New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-02-23
pIACK'S WISH CARRIED OUT
TIE SENATE ADOPTS THE BIENNIAL
SESSIONS AMENDMENT.
SPOKEN CRITICISM OF TIFF GOVERNOR
n1,RrNo THE DEBArE-sENAToR MALBf
-,xs ONE WAY AND,voTEs THE OTHER


TALKS ONE WAY AND'voTEs THE OTHER
N,-ssHAuM WITH THE DEMOCRATS
A,,snv. Feb % (SpeciaD Senate to-day
,.s.ed fer the first time an amendment to the
Cons:i,ut!on providing for biennial sessions OF
,,e Legislature. II passed by the Assembly
srd adopted again in 1899 the amendment VIII
70 presented to the people tor their approval
- ,,s.nproyal in the fall Of that year. If ap-
rroved II will go into effect in l9O2, when' TOT
the FIRST time since NewYork was fofmeu iii'o
O state no Legislature will meet.
The amendment extends the terms of the state
Senators from two years 20 four years Ihus
,hs Senators elected in 1900 would hoio oHioe
,o- ,hc yesr. 1901. 1902. 1903 and 1904 Erected
,r 1900 they would vote for United states
csrato- in 1903 Whether Senator Murphy sha"
10 reelected will be one Of the important ques-
.ons FOR voters TO determine this fall' hls Term
Lu explre In March. 1899. In the case OF Heh"-
o., Platt however. under the proposed arrange
went the people will be asked TO oeciue as
.s,lv as 1900. whether they think maJoi'S
=, the State Senators IN 1903 should Vo'e III
,oxo- Of his reelection. good many members
q, the Legislature think that the terms oi oi''oe
=, the Governor and the Lieutenant t-Goverhor
o,sh. 10 be heightened 10 four years 10 co'i0-
.,nnd with those OF the State Senators.
CHANGES VOTED DOWN.
irn. salaries Of the members OF the Legis-
,.,ure are to be 81 600 year. At present 'he!
are $1,000 The Democrats suggested TO-DAY
,hat the salaries Of the Governor and the Lieu.
tenant Governor should be reduced "he.na
,nasmuch Il was asserted. as they ""u'N w
oniv balf Of the work they now do. The Re
uh,,can Senators rejected this amendment
The Democrats also offered an amendment pro
ctsia taking q recess lOi
over thirty days and said. In support OF IT, 'ha'
.hsr desired 10 guard against the Legislature
.vod,ns the biennial sessions provision ny '"h-
,,s recess from one year to the next lhls
s,so wa. rejected by the Republican Senator'S.
The Constitutional amendment was passed py
q vote Of 33 10 10 All the votes in the ai"r"a
tive were Republican. and those III 'he "ee"
tive were Democratic. except Senator Nussodu'','
Senator Bracket. Republican. VINO hao assaiieu
tho amendment. especially on the ground that II
destroved the balance OF the state GoVerhHie"'
nv increasing the power Of the Governor al 'ne
expense Of the Legislature retralned from WV
ing Senator Malby. Of St Lawrence County,
after appealing to his associates not to pass the
amendment turned about and voted Tor H. on
the ground that he was willing TO aode .! the
Judgment of the people on The propositlcN
NUssBAUMS ADVERSE SPEECH
The DEBATE Was one ~ 'ANNPNNN''
Senator Nussbaum, of Albany. opened 1t with
enc statement that he did not believe the Legis-
,atura should meet bennially until there had
hsen q reform Of its mode Of procedure. There
was criticism Of the number Of bills passed
nv the LEGISLATURE. Were they not desired py
the people? And could not Governors veto theih
II they we're bad measures? 1t seemed 70 De
forgotten that a Governor coulo make d '"ie
number Of ad-interim appointments IL was
also forgotten that the appropriations OF lh7
Iey,slaturs,now amount to S26000000 annually.
The legislature was not simply law-passing
body 1t met as auditing board or these
rn,I,ions OF expenses Besides, there were the
ereat commercial interests Of the State. which
were certainly growing and which demanded
,epislation in their interest. He would preolct
that II any attempt was made TO hold biennial
sessions the sessions would be twice as long
end the legislation would be of spshod char
scter.
SENATOR CANTOR's ATTACK
Senator Cantor seid one Of the arguments
made In favor Of the amendment was Oha' II
would decrease the cost Of government anu YET
nv some curious oversight Governor Black. who
was pressing the scheme. had not reduced MS
own salary.
Would not his labors be increased wheh
ne should have the whole State government on
his hdndS! inquired Ssnd'oi Hi"'
gentle irony.
"TJe annears N have II now" answered Sem
s,or Cantor. but l was thinking OF the time
when the LEGISLATURE should not he here ana
he would really have nothing TO do beyond nihng
Offices for year and half
In my Judgment this amendment Is re-
rection on the people and the Legislature. you
practically say that the people cannot De uusted
with legislative power. The Legislature meet
ing only every two years will not do its WORK
with deliberation. II will be hasty and, rear
bad legislation. The only people who are press
ing this bill are ;he corporations and monopo-
lists Of this State They want 70 get rid OF the
annual agitation over {, reduction OF their enor-
nous profits on the franchises they nave op-
tained from the State.
"I do not think IL is argument In favor
~ tbie amendment that other States get along
.,,b only one session OF their Legislatures In
two wears Their financial budgets do not
arnount 10 nearly thirty millions Of dollars
year"
sTRANAHAN's Defence.
Senator Stranahan followed win an argument
IN favor OF the amendment II was bad taste,
he thought; in any one 70 assert that ""oVerhor
Black is trying TO influence the Legislature IN
favor OF the biennial sessions amendment
Twice IN annual messages Governor Black had
made the suggestion. That was his right sup
pose he had gone nttle further than per-
functory support Of the amendment was ne
not excasable?
Senator Bracket had said the balance OF
mower would be disturbed. He took issue with
the Senator on that. and though; the Governor
would have less power II he did not have au-
thoitty 10 veto legislative enactments so far
as ad interim appointments were concerned
law could be passed regarding them
How about the superintendent OF PUBIC
Works and the Superintendent Of Prisons"