New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-07-22
CLEAN YEAR AT ALBANY
DOODLE GANG WARMED.
Helped Governor in
Fight for Honest Methods.

New York City, and others throughout the state.
that they must keep their hands out OF legisla-
tive affairs.
Mr.. Moreland warned these corporations that
If they attempted TO use money either to pass
or defeat measure. il they in any way at
tempted to influence legislation legislators. he
would see TO 1t that their bill would be defeated.
or the reverse-the bill they wanted defeated he
would see passed
NO matter what you have have not done
in the past no matter whether you have at
tempted or have not attempted to influence
Legislators by bribery by other means" said
Assemblyman MOreland to these corporations.
you have got to keep your hands off this year.
We won't stand for it. If you do attempt to use
money any other form of bribery corrup-
uon this year TO influence legislation. no matter
how cleverly you disguise it, will find 1t out
and l and the other members Of the Republican
party will that you are defeated in your ef-
forts. We will go further than that. We will
make IL hot for you and for the men you infiu-
ence. if you succeed in influencing any ilegiti-
mately
Don't forget. too that this year Charles e
Hughes is Governor of the state. II need not
be necessary for me to warn you OF what that
means"
PLAN PLEASED REPUBLICANS.
Members Of the Republican party in the Legis-
lature and all friends of clean legislation were
jubilant the success of this plan They
believed IL worked wonders for cleaner, better
legislation this year. I'VE don't mean to say,
said Assemblyman Beverly Robinson yesterday,
that there has been any great amount of money
used by corporations in the immediate past to
influence legislation. but it is equally true that
in bygone times certain men with big rolls OF
money up here in Albany at the times that
certain bills badly wanted by certain influential
corporations were up for passage, and con-
tinued Mr.. Robinson. smiling. those gentlemen
went home without their rolls
The moral influence that Governor Hughes
has had over the Legislature. and. IN fact. over
the entire state since his election. has been
markable," said another member of the As
sembly. 1T irnpresses one with the power
honest. able man who by his chatacter and
acts has gained the, confidence OF the people
regardless of party denomination has. have
been asked the question. Why does Governor
Hughes have such a wonderful hold the
people?' and that is the answer
GOVERNOR 'sCRUTINIzED BILLS.
In discussing his action In telling the cor
porations to observe hands of policy this
year Mr. Moreland said to a Tribune reporter:
Il really do not know whether that action was
exactly warranted by the actual facts. for do
not believe that many of our corporations would
have had the temerity this year to adopt Illegal
tactics to pass legislation. 1t seems hardly
reasonable to think they would. for. OF course
their managers are clear. hard sense business
men and must have known that every bill would
be carefully scrutinized by Governor Hughes
himself before 1t received his signature. They
must realize that the Governor is an exception
ally able lawyer as well as man who could be
influenced by neither political nor other consid-
erat!ons TO do anything that his conscience
would tell him against the interests of the
state. Knowing this. then. it seems improbable
that corporations would use money TO pass bills
when they must know that even II the party did
discover the joker in the bill the Governor
would and would promptly veto it. To repeat
do not think that they would have been willing
throw money away in that manner
But to make assurance dOubly sure thought
ii duty TO them not TO make the at
tempt and 10 show the Governor that his party
would back him up TO the limit in his efforts for
clean state government. And. that the
session is over / unhesitatingly state that ii
has been the cleanest that the state has had in
seveEty-hve years.
/, NO CORRUPTION FUNDS THIS YEAR
ITO knowledge there have been no So
called corruption funds brought up 10 Albany
this year. If they were. they not used.
1 think the Legislature has almost Unstained.
unblemished record IN that respect
There rumors that the police Of New
York City raised big sum-some $4,000. 1t
was reported to be-to kill the bingham police
bills. 1t has also been said that some If not ali
Of that money was used here. and portion of
it went to certain members of the lower house.
Il made it point to investigate quietly and
i'll manner these reports, and l could
not substantiate them in any way. could find
no supporting evidence. But suppose. Just fo-
the sake of argument, that that money was
raised and thus used What was the re-
suit? The result that the Bingham police
bill, so called. made committee measure
by the Cities Committee. which assured it
practically a solid Republican vote. and was
passed by overwhelming majority Nice
returns the police got for their corruption fund
II they had one wasn't it?
Now. the session preceding this was also
pretty clean one, though II Is not improbable
that some corporations and special interests
made unfair efforts to get certains measures.
There were also rumors that few members OF
the Assembly had got funds from them other
substantial remuneration Whether these re-
ports were true or not 1 do not 10 say-
But l saw to il this year that every member o.
nv house knew that nothing of that kind would
be tolerated. on the whole. I think the Gov
graduate themselves for the work the Legis-
lature has done"
CLEAN POLITICS HELPED PARTY.
There seems to be little doubt that the deter
mined stand that the Republican party has
taken for clean politics. for clean. honest legis-
Iation this wear has redOunded 10 the credit OF
the partv and the state. That IL has been ef-
fectfve any one who has famIliarized himself
with the legislative work in Albany this year
cannot doubt
While to the Governor himself is due the
greater share OF credit, to ASSemblyman More
land must go a considerable portion of IL. many
politicians think. Mr. MOreland has been
stanch supporter OF the Governor throughout
the session. and he has unfiinchingly fought for
the Governor and his policy the floor of the
Assembly even when at times. such course
did not bring him popularity with some OF the
members of his party. AS leader OF the
rna iniO OT n