New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-07-25
Ex-senator Would Bar In
visible Government by
All Party Bosses.
URGES 2 SEPARATE
LEGISLATIVE SESSIONS
Suggests Election of Members.
at-Large to Insure Pres.
ence of Good Men.

Suggestions for constitutional 70.
form are made in statement issued
yesterday by former State Senator
Mayhem Wainwright, of Rye, recentlv
appointed by Governor Glynn a mem.
Der of the Workmen's Compensstior
Commission. He said:
CAS- to the short ballot, concentr,.
ton OF executive responsibility /,
much TO be desired. The present stat.
officers are practically independent 4,
the Governor, their responsibility Ia.
ing TO the people alone, and, cxcep, in
the case of the State Treasurer. thev
can be removed only on Impeachment
at might tend to greater eficiencv
to give the Governor the absolu,.
power OF removal of all state Official,
for cause certified in writing. But "a
establish a system under which ear,
newly elected Governor could make a
clean sweep in all the department.
involving change not only of depart
ments but of subordinates not protectsd
by the civil service law, is hardly
thipkable.
THE coordination OF the vsr,ou,
departments. commissions aud board,
elimination Of overlapping functions
and concentration Of responsibility for
their operation are highly desirable And
cffer fruitful field for consideration
for those charged with proposing
changes in our governmental structure
Council OF Revision.
"To avoid the uncertainty and fr,c,,o,
caused by testing the constitutionaltv
OF laws in the courts, often long after
they have been placed upon the statute
book. and in order 10 secure some real
and authoritative judicial consideration
Of the constitutionality OF measures be.
fore they are finally passed by N.
House or receive Executive approval
believe 1t would be wise to provide for
some sort OF council OF reyi,io7
properly equipped with subordinst,,
10 examine all measures TO discover
features Of doubtful constitutionalitv
What should be proposed is:
Some constitutional measure 10 70.
strain the extra constitutional leci.la.
tive influence the invisible govern.
ment.' If we must have party govern.
ment, transfer the party leadership, BY
constitutional provision, to the psrty
representatives in the Legislaturs
where, in England and other constitu.
uonal countries, party leadership is al.
ways found.
Let US have party agents for hand.
ding elections, but insist that the
party leader responsible for the pa-.ys
position on legislation shall have a
commission from some constituency
and SIT IN the Legislature. Then YOU
Will get responsible party government
Two separate annual sessions Of
the Legislature, one solely for the con.
slderatiOn Of local and private bills,
the other TO consider only general
legislation.
Legislators-at-Large.
Rarely now do important general
measures receive any consideration
till the last days of the session. when
every one is tired, worried and con.
cerned with the fate of pending local
measures. OF late our governors have
felt the necessity Of calling extra SEES.
SONS to 6mpel the consideration Of
important legislation neglected at the
regular session. Follow this practice.
but make the present extraordinary
sessions regular for the consideration
Of general legislation.
TO insure the presence in the Legs.
lature of few men with A higher
cense Of responsibility for general
legislation. and whose main Legislative
concern will be the state rather than
the district. provide that a certain pro.
portion of the members Of each house,
or certainly of the Senate, shall be
selected at large"