New-York tribune., 1901-03-26
ODELL VETOES FIVE BILLS.
OPPOSES PERSONAL REGISTRATION AT
PRIMARIES-A CLAIM DIS
APPROVED.
icy TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE.I

/ Albany March - (Special).-Governor Odell
sent five veto messages TO the legislature He
vetoed a bill increasing the salary OF the
stenographer of the County Court Of the County
1 of Richmond, with the remark:
II is noticea BILE that the invariable rule for
the equalization of salaries in the Greater New
York is to raise the lower salary to the leVeI or
the higher and never TO reduce them. This
tendency is one that does not commend itself to
the executive.
The message might be considered at this point
a criticism of The extravaganza of Tammany
Hall government but the Governor takes pains
in the next paragraph of it to declare that he is
opposed TO mandatory legislation by pointing
out that the charter of New-York already gives
TO the authorities of New-York power to in
crease the stenographer's salary If they so de-
sire TO act.
In a second veto message the Governor
presses his disapprova of Senator Armstrong;
bill. requiring the personal registration of per-
sons participating in the primaries in the rural
towns of Monroe County. He says that the
principal object of the primary law is to pre-
the participation in the primaries of those
who affiliated with other political parties.
and is operative in all large cities and in towns
or villages of five thousand inhabitants. In
towns of less size. he declares: THE relations
existing between the inhabitants and their
knowledge of the other political affiliations have
I
against corrupt practices" He concludes his
veto with these words:
I do not think it desirable in rural communi-
ties to require personal appearance and enrol
ment prerequisite to participation in town
primaries. When personal registration was re-
quired in all towns ii found that great
hardships resulted therefrOm. owing for one
reason, TO the distance so many voters resided
from the places of registration.
In veto. that of claim BILL the Gov
ernor states that he does not believe in the pro-
miscuous claim bills. AS there have been a
great many of these every year. it is believed
the Governors attitude will stop a great many
of them. The bill vetoed is that of the claim
of James Hamill. who was injured while OPP
Grating machinery in Clinton prison. The ac-
cdent took place in 1894 In vetong the bill
the Governor saya:
The claimant having rested all these years IL
would be manfestly unfair and unjust to the,
State to enact the proposed legislation. it
might deprive the State OF any constitutional
or statutory defence. and owing to the delay.
the State might be unable TO secure evidence
which would have been available had the claim
ant filed His claim within the statutory time
Actions similar to the for which this legis-
lation is sought required to be commenced
against private persons within three years. and
| know of no good reason why the State should
not be entitled 10 the same defences as ind-
viduals against the prosecution of claims of
such long standing.
Another bill vetoed permitted the owner of
lands condemned for street improvement pur-
poses for upward Of twenty years but whose
condemnation proceedings were never completed
to obtain title to such condemned land abutting
his premises by presenting petition TO the mu-
nicipal corporation. setting forth the facts and
in turn releasing said corporation from the
payment Of the award in the condemnation pro-
ceedings. The Governor says:
The objection to this bill Is that the relief
sought might be obtained by action in court
and the municipal corporation either compelled
to complete the condemnation proceedings and
! pay the award, or to restore to the ahutting
( owner his original title