New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-03-28
RJFNNT4L SESSIONS

The biennial sessions amendment n"N'nt ~
curcd enough votes in the Senate last week ~
nreserve its original form. but ono less IMAM
enough 10 pass it IN that branch OF the Legs
lotnre. was made special order for to-day. II
will encounter objections Of two kinds Some
members whose present purpose Is 10 postpone
rho ouostion Indefinitely. will represent that'
while the principle Of the amendment IS al
,icht tho form needs to be modified In order 10
br,uc If into harmony with existing C0nStltu-
tionel orranCcments and facilitate the calling OF
an extra session in case of emergency. Ihis
view Of the matter Will be proclaimed by Tam
many Senators who have plank in their
latest party platform to explain away rs best
,hev can. They have lacked hitherto AT ihls
session the courage 10 say frankly that they are
opposcd TO biennial sessions. and unless they
hear from Croker 10 the contrary they VIII
continue TO pretend that all they want is 10
ncrfoct the bill If Croker should suddenly re
verso tho Democratic programme in the LegiS-
laturc as he did year ago. they would all
doubtless hasten to the support Of the amend
ment. ms they would have done then If they
he'd received the tip in time. and as the Demo
cratic Asscmblymen actually did with ridicn-
Ions Inconsistency. We don't anticipate gen
p'@''
bic that the one vote lacking last week may
he supplied by some Democrat.
Objections Of another and more honest KIND
Will be made by the Republican Senators who
have refused TO abide by The decision of the
caucus and frankly declare that the only way
TO improve the bill IS 10 kill it. Messrs. Brack-
eft and Malby represent the opinion-whch
may perhaps have more support than the vote
shows-that annual sessions Of the Legislature
are essential TO the general welfare. They
hold that the business OF the state cannot he
suitably transacted by 4 session every other
year and they appear 70 think that they have
something more than their own assertions 10
sustain their position This is the view which
has been induStriously put forth adj winter by
an organization Of various Albany interests.
whose unwillingncSs 10 suffer personal losses
is quite natural. but whose disregard for facts
has become somewhat notorious 1t might be
inferred from their arguments that experience,
50 far as 1t goes. iustifies their apprehensonS:
that biennial sessions are the exception not the
rule. throughout the Union. and that those
States especially which approach NcwYork in
population and business find annual sessions
necessary: whereas in reality only six States
out OF forty-fve have annual legislative ses-
siOns Massachusetts. NewJerSey. Georgia.
Rhode Island and North Carolina being in the
list with NewYork. The truth IS that. except
ing only in Ohio, which commonly has extra
sessions in alternate years. biennial sessions
wherever they are the law meet the require
ments OF the people. and no valid argument
against the change which New-Yorlx IS now
considering can he drawn from her own OK
pcrience or that Of any other annual session
State.
Assuredly those members of the Legislature
who are now conending thai the proposed
amendment would imperil the welfare of the
Umpire State cannot point 10 the record OF
the present session in support Of their theory.
II is probable that in a few instances local or
private convenience has been served to some
extent by statutes already passed this year: hut
IL is conspicuous fact that not single mpor-
:ant law has been enacted and some Of those
who plead the necessity Of annual sessions are
apparently resolved that the record shall re-
main barren 10 the last. They may defeat the
amendment. but they are doing about all they
could do 10 make il popular