New-York tribune., 1908-01-13
THE WEEK In ALBANY.
State Legislature Erpected to GAR
Little Momentum.
nv TeIe<raph to The Tribune. !

By Telegraph
Albany Jan 12-Various affairs which will press
themselves forward this week Indicate that the
Legislature will acquire little more momentum
than it had last week. but it is not probable that
the headway will be swift that any of the
members will be carried off their feet The first
whole week OF the present session closed on Friday
with the record of four committee meetings having
been held and two bills reported Three or these
meetings held by Senate committees which
did not change this year. and therefore were well
organized. Two of the meetings were merely per-
functory. and were brought about by the contest
over the confirmation OF the nomination of Abel
Z. Blackmar justice OF the Supreme Court IN
the I'd Judicial District to succeed Willard Bartlett
who elected to the Court of Appeals bench
In considering this nomination, the Senate Finance
Committee met for few moments and found that
it did have the consideration of the nomination
and the next day the Judiciary Committee held an
equally brief session and reported the nomination
to the Senate by party vote
The third committee meeting in the Senate re-
suited in the report of the Wainwright bill. con-
forming the National Guard to the standards Of
the United States army. The only committee
meeting i'm the Assembly that of the Commit
tee on Military Affairs. which met with the sim
liar committee in the Senate and reported the
same bill.
So it be said that the only actual committee
work done by the Military Affairs committees
OF both houses. The large number OF committees
in the Assembly, the assignments TO which were
remain in unorganzed condition and many or
the Assemblymen still unacquainted with their
associates the committees.
Several of the committees will probably hold per
functory sessions this week for the purpose OF
having the members become acquainted with one
another but 1t is not expected that more than one
two bills will be reported. 1t will not be sur
prising If the week closes without a new bill be-
ing reported.
Those who are hoping against hope for early
not A7diT 1TlCh
ment in the slow way local bills are being intro
duced. 4 large majority OF the bills introduced
so far have been of the general kind which Will
require public hearings and extensive considera-
ton IN committee The usual grist OF purely local
legislation has not begun to appear yet. and this
is the grade usually rushed out of COMMITTEES
first
Whoever enjoys a partisan explosion of oratory
is looking forward to tomorrow night in the Sen
ate, when Senator Grady. the minority leader, and
P H McCarren have agreed to shake the roof of the
Capitol by their attack Governor Hughes be-
cause of his appointment of Republican 20 sue
ceed a Democrat the Supreme Court bench in
Brooklyn. McCarren. it is expected. will voice his
chagrin at having the chief executive ignore him
in the selection of successor to Willard Bartlett
Senator Grady will probably take occasion
to renew his claim to the title of tho silver
tongued orator of Tammany Hall by denouncns
RepI1bIicanfsm in general and eXtOng Democracy
as laid down In the administrations of David B.
Hill and Roswell p. Flower both of whom. MI
Grady will probably try to show. appointed He
publicans to succeed Republicans when they could
lust as well have appointed Democrats and added
to the political patronage of the Democratic party
Mr. Grady will contend, it is believed, that the
formation of a bipartisan Court of Appeals ticker
would not have been consummated last ran II
the Democrats had known that the Governor
would nominate a Republican to succeed Justice
Bartlett. Majority Leader FfalneS VIII ueleIu '"0
nomination.
It is probable that a bill will be sent to Gov
ernor Hughes this week, and the statute books
may even be graced with the first law Of 1903 be-
fore the week closes. The Wainwright BILL in
troduced on the opening day Of the Legislature.
conforming the national guard to the organization
OF the United States army. has been amended and
is in shape for It's final passage at any time
In both houses it is on the order or nnal passage
and the urgency of the situation demands its sig
nature as a law before January q in order to
meet the requirements of the Dick law. passed by
Congress in 1903. Under this federal law the state
has received substantial assistance from the gov
ernn1ent in stores and funds and unless the state
guard is made to conform to the United States
army before that time the assistance will cease
unless Congress extends the limit
There is no prospect of the Codes Committee of
either house getting down TO definite work on the
anti-racetrack bills introduced by Senator Agnew
and Assemblyman Hart within several weeks.
hearings will probably be held. and any
consideration of the question will undoubtedly be
deferred for at least couple of months.
Another recommendation of Governor Hughes
will embraced in the direct nominations bin
which Senator Travis expects to Introduce Mon
day night or Tuesday. He expected put IT in
last Monday night but held it for a week
AssembIymau c. T. Foley. an Independence League
disciple. has already introduced direct nomina-
tions bill. but it is mandatory. and Governor
Hughes confines his recommendations a per-
msSive measure.