New-York tribune., 1906-07-07
CTS ON LEGISLATORS
Feso SoIors Worthy of Praise or Re
election Found By Committee.

The second instaIment Of the annual report OF
the Citizens Union committee on legislation, con-
tanning carefully prepared estimates OF the less-
lative character Of all the representatives from
greater New York. was made public yesterday. OF
the eighty-two Senators and Assembymen who
handle this city's destines at Albany a bare
handful are found deserving OF high communication
few additional are rated as worthy of reelection
on the ground that additional service will bring
improvement, but fully half Of the Assemblymen.
the committee declares nonentites. while more
than half the Senators condemned as vicious
or trihers with their legislative duties.
This report contained, in addition to the critical
summary Of the legislators worth. brief sum-
mary of all the bills they introduced, showing. as
clearly in different way, the character OF their
services and the desirabity Of retaining them
OF the men ranked as worth WHILE" Senators
Page. for his passage Of the SO-Cent Gas bill ana
the Mortgage Tax Repeal bill. his industry and
intelligent work in committee and on the nOor' ana
Elsberg, for his Rapid Transit bill. his hard work
and wide experience in legislative AFFAIRS with
conspicuous care for New York bills, are placed at
the head. Senator Marks, because Of his outspoken
denunciation Of graft and evil legislation, and
Senator SAKE, for his hard fight to remove the
railroad tracks from Eleventh avenue and his in
tengent service in all New York measures re-
ceive much praise. Assemblymen AgneW, Murphy
Prentice. Salonon. Shanahan Stanley. Wainwright
and Tompkins. in the opinion Of the committee.
did work of the highest value, and deserve re-elec-
ton promotion.
Sharp censure is the lot Of many, however, ire
spective Of political creed. Senator Cooper OF
Brooklyn, is described conspicuous because OF
his undesirable special and personal legislation,
dangerous representative. who should be de-
feated." Senator Gardner achieved a more un-
enyiable notoriety than any other new member;
took active part in all important attempts to XIII
good and promote bad legislation; conspicuous be-
cause Of his intimate relations with McCarren
Senator McCarren is tersely sent to limbo with the
Senator Grady is said to have great parlia-
mentary and legislative ability, which he has used
for the most part against the public interest
Most Of the other Senators, save those commended
are rated as undesirable" and deserving Of de-
feat Hasenhug, for instance, is called mere
rubber stamp for McCarren
A few Of the Assemblymen, as Young, for his
services to Abe Gruber; De Groot, for his attacks
on the Civil Service laws, and Hackett, for his
devotion to bills which would eventually lead to
his admission to the bar. receive Caustic censure
The report says:
Little reliance can be placed on the vote on in
divdual bills for a test as to the usefulness of
the vote is desgDedy Close and Vote therefore
on the right side of such a bill is not sure sign
Of the usefulness OF the member. Inc recorusI dc
cOrdingly, Of members from the city must be
judgment based on measures tnIToGuee9 & DS tbeT.
attentiveness to public affairs and their ACTIVITY.
the prominence of special and personal bills. These
are bills introduced for special limited purpose,
public and to pass them requires log-rollng' WIN
the accompanying sacrifice of freedom OF action on
called to the relative amount OF such speclaI les
lation by the various city members
Senators Page, SAKE and Marks are deserving of
reelection. Senator Elsberg has expressed his in
great loss to the city. Senators Quinn and Fraw
ley above the average Of the Iammany mem, m
their records Senator Grady by his unique expert
ence and ability, is an element of great power IN IN
devote himself the real interests OF the public
None of the Brooklyn Senators have shown such
records as entitle them to reelection.
In the Assembly Assemblymen Prentice, T0mP-
kins, Agnew, Stanley and Salomon' OF New 4ork
shown a keen and active public spirit that entities
them to reelection Assembyman Wainwrlght. OF
recomm endation except that by the reappOrton-
ment his district is no longer part OF New 1orA
OF the first year men, Assemblymen Wells;
Francis, Bohan and Bernstein, of New YORK. ana ana
Lee of Kings, have fair records. and belong TO a
class that should be returned, unless conspicuousy
Assemblymen Young and Hartman, of Manhattan
and Assemblymen Dowling and Murphy, OF klngs,
members of more than one years service, who on
the whole should be returned. Assembyman MIL
Ter of Queens would also be included IN this class
except that by the reapportonment he is no longer
a city member. 1t should be understood however,
that no recommendation to reelection is made
in the last classes, If the names of conspicuous
and able men are proposed for their places. AS 70
the first class their services are such as TO ehutle
them to a reelection.
on the whole men should be returned who have
made fair records that the prestige of the city may
be increased. The average term of members from
the city is much below that OF upstate members,
and accounts in part for the lack of committee
chairmanships and prominent committee appoint
ments Should the city re-elect as many OF ITS
record their importance in the Assembly would be
increasingly apparent. The other Assemnly@men men
made such bad records that their places might bet
ter be taken by other men.