The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1909-05-01
CLOSING WORDS AT ALBANY
Speaker Wadsworth Reviews the Work
OF the legislature.


ALBANY. April sO.-Speaker James W.
Wadsworth. Jr., in declaring the Assembly
closed to-day. briefly reviewed the work
Of that body. He said:
.Now that the session OF 1909 is about to
close it may be proper for the Chair to
comment briefly on conditions which Rave
faced this Legislature and. to a certain
extent, its predecessors. 1t Is unfortunate
that 80 many measures of prime impor-
lance. whose preparation has been
entrusted to persons outside Of the Legis-
lature, nave been introduced at go late
q day in the session ss to preclude that
careful consideration at the hands Of the
representatives OF the people to which
\ they we're entitled.
an SOME quarters impatience has been
exhibited on the part OF those who think
that the Legislature should Immediately
take up and pass bills vitality affecting
the functions Of government without SO
much as the crossing OF a T. or the dotting
Of an Il. The majority leader in one Of
his forceful speeches from the floor has
well said that time has gone by when the
Legislature Of this State will rubber stamp
at the eleventh hour proposals such as
these.
Il think conservative people very gen.
orally will admit that the State Of New
York is not suffering through lack Of
legislation and that IL is the part Of wis
dom for the Legislature to insist that it
be given an opportunity to examine INTO
all sides and corners Of legislation which
may AFFECT vitality all the people Of the
State before giving it its approval. There
have been several instances OF this sort
confronting the Legislature of 1909 dur
tend that the Legislature in ~postponing
final action upon these measures nj pro-
yiding for further investigation has
s~afeguarded the interests Of the people
and very properly prevented unwise
legislation from being placed upon the
statute books.
sit has perhaps occurred to many men
who nave served in legislative bodies
that no such body can yer enjoy what
might be termed widespread popularity,
The national Congress at Warrington
has seldom II ever received popular ac-
York. The reason for this is exceedingly
simple. The Legislature cannot possibly
do all the things that are asked OF II, II
It did the State would be bankrupt and
the laws a h~odgepodge.
Nearly every bill that is introduced
In eltTtT DOusc mas thC SuPpOII - eOIlc |
portion OF the people, and in a vRst major
ity of instances that support comes from a
minority. usually OF small proportions
The failure of the Legislature to approve
Of the thousands Of requests made upon
1t arouses necessarily a~ntagonism OF
~innhimerable groups OF these minorities
all over the State, which taken together
undoubtedly constitute a majority Of the
people who for one reason or another are
dissatisfied with the work OF the Legis-
lature.
This state OF affairs has always existed,
it exists to-day, and it always will: and
legislators, IL they are to observe their
oath Of office. must make up their minds
that they will inevitably incur the en-
nifty OF a large proportion Of the people I
for a large number OF unrelated causes.
Legislators under these conditions must
do their own thinking. and under all
circumstances must act in accordance
with their wi convictions as to what
is right and best for all.
My experience as q member for five
years and as presiding officer OF this
body for four years has convinced me
that the members Of the Legislature have
stTiven 10 perform their duty and despite
criticisms have succeeded