New-York tribune., 1907-01-28
LEGISLATURE LOITERS.
LITTLE DONE At albany.
Letch7cOrth Bill Alone Passed
WOmeRtOuS Business Yet.
IL 80 % 20 Tribune. ]

Albany, Jan. 27.-When the Legislature meets to-
uoTrow night it will be to begin the third week OF
actual business; Vet To business of great moment
has been transacted Only one bill-the I.etch-
worth bill. for which there was urgent need-bas
been passed by both houses. That was signed by
Governor Hughes few hours after il reached his
desk
The Legislature, as usual is lettering through the
first month Of the session. Some committees-to be
sure. more or less unimportant ones-have not or
ganized yet Few bills have been reported. even
81 the local measures. TO which there will be no
opposition Senator Raines in his capacity as tenn
porary President twice has admonshed the Senate
of tho extreme desirabity Of getting such Iegisla-
tion out OF the early, and OF the necessity for
regular attendance on the part Of the members
Many bills have been introduced some OF which
in any other year would be OF considerable I'M
portance. but at this session in view OF the over
shadowing Importance OF the legislation suggested
in the message of Governor Hughes. they may
serve only as hindrances or furnish means of op-
position 10 some Of the Governors suggestions.
Many OF these bills have near kinship to those
which Will be presented TO cover the Governors s
ideas. Yet they aFe far from giving the remedies
which he had in mind, and some critical moment
they may fog the issue.
Two subjects will be paramount this year-ra-
road reform legislation which likely also 10 en-
brace the lighting companies. and ballot reform.
Almost hama in hand with this latter subject will
go Tho recount proposal The recount bill has been
introduced in both houses Though party expe-
diencT would seem to urge that il be passed quick
lE. iest Attorney General Jackson. THE in
search Of The spotlight" be able TO bring his quo
Uarranto proceedings tG end before the Isegis-
'atgre has taken action. nothing has been heard
from the bin yet. It is comparatively young one
in the Senate, but has been in the Assembly since
January p
There was possibility that the railroad legis-
.stion doing away with the State Railroad Com
mission and the Rapid Transit Commission would
ne introduced last week but II was not ready.
Senator Page and Assemblyman Merritt who are
oraiuns TIE bills. want 10 get them done and pre-
sented as soon possible. hut the time of doing
This IS stil indefinite The measures are of such
Importance that their drafters using the great
est care and submitting their drafts TO various
experts on the transit situation transit legts-
lation. 10 get the benefit Of their ideas In doing
ihis they hope TO get the legislation into such
shape thar the various civic organizations in New
York city which have been demanding relief for
several years viii he satisfied They expect that
the bills will be perfect in FORM and in such shape
that opposition 10 them cannot be based on any
alleged mperfectons I'm the drafting obscurities
IN meaning This course was followed by Governor
hughes. as insurance investigator. and the insur-
ance committee. and resulted in the insurance re-
form bills being passed practically as drawn.
Ballot reform is likely 10 stir up quite as much
disturbance as any OF the railroad legislation.
Mos politicians ard many oS the influential legis-
|tors ere opposed 10 changes in the present form
Of ballot. especially il such changes would render
The voting OF straight party ticket less easy than
the voting Of an independent scratched" ticket
Yet there has been shown a great pubic sentiment
for the Massachusetts Australian ballot and the
lo"cnt election demonstrated this so that even some
Old politicians acknowledged the need Of changes
in ballot form. The bill has been presented early
IN the session while last year il was not intro
duced until near the end.
Last weeks legislation was notable for the pres
ontation by Assembyman Merritt OF the PROPOSE
ton 10 permit the flooding OF state lands by the
power Development companies. which aroused such
hind il realize that its submission this year has
they have been working every way counteract
lhe sentiment against it aroused by the Association
Tor Protecting the Adirondacks. Press agents have
heon spreading abroad literature favoring the
scheme and belittng the objections raised il.
a body known the Forestry. Water Storage and
Manufacturers Association OF the State OF New
York has been formed TO press the measure. The
menbers OF this body are not known; but they
said TO be the water storage interests which in pre-
streams and flood stretches of forest preserve
Assemblyman Murphy and Senator FOekeT. both
fshiEg the present Rand TRANSIT S'oT1rniseion s0d
substituting therefor one with seven members from
and the Mayor ana Controller .,xfcio kssen1bi,t,
man DoUling presented bill for bridge loop COM
mission TO lay out an elevated loop relieve the
brooklyn Bridge crush Senator Sake introduced
The bill penalizing unwarranted exclusion from
giaees of amusement drawn for the relief Of James
Metcafe. who is barred from the theatre trust's"
playhouses Sen ator Human and Assemblyman
pathic board of examiners Senator cohalan and
Assemblyman Prentice had bill allowing the Dock
extension Of the municipal ferry service. subject
10 the approval Of the Board OF Estimate. Assem-
intendent Of Insurance and the Superintendent of
portanr measure striking out OF the Insurance Law
that clause permitting the future formation OF
hiyrlan Francis introduced bin repeating the act
which extended the life Of the steinway tunnel
franchise.