New-York tribune., 1908-06-08
REVIEWS LEGISLATION
{. Us 4NNU4L REPORT
discusses Bills affecting City
Com plimenfs 4ssembly

The main part of the report of the committee on
iegislation of the Citizens Union covering the last
regular session of the Legislature. made public
yesterday As in other years. il consists of a re-
we" OF the work of the Senate and Assembly as
IL ahecfed New York City. The individual records
OF the Senators and Assemblymen from this CITY
VIII be made public to-day. The observations A.,
'he report are those OF J. o. Hammitt secretary of
the Citizens Union committee and its legislative
agent who was on the ground at Albany through
the session
The aim of the committee. the report states
was to examine every bill in any particular way
AFFECTING the city OF New York there having been
Ss sGch bills on :he calendar OF that number the
committee opposed 25 only "a OF which passed both
houses and only 3 of which became law. The COM
mittee actively supported 25 bills. only of which
became
Referring TO the statement of the Governor at
the end Of the regular session, congra tuIaJng the
Legislature the of value that had
been passed and regretting that measures of i'm
portance had failed Of passage, the report makes
this comment: The Governor might well have
added another congratulation the defeat Of
great mass OF proposed vicious legislation at times
by votes exhibiting a considerable degree of indie
pendence the part of members of the majority
in the Assembly"
Special mention made the passage of the
amendments TO the banking laws and the enlarge
ment OF the powers of the Superintendent of Banks
The report adds:
Some other importan, recommendations of the
Governor were enacted into law. The list these
given below shows that the popular impression that
of the Governor was carried out is incorrect
Harmonzing the financial operations of state in
stitutions
Revision of the forest, fish and game law.
Reorganization of the national guard al
New method of appraising lands for canal i'm
Consolidation of the highway statutes and pro-
vision for suitable scheme for the construction
and maintenance of highways.
. Uniform system of reports by charitable institu-
CONSTITUTIONAL amendment to exclude from the
r of S OF sssd asS @ m ali
poses which produce revenues in excess Of their
Creation of a greater New York Charter Com
mission
Increased compensation for members of the Board
Restricting the carriage and possession OF fire.
Creation of a commission TO investigate the ad-
Liquidation of insovent insurance corporations
under the supervision OF the Superintendent of In
Provision for instruction in agriculture.
New ToR Tanng hGa & seh6o or Boys LOT
Extension Of the lease 10 the state Of Wards
Provision for a deputy state architect and dep
Plan of development of the State Fair.
Constitutional anendment to fix the salaries OF
of the Supreme Court on a suitable basis .,o
hundredth anniversary OF the discovery OF Lake
Expediting the work of construction of the new
state prison.
1t is stated that there were fewer transgressions
of the home rule principle this year than in other
years. for which a moderate amount OF credit be-
longs 10 the Assembly Cities Committee. AS for
the Senate the report says that Senator White,
chairman of the Cities Committee of that body,
took the correct view Of most of the charter
tinkering and anti-home rule legislation affecting
the city New York, but too frequently yielded to
the insstence Senators desirous of getting their
bills Senator Grady effective factor in
opposing anti-home rule bills in the Senate, despite
his record
Mention is made of the effective work by Assist
ant Corporation Counsel L. ]. McGoldrlck in Al
bany. The report says
AS in past years a great of iIl-considered
legislation was presented. Hundreds of bills were
introduced because of sudden impulses of legis-
lators and hundreds were presented for no pur-
state OF this waste of legislative energy not
greatest danger entailed. Far more serious is the
consideration of really important measures The
worst offender in this regard was Assemblyman
CuyillIer who introduced seventy-fve bills, fire.
Quently amended them from the floor, and seldom
II ever asked a committee to report one Of them
favoraby. Only were reported and none passed
either house.
The most important bills affecting the interests of
the city are taken up discussed separately OF
the bill OF Senator Gilchrist providing that the
name of a candidate for any office except judicial
should appear on only one place on the pal
lot the report declares 1t to have been "a move
rlent to stile all independent movements. Ihe
bill was not misunderstood adds. 1T was sup
nortd mainly bv legislators who favored It because
Of the comfort and political advantage it would
bring to them If enacted into law"
Assemblyman De Groot's bill providing for
commissioner OF records in Queens County is desig-
mated as without much question the worst poti-
cal grab presented at the regular session The
defeat OF this bill in the Assembly is declared TO
be The most significant instance of the tendency
Of the Assembly to display greater independence
than has been known in past years.
Constant vigilance the part of the Civ:I Ser
vice Reform Association and various civic bodies,
saws the report, has been this year as IN the
past necessary protect the Civil Service law
AGAINST the attacks OF some legislators