The Washington herald., 1913-11-02
Colonel Relates How When He Was Governor Of New York
He Forced Passage Of Franchise Bill
After Long Battle.

had made up my mind that II could
get a show in the Legislature the bill
would pass, because the people had be-
come interested and the Representatives
would scarcely dare to vote the wrone
way. Accordingly, on April q, 1888,
sent special message to the Assembly,
certifying that the emergency demanded
the immediate passage OF the bill.
The machine leaders were bitterly
angry. and the Speaker actually tore ur
the message without reading It to the
Assembly. That night they were busy
trying to arrange some device for the de.
feat of the bill-which was not difficult,
as the session was about 10 close. At
the next morning was informed OF what
had occurred. At s was In the Capitol
at the executive chamber, and sent In
another special message, which opened
as follows:
Il learn that the emergency message
which sent last evening to the Assem-
bly, on behalf Of the franchise tax bill
has not been read. therefore send here
by another message on the subject
need not impress upon the Assembly the
need of passing this bill at once"
I sent this message to the Assembly
by my secretary, William ]. Youngs,
afterward United States District Attor-
ney OF Kings, with an intimation that II
this were not promptly read I should
come up in person and read it. Then. as
so often happens, the opposition col
lapsed and the bill went through both
houses with rush. had in the house
stanch friends, such as Regis Post and
Afford Cooley, men of character and
courage, who would have fought TO
finish had the need arisen.
EGOrts 10 NuIIify the dill.
Ny troubles were not at an end. how
ever. The bill put the taxation in the
hands of the local county boards, and as
the railways sometimes passed through
several different counties, this was mad
visable. It was the end OF the session,
and the Legislature adjourned.
The corporations affected, through
various counsel. and the different party
leaders of both organizations, urged
me not to sign the bill, laying especial
stress on this feature, and asking that
I wait until the following year. when
n good measure could be put through
with this obnoxious feature struck out
I had thirty days, under the law, IN
which TO sign the bill. II I did not
sign it by the end of that time II
would not become a law.
answered my political and corpora
rion friends by telling them that l
agreed with them that this feature
was wrong, but that 1 would rather
have the bill with this feature than
not have Il at all, and that ! was not
willing to trust to what might be done a
year later.
Therefore. l explained, ] would recon
vene the Legislature in special session,
and if the legislators chose to amend the
bill by placing the power of taxation IN
the State instead of in the county or
municipality. l would be glad; but that
If they failed to amend it, or amended Il
improperly. I would sign the original bill
and let it become law as il was.
When the representatives Of Mr.. Platt
and Of the corporations affected found
they could do no better, they assented to
this proposition. Efforts were tentatively
made to outwit NE by inserting amend
ments that would nullify the effect of the
law. or by Withdrawing the law when
the Legislature convened, which would
at once have deprived me of the whip
hand. On May L I wrote Senator Platt.
outlining the amendments 1 desired. and
said: "Of course. il must be understood
that ] will sign the present bill If the
proposed bill containing the changes out
lined above fails t. pass"
On May IS l notified the Senate leader