New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-02-02
"ALL THREE ARE AGREED"

The announcement was made Monday morn
ing In the columns Of the Platt-Quigg or
gan that Governor Black Senator Plat and
Chairman Charles W Hackett Of the Repub-
lean State Committee had met in council the
previous evening and had long talk after
dinner about legislative matters at Albany
and that "all three were agreed that the Legs-
"lature should be out Of Albany by the last
week of March or the first week OF April.
This IS both interesting and important. 1t Is
interesting 10 the general public 10 know that
the question Of the adjournment OF the Legis-
lature has been settled by these three recog-
nized authorities, and It Is important to the
Legislature to know It's limitations, and how
long it will be permitted to continue the func-
ton or farce Of making laws. We do not now
recall the precise provision Of the Constitution
under which the Governor Of the State, one
United States Senator-doubtless acting und,r
his commission from Quigg as Master Of the
State"-and the chairman Of the Republican
State Committee are empowered to adjourn the
Legislature but It must be there somewhere,
else they would not have taken such serious
counsel together about 1t, nor have so authori-
tatively announced their conclusion 10 the mat
ter 1t Is source Of great satisfaction, how
about II. for If they hadn't been, the Legis-
lature would never have known when to get
out Of Albany, and who knows but what they
might have kept ON making speeches and laws
and playing various games Of tina; sort until
way up into the fall Of 1898?
But the adjournment was not all they were
agreed upon. According to this veraclous au
thorlty, they talked about the proposed new
primary law, and all three-the Governor, Mr.
"Platt and Mr.. Hackctt-re'tcrated what they
have frequently said before-that only the fair
"est kind Of n bill will be considered" This
also IS reassurng For there may he people
there is such increduity in human nature--who
without this announcement would hardly have
believed that all three could agree to the propo-
s!tion that "only the fairest kind OF a bill will
be considered" Then there be those who will
no doubt say, mocHingly: Did any one sup
pose for a single moment that either OF the
three would admit that he was in favor OF
anything but the fairest kind OF a bir?" And
they will make sorry Jests about IT, saying that
no matter what kind OF II bill Is considered or
passed, the men who advocate II and the men
who vote for It or lam 1t through" will insist
that It Is the fairest kind Of a bill" All the
same, It is great comfort TO know that these
distin guished persons, in laying out work for
a legislative body OF which they are not mem
bers, were not "all three agreed upon the IN
farest kind Of bill, or bill that should be
only half fair
But we must no, count on any kind OF bill
rs certainty, for the inspired organ, continu-
ing It's account Of the proceedings of this bar
monious triumvirate, says: 1T may turn out
that no primary bill at ali will BE considered.
There is disposition in certain quarters not
ITO leglsae on matters Of this character IN
less 1t becomes absolutely necessary" So. II
we have any primary bill at all II will be "the
farest kind OF bill" but we may no, have
any kind OF a bill on account OF the dispose
ton IN certain quarters" II would relieve
curiosity somewhat If little more definite In
formation were given both as TO the certain
quarters and what might constitute an abso-