.
All the hangers Of the Legislature who
come down like so many vultures on January
1 to secure much pay for alleged service
during four months any business man would
give them for their services during the whole
year. would turn heaven and earth to defeat
this bill. which reduces their perqusites by
half and very likely drives them out of the
business Many Of them live through the eight
months vacation on what they get in the four
months session, but would be unable to live
through twenty or twenty-one months II the
Legislature should sit, as II ought, only three
months Of each twenty-four.
With this contingent unhappily are some
newspaper reporters. who, for the same reason.
lend their influence, and so far as they feel 1t
safe color their reports by their selfish interest
in having an annual demand for their services
All the men who are in politics for revenue only
will by every means, fair or foul do their ut
most TO defeat this benefcent reform This
means that the people who have at heart the
real interest Of the State must to II that
the public understands the issue. On one side
are those who from selfish motives only oppose
the change. On the other side are nearly all
of those who recognized interested in
the welfare OF the State and not Of themselves
or OF other individuals The issue is squarely
Joined. The weight Of argument is almost en-
tirely on the side Of right. The creation OF the
local Legislature for Greater New-York and the
practical completion Of the revision OF the stat
utes which has been going on for the last ten
years have removed the only arguments having
any real weight in favor of the annual session.
1t remains to be seen whether the interested
few will he able to force six million Newly ork-
ers to maintain largely for their benefit an
annual Legislature. To call together a Legis-
lature each year to alter the laws is as absurd
as it would be to call constitutional conven-
ton every Ave years. ALBANY.
Albany. N. Y. Feb. II. 1893.