New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-02-24
BLACK PUT ON THE SORE WS.
ASsEMBLYMEN COERCED TO VOTE FOR
BIENNIAL SESSIONS.
SPEAKER o'GRADY ALSO BROUGHT PRESSURE ON
UNWILLING MEMBERs-A CAUCUS HELD
WITH ONLY FrFTY-THREE MEN
PREsENT-TTIE AMENDMENT
ADOPTED by 1T.
tsY TELEGRAPH TO THE rRrBUNE.l

tBY rELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNEl
Albany. Feb. Ex-Governor Black and Speaker
O'Grady were hard at work to-day making
preparations to pass the Biennial Sessions
amendment to the Constitution in the Assembly
tomorrow. Mr. Black had Assemblyman
on the rack for an hour this afternoon. Many
of the Assemblymen seemed 10 think that their
bills would be vetoed unless they supported MT
Blacks policy.
Speaker O'Grady meanwhile was summoning
Republican Assemblymen. and. whenever ne dis
covered an opponent Of the amendment. insist
ing on his voting for II. The Speaker made per
sonal appeals What would Governor Black
think Of him II the amendment was not passed
i'm the Assembly. h. asked.
In tho Senate the course pursued was 10 call
the meeting Of the Republican Senator's to con-
slider the amendment a conference. In the
Assembly the same meeting was boldly called
caucus" The caucus met in the Assembly
parlor at 8 o'clock tonight The roll was called
and It was announced that ffty-three members
were in attendapce Speaker O'Grady declared
that he had letters from eighteen absent mem
beTs putting their votes at his disposal for the
amendmer'
Mr.. Wallace. OF Queens County moVeh that
the meeting should be conference" Speaker
O'Giady opposed the motion. and ii was beaten
by vote of - to s. Among the absentees were
Assemblymen Kavanaugh. Fierce. GoodSeH
Laimbeer. CouChtry. Stedman, McEwan, Auiet
Lowenthal, Miller. Paris. Hanna, Ells' fu"er
Cottle and Eldridge.
Speaker O'GraGy announced tina; the caucus
was called To consider the Biennlal Sessions
amendment Assemblyman Wallace tnereupoh
made hal! hour speech in opposition 10 II.
He argued that the State Of New YORK maze
such enormous appropriations Of public money
now. amounting To nearly $4,000 900 a year.
that it highly important. in the Interest o,
the taxpayers that the Legislature should meet
yearly and review these great expenditures. lie
offered amendment providing that the mem
bers should have milea ye to and from their
homes once d month. This was rejected.
Mr.. Miles offered an amendment providing for
fifteen trips to and from their homes during the
session. This also rejected.
Mr.. Fish offered an amendment providing for
the filling Of vacancies He also made speech
critcising the entire amendment. He was sup
ported in his attitude by Assembyman Bill. or
Erie County. who made an earnes; speech IN
opposition to the scheme.
Finally, when vote taken, the Blenni1l
Sessions amendment adopted, ~ to b.
Speaker O'Grady afterward said it would be
passed by the Assembly tomorrow by a vote
OF seventy-eight in it's favor. including Mr.
Seligsberg, National Democrat. Assemblyman
Weekes. Citizens Union Republican. attended
the caucus and accepted its decree to support
the amendment ssemblyman Laimbeer. an
other Citizens Union Republican. who did not
attend the caucus, VIII support the amendment
# he three Republican Assembly men from Al
bany County. will vote against IT,