The sun., 1909-06-21
FEW LEGISLATORS SAW CTS
DIDN'T GET THEIR PICTURES
OUT OF THE GALLERY.
The Committee Announces That Its Facts
Are All Straight and That the Rel.
sons Given for VOTING a. They
shouldn't We're, Alas. Very ehsiie~.

are All straight and THAT the hen'
sens Given for Voting a. They
shouldn't We're, Alas. Very shsiis~
The invitation extended to the New
York members OF the last Legislature
by the Citizens Union to appear before
one of its committees and be quizzed on
their record before the committee on leg
islation OF that organization issued its
report on the service each man had rem
dered during the last session did not
meet with very hearty response from
the local lawmakers.
OF the sixty-three members Of Assepn-
bly, and the twenty-one Senators from
this city only twenty. OF whom four we're
Senators, offered themselves for the
Citizens Unions heckling, although IL
was conducted in the stricteet privacy
and with the promise that all statements
as TO reasons for votes on the measuree
up for consideration at the last session
should be treated as confidential unless
the victim otherwise desired.
In a statement given out yesterday
concerning the results OF the quizzing
no names are given, but apparently the
verdict is going to be against them. The
report on the individual records Of the
New York city representatives 10 TO be
made public to-day. II one instance,
according to the synopsis. Legislator
insisted upon having his own stenog-
rapher along to take down a report OF the
questions and answers. Az to the results
this statement says:
Some changes were made in the Ian
guage Of parts Of the report to meet such
objections as were accompanied with
evidence and valid reasons to justify
the change. Though these changes were
few and mostly Of minor significance
they included every change for which tho
committee could find sound reason. In
no case did it appear that an error had
been made as to iaots, the questions raised
being as to the Interpretation OF tho facta.
For this Interpretation as it appears in
the published report the committee be-
ieves that the evidence is in every case
conclusive. and this evidence will be fur
nished upon request to persons inter-
ested.' Concerning the defence put up by
some OF the interrogated the committee
Votes for bills clearly opposed to the
public interest and violative OF funda-
mental principles which should be ap-
piled to legislation were defended on
the ground that the bills were made party
measures in the Legislature. and even
on the ground that everybody voted the
same way Several legislators de-
Tended their votes for the New York Gen.
trail West Side grab on the ground that
the Governor and the Mayor should be
relied upon to see that the interests Of
the city and the State were fully safe-
guarded. Votes on 30 important an Issue
as the State regulation OF telephone and
telegraph companies were admitted to
be against the public interest. but de-
Tended on the ground that a vote for State
regulation would in the particular case
have been interpreted as rebuke to the
clerk OF the Assembly, who had been
charged with undue activity In oppcsi-
ton TO the measure. One legislator de-
Tended his vote against the direct nomi-
nations bill by stating that 1t was a vote
to sustain a committee and that in any
case he would always vote to sustain q
committee, no matter what report the
committee presented.
These explanations offered for votes
against the public interest are mentioned
as illustrating the shallownees OF grounds
upon which such votes are often cast
and defended