The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-04-01
GAG LAW PASSES EXCISE BILL,
VOTE OF LOCKED-IN ASSEMBLY,
MEN WAS 81 TO 60.
Cloture Rule Put Through and the Lash
Applied-wavering Upstate Mem
bers Get tho Third Degree-Tws
Republicans Vote Against the Mn.

Applied-Waverfng Upstate Mem
ben Get tho Third Degree-Tws
Republicans Vote Against tho BilI.
ALBANY. March si.-The Republican men,
hers Of the Assembly were insulted by Gov.
Odell to-day In q manner that u the MEM
ters did not desire to be known a. rubber
stamps would have been vigorously de-
nounced and rebuked They were locked
in the Assembly Chamber from 1850 O'Clock
this morning until $50 o'clock tonight.
the hour when they replied to the lash and
chirped their ayes and voted for the bill
demanded by the Governor increasing the
liquor tax throughout the State by one
half. when they got their liberty for the
night.
The bill passed by vote of a. ayes to
90 noes. Two Republicans. Messrs. Patton
and lRuehl OF Erie. had the backbone to
stand up against all the persuasive argyll
ments Of the Governor and voted against
the bill. Speaker Nixon did not vote.
Assemblyman Treat (Rep.. Cayuga) was
present, having been summoned from a
sick bed to the chamber. but did not vote.
Assemblyman Coon ALBANY was the only
absent Republican. There were three
Democrats absent.
The proceedings to-day will 70 down
on record a. the most remarkable ever held
within legislative halls. and indicate the
tyrannical attitude OF the Governor Of
this State and the utter lack Of Independence
of the men who 60 TO make up the State
Legislature.
They wers treated with a. little con-
sideration as II they were dishonest and
INSCRIPTIONS. Both before and during
the session Gov. Odell indicated clearly
that he did not trust them and was afraid
they would succumb to the influences Of the
lobby which. Yumor had IL, was getting
ready to put In hard days work to defeat
the passage Of the bill.
The Republican leaders Of the Assembly
plainly told the members they were not to
think Of the bill. for orders had been given
not to speak on 1t. and II they did they must
not talk more than FIVE minutes. Eleven
Republicans were permitted 10 talk few
minutes
But the sight that greeted any one who
sat in the galleries Of the way the bill was
being treated was enough to disgust him.
The eighty-Hve Republican members Of
the Assembly were practically prisoners
inside Of the chamber. A closed call Of the
House was ordered Immediately upon con-
vening the session. That meant that no
one could 20 in or out OF the chamber.
The call was intended to prevent the MEM
bers from getting out into the corridors and
meeting the Representatives Of the liquor
ard b,owvfy Interests and To peyept t,iese
representatives from entering ths chamber.
Speaker Nixon and Leaders Rogers and
Burnett ably carried out the commands and
dictates of the Governor. and when the
emissaries OF the Chief Executive Of the
State visited the chamber "a the session
progressed they could 20 back TO the Ex-.
ecutive Chamber and report that everything
was being done a. desired. No attemps
was made to keep the Democratic members
within the chamber. they could 60 in and
out as they wished.
But this privilege was denied the Re-
publican members: they had to stay IN the
chamber. and at luncheon time were treated
to sandwiches and mineral waters to re-
ward them for their work.
The most interesting part OF the days
proceedings was before the session Of the
Assembly The hour fred for the con-
vening OF the Legislature is IL o'clock, but
il was twenty five minutes after that time
when Speaker Nixon raped for order this
morning When he did he knew that he
had the votes to pass the bill. From II
O'Clock until Ii2s the hardest work was
done. and il was this work that saved the
bill
During the morning II became noised
about that some members from upstate
Republican counties were wavering in thsir
adherence to the bill. These members
were sent for and taken into the Speakers
room where they were put through an or
deal by Speaker Nixon and Leaders Rogers |
and Burnett that would make the third |
degree administered by police officials to |
suspected prisoners look tame In COM
parison.
One by one these members. about fifteen |
IN all, sufficient number to defeat the bill, |
were called into the room by the Speakers |
colored attendant and werc told what they |
should do and what they should not do. |
When these members took their seats they |
knew that they had to vote for the bill and |
that they were on the suspect list
The Governor had not been idle. either. |
for his attaches had been about the hotel /
lobbies after the session Monday night and |
early this morning and had had good line |
on the members under suspicion.
After the chaplain had prayed that the
Assembly give due elaboration to the events
Of the day and had told them Of their re-
sponsibility 10 tho State and their con-
stitusnts, Majority Leader Roeen i'm
mediately moved closed call OF the House.
There was no opposition 70 this.
Then came the vote to suspend the rules.
This. ii was known, would be teet vote
after what had happened In the Speakers