The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1910-04-13
inquiry Is URGED
Governor Hughes Special
Message to Legislature.
TRAFFIC IN LEGISLATION"
Insurance Commissioners Reposk
That Companies Have Paid Lob
byists $15o,0oo Inspires De-
msnd For Investigation.

Albany, n. Y, April u. - Reeoxn-
mending IAN immediate, impartias.
thorough and unsparing investigation
into legislative practices and proceduse
and into the use of corrupt or improp-
er means for the promotion or defesst
Of Legislation" Governor Hughes SORT
. special message to the legislature.
Denouncing the Illicit traffic in laws
revealed by the Allds-Conger bribery
inquiry and the investigation by stat.
Superintendent of Insurance HOtch-
kiss, Governor Hughes declared ''tha
time is ripe to expose the worst of
public wrongs and to prepare the way
Cor needed improvements in our lawB
and legislative processes"
Accompanying the message was a
preliminary report made by Supern-
tendent Hotchkiss Of his investigation.
which, he says. has shown that "a sys-
tenn OF bill killing and law getting hSs
existed which is a reproach to the pee
pie of the state
The legislature, it is said, will order
wide open investigation of al
branches Of legislative corruption n
obedience to the governors message,
and all of the material now in posses
sion of Superintendent Hotchkiss wiz
be turned over TO the new inQuisitoFs,
who will have broad and sweeping
powers to probe Stock Exchange brs-
kefage houses. banks, trust companies.
railway and railroad corporations, gas,
electric. water and bridge companies
| as we'll as insurance companies.
In his message the governor said:
The revelations in the inquiry recently
| conducted by the senate and the facn
| brought to light by the superintendent of
| insurance make it imperative that there
| should be a thorough investigation with
respect to legislative processes and as -
| the corrupt practices which have been ef
| fectual in advancing or blocking legisla-
| ton. II is not necessary for me to review
| these disclosures or to attempt to ap-
| praise their cumulative effect 1t is sufh-
cient to say that they have caused eVeys
| honest citizen TO tingle with shame ans
Indignation and have made irresistibR
| the demand that every proper meaDA
should he employed to purge and to pu-
! rify.
1t is the high privilege Of the Legislators
! in the discharge of its obligations to II
self and to the people of the state to foa-
! low the salutary action already taken iE
| its upper branch by appropriate steps for
the exposure and destruction of combina-
| tions and Conspiracies against the JusS
use of the lawmaking power and by pro
Viding suitable protection against the re-
currence of such abuses. This is a prom
Using opportunity to pursue the opening
trails of corruption. to reveal Illicit meth
ods and agencies, to uncover the perfidi-
Gus influences which have dishonored this
state and thus to aid in securing the
wholesome exercise of its benehcent au-
thority,
Important as will be the wholesome and
, corrective influence of publicity with re-
spect to these matters. the purpose and
/ result OF inquiry extend beyond the
bounds Of mere disclosure We are fH
from perfection in legislative method.
Nor have we exhausted available meas
ures of protection against traffic in legls-
| lation and chicaneTy I'm dealing with bills.
! No subject deserves more thorough con
sideration TO the end that the oppOrtuni-
ties of those who are willing to buy legis-
lative favor or to use representative pow
ers for personal profit should be limited
to the utmost degree.
II may be impossible wholly to eradicate
r these evils, but to the extent that the ma
ture of the Illicit intercourse is under
stood and the methods and nstrumentali-
ties which have been successful are eK-
posed there may be intelligent effort al
remedial action through both statutes and
legislative rules. The time is ripe, in my
Judgment. for fun and painstaking in
qury to expose the worst public wrongs
and to prepare the way for needed i'm
provements in our laws and Legislative
processes.
In the legislature the effect Of the
message was electrical. Those WIN
have inclined to scoff at the notion n
a statewide graft investigation were
silenced Not a single member OF ei
ther branch of the legislature could be
found who suggested that the govern
or's demand would be disregarded.
Immediately after the reading of thu
Il message President Pro TEN. OF tbs
i Senate Cobb directed the finance com
: mittee to prepare resolution for th'
g appointment of a joint committee b
II probe all legislative corruption. III
said:
''The governors recommendation
Il must be given immediate and affirma
d tive consideration. We have alreadl
been at work on a scheme which WI
think will bring about searching in
quiry."
p The plan which It is generally be
!. lieyed will be adopted provides for tn
q appointment of committee. OF nine
Q Three assemblymen will be named b
. the speaker of the house, three sens
. tors by the lieutenant governor an
three outsiders by Governor Hughes.