New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-04-04
Brown Says Concrete Promise
to Sign Definite Bill Is
Bargain Violating Oath
of Office.
ON STUMP VS.. BACK ROOM
Vast Gulf Between Statement
Of Position and Pledge of
Specific Action-Many Sen
ators in Same Guam
Diary as Sulzer.

Albany. April 3.-Senator Elon Il.
Brown who introduced the resolution
for an Investigation into widely pub
lishcd statements that Governor Sulzer
during his campaign had promised rail
road works TO sign the full crew
bill. thereby rendering himself liable TO
impeachment. does not agree with the
Governor that this course is rot
Neither does he agree with The Trib-
unes editorial statement that the Gov
ernor had as much right To promise To
sign the Fun crew bill as Presiden,
Wilson had to promise to sign bill for
downward revision of the tariff.
This is not a trivial matter de-
clarcd Senator Brown tonight. My
action was not in considered.
My resolution was surely sane
enough. 1t recitcd the fact that let
Ter purporting 10 have been sent out
during the campaign by John Fitch
bons for the railroad trainmen had
been printed This letter said that Mr..
Sulzer. the candidate had promised to
sign a specific bill when ii came to him.
had said he'd work for its passage. and
had expressed the desire to favor 1t
publicly. except that if he did so the
railroads would spend a barrel of
money to defeat him.
"My resolution further recited the
provisions Of the constitution regarding
the Governors oath of office, in which
he must swear that he has not paid or
promised to pay anybody for voting
for him. or given or promised anything
Of value. Then it asked the Senate
Judiciary Committee 70 inquire into the
truth of the published statements and
decide what action should be taken.
Sees Wide Difference.
There is very great difference be-
tween a statement Of position made by
a candidate on the stump and a can
didate in back room giving a promise
to d group Of men that he will sign a
certain specific piece Of legislation if it
comes TO him.
1t is right and proper that the voters
should know where any candidate
stands on any question Of public in
ferest. 1t is not right. it is a direct
violation Of the constitution. for any
candidate To make a specific promise 10
favor or oppose any specific piece Of
legislation The Tribune is in error If
il conceiyes this inquiry 20 be trivial
OF unworthy of the most serious con-
n sideration Of the Senate.
Take the case Of the fun crew bill.
The railroads make the statement that
il will take 5000 900 out of their treas
uries i'm q wear. For whose benefit?
For the public's: they say not. Nat
urally they are doing everything they
can TO protect the safety OF their pas
seneers. For the benefit Of the men
who will receive this money? Who are
they? 4 certain class of employees, a
class limited and well defined in each
community. OF course that class will
do whatever il can TO promote the ac-
complishment of this transfer of money
from the railroads treasures to the
pockets Of the employees. OF course il
will vote for the man who promises TO
SlEll Sl0tdAiNli hA'NNA4 az ''f'' ~ $3.50
word to meet the demands it made.
Consider the case in that light. If a
candidate. under such circumstances,
promises definitely 10 sign definite
bill is he not making a bargain where
The consideration on the one side -
votes and on the other thing OF very
great value? Is not such bargain
violation of the spirit and letter OF the
oath of Office?
Seeks Only the Truth.
II do not consider my resolution any
thing but a proper decent and serious
attempt TO ascertain the truth about
very important and serious matter TO
the state Of New York and every citi-
zen in it," declared Senator Brown.
Il have not prejudged the case. l ask
merely that committee of the Senate
investigate ascertain the truth. and
then decide what action should be
taken
If on that Governor Sulzer chooses
10 attack me personally and denounce
this resolution as political job, | say
il is very unfortunate that he takes so
narrow a view Of what appeals 10 me as
a momentOus thing
The Governor again denied to-day
that he had made any promise 10 sign
the full crew" bill. He devoted him
self TO another elaborate defence OF his
action in signing ii. As part Of this he
gave out a statement, declaring:
The persistence with which the
Public Service Commission is repre-
scented as an agency of the state that
NAV be depended upon to take the
proper steps TO safeguard the lives of
Messengers and employees on our rail-
roads has led me TO make an investi-
cation as TO whether railroad traffic in
this stat. is becoming more safe or
more dangerous. The Public Service
Commission was organized six years
ago. have been shocked to learn that
.hc railroads Of the state killed hVe
lines as many passengers last year as
they did five years ago, more than three
times as many as they did four years
apo more than twice as many as they
ftd three years ago and more than
twice as many as they did two years
ago
THE railroads complain that the fuil
,.e,,.s hin will cost a large sum or