New-York tribune., 1909-01-07
LEGISLATURE HEARS
GOVERNORS MESSAGE
,DpF IL FOR NINDfTORY
DIRECT PRIN4RIES.
o-ooni,afion Perfccted-U7kitc and
Uadsrorfh SpcaL-Scnate Cham
her Resembles ConscrT0tOry,

- the session of 1900. Both houses
e's'''. ,-,gl, the usual formalities. listened at
-, and not altogether aWiably L" the
,f the Governors message. introduced
-rie- of bills important and neElIGlhie. ana
,i-,e5 until next Wednesday at noon
,-li,e there was plenty OF informal discussion
,-.,r,or-s sweeping recommendations for
-,-in.a-- nominations. ballot reform ana
essor n tho .arrupt practices act and other
ef'ei--.- r.,-7,,s and this discussion developed
r. 5ear of hostility toward the Governors
her was q striking lack Of quo'ahie
F4I'' legislators Of an grades either de-
., ~, re-,rl as expressing any opinion
- on -he Governors message. or briefly
-.oriIy said II Vas good" document
..-.+o- Rafnes ami Speaker NadsW"rth lead
.,e ,p-, houses set the example in this
.of action Beth are on record against The
- ,rir,ary nominations and ballot reform
.+s Senator GRADY. minority leader IN the
- house. said that he would not discuss the
s,ce ~ present. lut later would take an
.-.,r+,,rit,- n dissect il and comment on II IN
.I...so, ,,rsfrrnen ~ the committees I" which
sr,. On these important subjects viii he re
80 also declined TO speak for quotation about
the message.
POINTS OF THE MESSAGE.
A. o,,neal for mandatory direct primaries re-
,.i,,es chief emphasis in the message The GOV
e-,or dwelling at great length on the need Tor
reform in primary and election laws. recon-
,oen5s that the present safeguards OF general
el.o+ions he extended T. protect primary cleo
,ions He would provide that primary voters
throughout the state he limited 10 enrolled,
Marty voters with stringent measures to prevent
frsud- that all expense of primary elections be
borra lv the public: that the corrupt practices
candidates for nomination. insuring the pub
ljcitv Of such expenses and limiting the amount.
Appealing fer further strengthening OF the
election laws he again recommends a simpliffed
form Of ballot, with names OF candidates
grouped under the names Of the offices. 1t
is important ne adds. that parties should not
ne favored by arrangements Of the ballot bur
should be compelled to rely for their success
upon the principles they espouse and the merits
Of the candidates they present" He also
news his request for provision To familiariza
the voter with proposed constitutional amend
ments He would penalize the circulation Of
anonymous campaign attacks and place direct
responsibility for all such literature.
The Public Service commissions, the Gov
erner declares have been abundantIy vindi-
Gated and he urges again that their control be
extended 10 telegraph and telephone service.
He praises the banking laws passed last year
and says there is little room for Improvement
IN that direction till greater experience has
shown need Of change. The insurance laws,
aso he believes. should not be radically
changed at present, but thinks securities held
by the companies should be valued on a fairer
basis He also recommends that the Super1n-
isnoent Of Insurance have authority TO conduct
The liquidation Of insolvent companies. and
asks that the Legislature abolish the plan of
making banking and insurance companies. pay
The cost Of their examination
lhe Governor considers at length the neces-
sV Of reforming and simplifying city charters
SC as To- widen the sphere of local control De-
caring New York's problem especially serious
.pa'lcuiarly in its financial phases. he com
menos the charter revision commission TO The,
special attention Of the Legislature OF transit
p1o0iens here. the Governor declares II unlike
= mat We should he able in any event to oh
H proper measure Of relief through the
N1-ol ucuon Of subways by pirate capital
me Governor also pays considera BILE attention,
" statutory consolidation and reform of iudi
oal Procedure.
FLOWERS IN THE SENATE.
me Senate which convened to-day contained
s"'E-seFen members who meyer had SAT I'm
-'i cTarnher before larger proportion of new
@7'noers than has existed in any incoming Sen
'F many years. Possibly because of that
mere was greater congestion OF floral
- aioHg some Of the aisles than there is of
'ii'S al Brooklyn Bridge in the evening
-1Si hours- The Senate chamber looked like a
h. oI greenhouse and funeral cham
Zig Tim" Sullivan at one time had piled
su"o MS desk thirteen huge borseshoes con
-'''s nearly every known variety of cultivated
-N-'cl tile Dig fan
,o.ayI lOh Home Again The McManus was
- unsecured by huge slab 4 feet by S. Of
uses IN the semblance Of ballot
S"udst to the floral display, the attend
"SS much smaller this time than on the
."o1on Of previous Senates When Lieu
80 governor White called the Senate to
'iFasely at noon, the galleries were only
'NN'y Alled, and there were comparatively
60 Die Women who usually attend such oc-
~. a. Spectators. About half Of the mem
,5,r.' --do not taken the oath of office This was
- 'L.'S'efed To them in a body by the Iieuten-
ant Governor
tenant Governor White in opening the
:. MADE brief speech pIedging himself e.
'eous and fair in his rulings He spoke
S years of service IN the Senate with feel
IN closing his address he said there were
'ehdencies Of the times which he viewed
grave appreaens:on-attempt to change
institution, long delayed compliance with
80 'eiiland Cor great Improvements and lack
a'ueholon 10 big problems Of public works
me oarEe canal and highway improvements
te onlclals chosen al the Senate caucus wor.
ted accord -ng to schedule and after Son
Da'is and T T. Sullivan had informed ihe
'hoi of the feet that the Senate was or
80 and Senators All1s and Wager per
'i mat duty 10 the ASS NIB y {. . rres
~ vas read and'app9intments considered an
=. ne Assembly Speaker Wadsworth and the
CHOSEN a the caucus last night we're
Speaker Wadsworth made "A brief
- eh when ke assumed the chair. expressing