New-York tribune., 1906-04-19
IN OFF DAY"

The Legislature has been doing some excel
lent work this year The long list of insurance
| bills alone would entitle it to honor. In addi-
ton, 1t has given us S0cent gas struck blow
at the Raines law dives taken steps to give
New York water, drawn the net around nom
resident tax dodgers and relieved borrowers from
| the burden of the annual mortgage tax which
has been raising interest rates. But it has its
| nodding spells and then. and Tuesday
seems to have been one of it's 'Off days"
The petty spirit shown by the Senate in the
defeat of Senator Pages bill to repeal the tax
on the surplus of savings banks was as dis
creditable as it was silly and childish. Personal
jealouses and resentnents are inevitable in
such bodies. Senator Page seems to have got
on the nerves" of some of his Republican col
leagues, perhaps mainly because he has out
man9uyred some of them on the mortgage tax !;
perhaps for more personal reasons Whatever
the cause. there plenty of suitable OppOr-
tunitieS for the settlement of personal scores
without the sacrifice of public welfare or party
honor. The repeal of the savings bank tax is
an article of Republican policy. The party
pledged itself TO this in the platform of 1904
when the present Governor and Senator's
elected. Governor Higgins has done his best to
secure the redemption of this pledge. The
Legislature last year was deaf to all reminders
of the platform. In his message this year the
Governor urged this measure and characterized
last years failure a "amentable disregard
of party honor" Senator Pages bill was framed
TO redeem that honor. Doubtless some men op-
posed 1t on principle, feeling that the savings
bank tax was proper one and that a state
conventions resolution was not morally binding
on their legislative action. The controlling op-
position however, seemed to be personal. The
issue was not the merits of the bill. but the
punishment of Senator Page. 1t is said that
somewhat similar bill introduced by Senator
Foley, a Democrat, will be taken up by the
Republican enemies of Senator Page with the
idea of robbing him of any credit for the meas
ure. The Foley bill may be the only hope OF
those who would keep their party pledge. but it
is hard TO believe that grown men think they
| do themselves credit injure Senator Page by
taking his name from measure and trying to
| associate a Democrat with the redemption of
Republican pledges.
The Assembly likewise seemed unable to live
up to its own measure of duty There does
not to be any dispute that the exemption
from accounting of committees spending less
than 5000 and separate payments of less than
so robs the corrupt practices bill of much of
its effectiveness. We can readily understand the
feeling of Mr.. Cox. the chairman of the Judici
airy Committee, that it is his duty to get what
he can and report a measure of some virtue
which can be passed rather than a better bill
which cannot be passed. But what is this ad
verse sentiment which Mr.. Cox and Mr.. More
land have run against and feel compelled TO
yield to: What but that of Republican Assem-
bymen who are supposed to be anxious for the
reform of campaign methods? The Assembly
must be in need Of 4 spring tonic if tie respon-
sible majority cannot be induced to pass Il bill
to stop corrupt practices without loophole big
enough TO give clever corruptionstS free swing
in every election district of the state. We hope
the Assemblymen will brace up and do the rest
of their work more in the spirit of the meas
ures which. as we have said, make the session
as a whole extremely creditable