New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1906-02-09
WOULD BAR OUTSIDERS.
PROTEST FROM LEWIS.
LEWIS.
Others 4dUOcate Discretion an Id
uniting Visitors to Senate.
IBy Telegraph to The Tribune.I

Albany. Feb. S.-Senator Lewis. of Rochester
protested in the Senate this morning at what
he termed gradual drifting back to the condi-
lions of previous years, when lobbyists transact
cd their business openly outside the Senate rail-
ing He declared that the privileges of the floor,
obtained by Senators for friends, were being
abused. and demanded the exercise of the great
est discretion the part OF each Senator
Otherwise rigid enforcement of the rules
would become necessary, he said. Such enforce
ment would keep from the floor all save the
Governor, his secretary or messenger, members
OF both Houses clerks. reporters. and the fam
HES of the members on card of the president
of the Senate
Twice in the course of his argument Senator
Lewis specifically spoke of 'those whose bust
ness IL Is to retard or progress legislation" and
the corporation lawyers" Later he declared
that he had seen for several days lawyers and
legislative agents in the Hobbies. Others. TOO.
nave noted the accustomed presence of the leg
lsiatiVe agents, such as voting machine advo-
Gates and gas lawyers.
Senator Lewis aimed his remonstrance at the
indiscriminate habit of extending floor priv
lleges He declared that undoubtedly it was
courtesy TO Senator's constituents, but the
president had ruled against 1t, and it was en-
oarrasslng as had happened in his own case,
10 refuse friends and ten minutes later to have
some other Senator request this courtesy for his
constituents. and have the Senate grant it,
IL is embarrassing" he said Ito hear these
requests for the privileges of the floor for those
who do not deserve them and in some cases
absolutely should be excluded. This privilege
should not be extended to those who are here
solely for the purpose of appearing before COM
mlttees who seek this privilege of appearing on
the floor of the Senate solely to progress or re-
tard the course of legislation in which they are
interested These conditions in many instances
are little less than dsgraceful.''
Lieutenant Governor Bruce declared that he
hoped the members would live close to the rules
In many cases, he said, he had found IL neces-
sary to reprimand dOOrkeepers who had broken
the rules at the request of members. Senator
Grady said that the adoption of iron clad
rule would be hardly conducive to the comfort of
the Senators, but he hoped that each request
for floor privileges would he carefully consid-
cred before it made. IN any event he didn't
believe that the privileges would he asked for
those whose sole business was to promote or re-
tard legislation"
Senator Page, who has u little grievance
against the rules because friend was COM
PEELED to leave the chamber advised that the
Rules Committee take up the situation, to de-
fine exactly the privileges which the Senate
could grant. Senator Coggeshall said rule
excluding constituents would SAVIOR of 'snob-
ocracy.' Senator Raines thought the requests
had been somewhat indiscriminate, and urged
greater care. Again Senator Lewis gave an ad-
apparently, for the constituents who wanted
to watch the wheels go round. II don't know
WHY" said he, the honest farmer from my dis
trict should be excluded if the corporation law
yer is to have the privilege granted to him"