New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-11-02
BY Theodore Roosevelt.

Il franchise bill would pass, because
the people had become interested and the
representatives would scarcely dare to
vote the wrong way. Accordingly, on
April 81, 1899. l sent a special message TO
Inc Assembly, certifying that the emer-
gency demanded the immediate passage of
the bill. The machine leaders were bitter
'ly angry and the Speaker actually tore
N the message without reading it to the
Assembly. That night they were busy
trying TO arrange some device for the
defeat of the bill, which was not difficult,
as the session was about TO close. At I
o'clock the next morning | was informed
Of what had occurred At o'clock l was
in the Capitol at the Executive Chamber
and sent in another special message, which
opened as follows: 81 learn that the
emergency message which / sent last
evening TO the Assembly on behalf Of the
franchise tax bill has not been read. |
therefore send hereby another message on
The subject / need not impress upon the
Assembly the need of passing this bill at
once" l sent this message TO the Assem-
oily by my secretary William j. Houngs'
afterward United States District Attorney
OF Kings, with an intimation that if this
were not promptly read l should come up
i'm person and read il. Then, as so often
happens. the opposition collapsed and tire
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 a finish had the need arisen.
EFFORTS TO NULLIFY THE BILL.
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
teveral different counties, this was mad
Visable 1t was the end of the session,
and the Legislature adjourned. The cor
porations affected, through various coun-
sci and the different party leaders of
both organizations, urged me not to sign
The bill, laying especial stress on this
feature, and asking that l wait until the
following year, when good meas IRE
could be put through with this obnoxious
feature struck out / had thirty days
hinder the law in which TO sign the bill.
IL | did not sign il by the end OF that
time il would not become law. / an
swered my political and corporation
friends by telling them that / agreed
with them that this feature was wrong
but that I would rather have the bill
with this feature than not have 1t at all;
and that l was not willing TO trust 10
what might be done a year later. There
fore, ! explained. ! would reconVehe the
Legislature in special session, and II the
legislators chose to amend the Dill py
placing the power of taxation In the state
instead of in the county or MUNICIPALITY
( would be glad; but that If they failed
to amend it, or amended 1t Improperly
wonId sign the original bill and let 1t be-
ome law as 1t was.
When the representatives OF Mr.. Platt
and of the corporations affected found
they could do no better, they assented 10
this proposition. Efforts were tentatively
made 10 outwit mesby 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 manu.
On May u / wrote Senator Platt' Quinn
ing the amendments desired, and SAD .
"Of course IL must be understood that
will sign the present bill If the proposed
hill containing the changes outlined ABOVE
fails 10 mass" On May is l notified the
Senate leader, John Raines. by telegram
LEGISLATURE has no power TO Withdraw
the Ford bill II attempt is made 10 90
81. I will sign the bill at once. On the
same day, by telegram wired Mr..
odeIl concerning the bill the leaders were
preparing: Some provisions OF Dill very
objectionable. l am at work on Dill 10
show YOU tomorrow. The bill must not
contain greater changes than those out
lined in my message My WISHES were
needed, and when 1 had reconveneo 'he
LEGISLATURE 1t amended the bill as ou'
lined in my message; and In its amendeu
form the bill became law.
There promptly followed something
which Afforded an index OF the good Iaith
# the corporations that had been pro-
testing to me. AS soon as the chahge ior
which they had begged was inserted III
The law and the law was signed, they
turned round and refused 10 pay inc
taxes: and in the lawsuit that followed
they claimed that the law was uhconSH
tutional, because 1t contained the Nei'
clause which they had so clamorousiy oe-
manded. Senator David B. Hill had ap-
peared before me on behalf OF the corpo-
rations to argue for the change; and he
then appeared before the courts to make
the argument on the other side. The SUIT
was carried through to the Supreme Court
Of the United States. which declared the
law constitutional during the time that
was President.
One OF the painful duties of the Chief
Executive in states like New York. as Wen
as in the nation, IL the refusing OF par
dons. Yet ! can imagine nothing more
necessary from the standpoint OF good
citizenship than the ability to steel ones
heart in this matter OF granting pardons
The pressure is always greatest In two
classes OF cases--first, that where capital
punishment is inflicted; second, that
where the man . prominent socially and
IN the business world. and where In con-
sequence his crime i. ap; to have been