New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-05-04

Where the Legislature Made Good
and Where 1t Signally Failed.

From the point of view Of legislation actuaH!
accomplished the record of the session just ended
at Albany is fairly good 1t is better than that OF
any Democratic Legislature in many years ana ]"
positively shines by comparison with what was
done when the Democratic party first came BACK
to power under Governor Dix. Mr.. Sulzer has been
a much broader minded and more public spirited
Governor than Mr.. Dix was, and the Democratic
majorities in the Senate and House have not oeeh
able to ride roughShOd over him as they dld over
his backboneless predecessor
In the Senate Mr. Wagner, the Democratic leader
has exhibited marked discretion and moderation
and it is due largely to his influence that what the
Legislature actually did has been free from DUBIOUS
accelerations and petty partisanship The passage
of the twenty-seven laws drawn by the FACTORY
Investigating Commission and the creation oil
commission to study the minimum wage question
were wise response TO the demands OF ehilght
ened public opinion. SO was the passage OF the
law restricting the sale of cocaine. for which Inc
Tribune labored zealously and from which 1t eA-
poets to see great good come. Much needed laws
were passed undermining the Anticipated machin
ery Of state administration and simplifying the bud
get system
As far as legislation is concerned the chief fault
of the session was tendency to enlarge salaries
unduly and to increase taxation by adding to an
already inflated total of expenditures.
From the broader political point of view. DOW
ever the session has been series Of costly Demo
cratic blunders The majority in the Legislature
mt itself in an ndefensibe position when it re-
fused to pass a statewide direct primary law Inc
Democratic platform of 1912 promised such law
and there IS no other political experiment to when
the Democratic party. state and national Is more
firmly committed
The Legislature had to choose between doing It's
duty to the who elected il and preserving lot
a year or two longer the Tammany system of party
rule from the top 1t deliberately cast It's lot with
Murphy. thinking 1t more important TO protect his
authority inside the organization than to try to pro
long the party's lease of power in the state.
Governor Sulzer is too intelligent politician 10
subscribe to so suicidal policy. He has joined IS
sue with the Legislature and VIII take his fight to
the neople In so doing he will inevitably split the
Democratic party wide open. and whether he wins
or Ioses Murnbv domination will be doomed.
\ more cunning boss would have forced the Legis
Iature 10 compromise with Mr. Sulzer. even though
comnromise would have spelled surrender. But
Murphy is a stupid and arrogant boss. and he has
forced into the Governors hands a weapon with
which even a sixteen-year-old In politics might 60
ont and slaughter tigers and lions.
With the moral influence of President wilson De
hind him the Governor is In q position to chai-
Ienge Murphy to fight to finish, Just as MI
Wilson when Governor of New Jersey, challenged
Smith and Nugent. If the Democratic majority III
she Legislature had been its own master 1t would
probably have sided with the Governor. BY Its pima
servity II has raised issue on which MurphylSm
NAV soon be walking through q slaughterhouse
into open grave