New-York tribune., 1906-05-04
THE YEARS IMPORTANT LEGISLATION AT ALBANY

eiUaHg5 way sine Legislature OF 1906 will
down In history IS a body that rendered lmpor-
tant public service and Is charaeabIe with few
faults. The PASSAGE Of the Insurance reform
legislation the Mortgage Tax Repeal bill, the Corr
rups Practices bills, the Employers Liability and
various labor bills, the EIsberu Rapid Transit
bill, the Water Supply blIss and the so-cent Gas
bill for New York City will mark the session as
one wherein much excellent legislation was com.
pleted.
Individual corruption. as understood here from
the shining examples of previous years, was nota-
bly, absent this session. OF course there were bad
bills and in most cases the group of men
voted for them. There were cries of "the lobby
and bribery and cOrruption there were even a few
apparently well founded cases where undue in
fluence and probably illegal methods had been
used in connection with legislation; but in COM
parison with other sessions, when promises of
money for votes were made on the floor OF either
house. and the dividends" on certain bills were
quoted in the corridors regularly as the prices
of stocks were posted daily. this year was a glow
ing white.
Comparative freedom from really vicious meas
ures' out decided inclination, the part of a
small but resourceful minority, checked only by
prompt executive action and vigorous public de-
punciafion' to weaken or kill several important
bills Of acknowledged worth. characterized this
Legislature very few Of the oldtime agrab' bills
made their appearance. and even these met no
success In the places of the familiar railroad
measures came two or three new bills-the Cooper
OAlA b1o 4odEHeS- Oung Dill, permitting the
New York and Queens Electric Lighting Company
TO collect from the city money for power furnished
during the Low administration according to its
own rules of procedure; the NIalby-Merritt con-
current resolution for the flooding Of State lands
fOr public purposes which would throw open
the vast Adirondack regions to the power develop
ing companies with which it's introducers have been
associated.
The Assembly, thoroughly reorganized under the
leadership OF the young Speaker Mr.. Wadsworth,
clean nd at boad oP
every committee. and the strong men of the body
distributed thoroughly among the committees to
produce the best results was widely hailed re
formed" In all save two three particulars it
lived up TO Its reputation. 1t took a pronounced
stand for a thorough banking investigation; it
passed the insurance legislation without any diff
Guilty; its Committee Rules smothered quietly
several bad bills. Many Of its best friends regret
that 1t did not add to this reputation by passing
more satisfactory Corrupt Practices act. In this
same connection may be recalled the failure pass
the Civil Service Commissions bill requiring Civil
Service employees to file statements of their con-
tributiOns 10 political funds.
On all important bills the Assembly registered
itself promptly and decidedly. It passed the 80
cent gas bill with only the difficulty caused by Il
few III advised members who thought they would
benefit their districts by seeking lower than
a competent committee. with long study of the
subject had specified Little real opposition to the
Insurance reform bills was brought out, although
Mr.. Cox, of the investigating committee did vary
from that committees plan ana policy to assess
ment organizations under pressure from a COM
pany and its policyholders in his own district The
Assembly not only passed the Elsberg Rapid Tran
SIT bill speedily, but stood ready if Senator Els,
berg desired, 20 Teinsert in the bill the clause
struck ont in the interests of the transit monopoly
by Senator Grady's amendment.
The Assembly passed the Prentice bill compel
ling the inspection OF all Raines law hotels by the
local authorities, measure which in New York
city alone will wipe out thousands of disreputabe
oiVes' without the emergency message which was
required in the Senate registered itself for local
option by the remarkable course of dscharging
lle Excise Committee from further consideration
oE the Local Option BILL at the request of Mr.
mAln~Fisnt. H. passed the original Page-DowIine
Naoftsase Tax Repeal bill swimmIngly On numer-
Gus bills of a more minor character. the Asrembl,
81 % rent wnile the upper house debated the
proposition or dallled over the matter
The Senate was not so responsive 70 uonular aa
Names a handful OF skilled parliamentarians were
able 70 obstruet for time the desires OF a MAJOR
ity' but THIS majority aided by the Governor s,c
essoed IN fsepins the record pretty straight