New-York tribune., 1908-01-26
GOVERNOR ON LAWS.
FOR LOCAL SELF-RULE.
SperiaE Legislation Causes Much
Trouble, He Tells La5ryers.


dor Bryce's address before the association the
day before. the Governor agreed with him that
legislatures were overloaded with lawmaking
One prolific source Of this evil. Mr.. Hughes de-
clared was the multiplicity Of special legisla-
ton
IN the course of his address the Governor took
occasion to praise the legislators of the state
VINO ne SAID were in the main good men and
fairy representative Of their constituents
Mr., HUGHEs's SPEECH
Ihe Governors subject was The State of New
York Leading up TO the subject of special
legislation, he said:
1noag6t 3;d was lawyer before became Gov
xta re9fa @lu @ Slnce became Governor / don't know
g [sf g. IaM en- a large scale and, If you were.
N ne governmental temple you wouId fnd me s,r
ber vainlv ena @ DOORS and statutes without
about. ''s 10 ma out what il is all
The New York State Bar Association used 70
so,arnT,.,,, a. AIbany and there under the pgs of
busine ~ country and it seemed their chief
peals Now with @at, 10 'hs Court Of Ap-
saII,ic,5o they have yielded TO metropolitan
5oa Seoueuons. and they viii go home wiser albeit
city "s SSsa SSsa tR Rork 5hsEs With cGgIa he the
iete 60 So: Pr9iound and philosophc address
to yesterday from Ambassador Bryce 7'e--'''S
ndt sanlect rs one very close TO my heart The
uTea largely in the annals Of this assocation and
resolutions have been passed by lawyers in body
Grs ' 96 Rb59ceded Pre- in detail @ TO assault the
! went 20 Albany with some prepossession against
the seemingly unnecessar.- Legislation with regard
10 matters which hardly worth as / 4bourh-
Of The attention Of The peoples representatives
who been placed in a position where they
have had reason TO take Of disasters and
nistortunes. know a little more than did about
ii The trouble Is that We have all through this
sSs 6s noonsse4 T1 ne n Pr & Of 1t b gnie1 dis with
part represented by capable lawyers intent upon
think that community needs without any reference
10 an neas i. o. he state At large and so they
and ohStroctions Of legislative committees. the
whole. and finally charging feet horses and dragon
upon the single occupant OF the executive chamber.
SPECIAL LEGISLATION PROLIFIC.
find that special legislation has 3 prolific
lar community shall have in he course Of years
breeds easily a dozen with regard 10 the same ne
cesSlties OF that community
Proceeding along the line Of least resistance
and there The foong es @ aad the he resat Reai IS
constant effort 10 escape the fetters which have
tons Of the people Now, believe most thorough
not be a remedy that can be readily appiied-I may
take time TO bring about sucn reform,but I
should say that the simplest sort Of a charter
should ne granted in local communities which
Wolla give the outline OF d government necessary
rest with all the multiplicity OF detail. should be
niGted the local constituency. who should de-
termine the details Of their administration.
Nov, We had while ago attempt uni
form charter. uniform Charter foI second class
cities, and it was no sooner under way than forth
ing II minute particularly the needs Of special
communities; for. whatever may be said in reso-
buttons Of the Bar Association. convinced that
they have diffcues special to themselves and in
some way or other they will get the authority /
xfganc ~ heir Ta4ticnsr osIn and either we
shall special legisla with the idea that the
legislature should grant every particular power /
q general charters and general schemes of local
authority and let the people fiji II in and et the the
local government Is well administered
Of course. there are bounds that can be SCI. and
50 fa- as il has lain in my power they nave been
jurisdiction OF matters affecting the state-clans |
6s TO enlarge the jurisdiction OF The Court Of Ap
peas affect q particular case; we do not en-
York TO bring particular claimant under its au-
ihority. but We have shoals Of bills enlargng the
of A ard B, and G / believe I vetoed them all
tration before / really understood what the enor-
nifty o the thing might BE- got through. but II !
friend in the Legislature. some particular means
G: enforcing his dernand-tfat is TO the extent of
PoRering The Court Of Claims to hear him. while
another poor fellow who did not know anybody and |
was without means 70 establish his right Of the
same sort should have no recognition
beings. men Of like passions with ourselves good
M; NJ. ana J VII say "oro about ina taat ma IN a
legislators sit around the table in committee IT
m o @ aioIFs 5fa f9g q oe not knomnf epd he not
knowing what the first mans bin amounts TO. TO
70 the poor Governor who does not know thing
about either case: but let them ali come here. or
food 'l'oNs Z genera p''''''''s anu sup
The Governor then turned the members Of
the Legislature.
PRAISE FOR LEGISLATORS
Declaring that the institutions of the state
were probably already defended. he said that
the men in the Legislature fairly repre-
sentative with few exceptions. of the men in
the community. He went on:
That may not apply which will be
readily brought to your attention but take il by
and large with d fair decent estimate
OF the average Of mankind, and you won't spend
l-l4!- ~ taking ABOUT me dtefadaLloh oL ~. @
representative assemblies. They men, subject /
100 frequently TO obligation, subject constantly %
Si'itai "h0 in very large numbers are deslfous OF
cong The best they can for the state , -
on one of theHh DS /" heIhDgI .f - I--S
p1clai family. man entered the executive cham
81, without any introduction there beIng ioI @ LIlt
moment wait ne approached the desk ana sat
against Ih- conduct % Auburn prison. looked
a Airn and said When did you come OUT lie
beer i2 Two ,eara Slza4s What f for ' Aiding
an escape Were you guilty. Yes What
g1p eqgpe Of Had been IN bef2Te? FORE
you guilty. YES" How long had you been in?'
Ten years said Have you spent twelve years
% % 3 4s3 fourteen yes o IN of sifis yeserday and
cane here al once 70 lodge complaint es si
particular complaint. When he got through ana
left me called for the gentleman who I'm an affa.
the executive. and j said How does il happen
@ s nan who has Just got out OF s1ne sia1e Pris0dd 0d
without introduction come and sit with me, when