The Salt Lake herald-Republican. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1909-1918, 1910-04-12
Governor of New York Sends
Special Message to Legisla-
ture to Investigate the Cor
rupt Lobby in State Capital.
He WANTS TO KNOW HOW
GRATING is BEING DONE
Also, Governor Hughes Wants
to Punish CorruptioniStS and
End influences That Have
Made and Killed Legislation,
A SHARP, RINGING MESSAGE

4 LBANY, N. Y, April 11.-De-
"A claring that the recent revela-
tons in the Allds-COnger bribery in
quiry and the facts brought out in
the insurance investigation by Super
lntendent of Insurance Hotehkiss,
'have caused every honest citizen to
tingle with shame and indignation
and have made irresistible the de-
mand that every proper means should
be employed to purify Governor
Hughes sent special message to the
Legislature tonight recommending an
immediate, impartial, thorough and
unsparing investigation into legisla-
tive practices and procedure and into
the use of corrupt or improper means
for the promotion or defeat of legis-
lation."
Accompanying the message was a pre-
hminary report of Superintendent HOtch-
kiss, outlining the facts developed at the
fire insurance investigation in New York,
and setting forth the difficulties encount-
cred in following up the various leads
that have been uncovered. The supeFin-
tendent says that obstacles apparently in
superable have developed in the course Of
the inquiry. These. in his judgment, war
rant further Investigation, but he has no
power TO pursue them, and therefore has
laid the facts thus far developed before
the governor for action.
Uncover PeFfidious influences.
The governor SAYS in part: 1T is the
high privilege Of the legislature, in the
discharge of its obligations to itself and
10 the people of the state, to follow the
salutary action already taken in its upper
branch by appropriate steps for the eX-
posture and destruction of combinations
and cOnspiracies against the just use of
the laW-fnaklng power and by providing
suitable protection against the recurrence
of such abuses. This is a promising OPP
pOrtunity 10 pursue the opening trails OF
corruption, 10 reveal Illicit methods and
agencies to uncover the perfidiOuS in
fluences that have 0ishOnored the state,
and thus to aid in securing the wholesome
exercise of its benefieent authority.
1T is the unquestiOned prerOgative of
the legislature to inquire into the course
of legislation. tie integrity of legislative
procedure and the means by which its &C
ton has been procured or frustrated. The
legislature is enntled to know how, where
IN and by whom 1t has been deceived, and
its powers perverted.
Important as will be the wholesome
and corrective influence of publicity with
respect to these matters the purpose and
result of inquiry extend beyond the
hounds of mere disclosure No subject
deserves more thorough consideration to
the end that the opportunities of those
who are willing TO buy legislative favor
Or TO use representative powers for per-
sonal profit should be limited TO the ut
most degree.
Dangers Known, Half Avoided.
"It may be impossible wholly TO Grad
icate these evils, but to the extent that
the nature of the Illicit intercourse is
understood and the methods and instru-
mentalities which have been successful
are exposed, there may be intelligent eff
fort at remedial action through both stat
utes and legislative rules. The time is
ripe, in my Judgment, for a fun and
painstaking inquiry TO expose the worst of
public wrongs and to prepare the way for
needed improvements i'm our laws and
legislative processes
Il therefore recommend an immediate
impartial. thorough and unsparing inves-
LEGATION into legislative practices and pro-
(Cnnfinuad m Dada Tvfo