New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-04-07
PENSION BILL PASSED.
ATTACK JUDGES MOTTVE.
Senators in Uproar Deer Passage OF
WeaSNre.
rBr TELEGRAPH TO TIE TaIav;;E.l

TBY TELEGRAPH TO THE T1IGU-sEi
A!barz- April ca midnight debate on the
JUDGES Pension bin furnished the longest and
IN many respects. the sharpest discussion Of the
session This measure. defeated once in caucus
and rentroduced by Senator Bracket. was at
tackled by Senators Raines and Malby and OPP
posed b- many Republicans and supported by
Senator Bracket and the entire Democratic
minority. II vas passed by vote Of - to 10
Two Republican Senators. Aids and Armstrong
absented themselves from the session, and their
absence was the cause OF much unfavorable
comment. Senators Raines and Maby made the
principal arguments against the bill Senator
Raines offered amendment after amendment.
each of which was. voted down by a vote OF >
to 10
In opening the attack on the measure Senator
Raines bitterly assaiIed the influences exerted
70 force the passage Of the hill lie said in part;
The Senate is face 20 face with the most i'm
port2nt proposition OF the session. 1t Is nov
50 honorable and respected body the Judiciary
@ New oSh, Nolh.is saNe ' , h;ii b,t t7cir
fetal duty brings as 10 oppose these ollis n{ teIr
effects are 50 far reaching that any man. "EeS,5 5d
neglect Ms dutv Is worthy Of condemnation. We
oppose tonight Tire beginning of system or ciSii
pension for servants OF the State.
Senator Raines discussed the financial phase
Of tho question. and continued:
DO you suppose one of the supporters of the
hill would have been involved If It were only
petty affair Do you suppose the power Or the
judges ana their friends was stretched out III
every way through a Republican caucus ior d
l,eCEarlv $4,000 Do YOU suppose IL doesn
take considera bic influence 10 make htghninded
Senator's evade their caucus pledge? rms pm
is practically the same as the one condemned py
The Republican caucus. This is not an eva
sion: T. IS not = subterfuge il is a direct bolt,
due only to the pressure of the judges on tlel:
friends This i not bribery by money. but
favor. II the judges take their hands OF not
q man will stand Tor this bill single notnenL,
When know they have the power 20 IeWaIr
and punish. / wonder not at what they nave
done, but their moderation. .,--.
II this bin is passed, tide or condemnation
viii rise which viii sweep out some OF the men
who favor II here. and viii react on its hene-
ficiaries. If 81 is passed even by three or TOUR
votes. my Republican friends, the Republican
party viii be held responsible for that iniquity
i'm its conception and tanning through the leg
isature.
Senator Raines offered amendments. one pro-
viding that the service specified be continuous.
others that a judge applying for a pension
must swear that he was in possession Of less
than 100000 and in recent Of less than SlO.-
600 income. They were defeated by votes Of
81 to H.
Senator Malby told Of the majority caucus,
which. with no prior arrangements. declared
that the bill should not be advocated one Sen
ator. he said. had expressed his gladness at
being in a caucus not packed. He added:
ators have violated the solemn pledge Of men in =
political organization. How does II come about?
tirely distinct from this. which has exercised in
.. SSigo,,+ I,,5or our form Of r6vernrTort
Judges have no more right 10 Influence. or threat
we have 10 criticise their court decisions This
measure is almost the voice of the Judiciary speak
in It. If these men want to take the miserable
pittance, the people viii hold them responsible and
all who helped them do II.
Senator Elon r. Brown was sorry that tho bill
had been introduced If it called to the attention
OF everybody the legislative discussion to the
motives Of the judiciary. Senator Grady
impassioned in his declaration that the passage
OF the bill would offer inducement TO the
highest class OF men to take up the judicial
work, provide for them while they worked and
assure them a competence when they retired.
Senator Green. in voting for the bill waxed in
dignant at the aspersons cast at the judiciary.
An talk Of reward and punishment was false. he
said.
The fight on the bill did not end until the final
rollcall. on this Senators Raines Marshall.
Malby and White bitterly attacked the action Of
their Republican colleagues and the last named
declared Il TO be a stain the honor Of the
experience. Senator Elsberg, who had alb
stained from voting up 70 this time declared
that he had acted up 10 this point the belief
that he owed such action to the caucus but that
he felt that this measure he justi-
fed IN voting aye Senator Raines, on the final
call declared that he felt like proposing that
hereafter the sudges should be allowed TO
tribute 10 the campaign fund OF the political
parties.
on the declaration Of the final vote at which
Senators Aids and Armstrong were still absent
and unrecorded, Senator Raines raised the
point Of order that the bill needed two-thirds
vote Lieutenant Governor Higgins overruled
this and declared the bill passed, b TO Is.
Eleven Republicans and twenty-one Democrats
voted for the bill and sixteen Republicans
against H.