New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-07-02
Convention Adopts Report
Made by His Commit
fee Opposing Change.
SOME DELEGATES
WOULD AID N. Y.
Suggest Home Rule and ASSEM-
bly, Elected in Proportion
to Population.


Albany, July by n vote Of 100 10
sc, the Constitutional Convention to-
day declared itself opposed TO taking
out of the constitution the clause
which prevents New York City from
having a majority in the Legislature.
The vote was on Senator Wagner's
motion to refuse to accept the report
of ex-senator Brackets Committee on
Legislative Organization. The report
opposed Morgan J. O'Brien's proposal
TO strike from the constitution the
clause discriminating against New
York City and to provide representa-
tion for the city on the basis OF popu-
lation.
After this vote, some of the dele
gates left the chamber. Senator Brack-
etts motion that the report of his
committee be adopted was passed by
a vote OF 90 to 80.
The debate to-day lasted more than
eight hours.
The chief argument of those opposed
to giving New York City greater repre-
sentation was substantially the same
as yesterday that New York City
should not dominate th2 rest Of tho
state, and that representation b! terri
tory was principle recognized ar early
as l777, when the states frst consti-
tutor. was adopted
Democrats sought ~ make the vote
a party measure. bat andrew Mclean,
of Brooklyn, and Charles Schoonhut,
OF Buffalo, voted with the Republicans
against the O'Brleu proposal. Mclean,
the editor of "The Brooklyn Citizen
the organ of Kings County Democracy,
repudiated the statements OF Mr.. Wag-
ner, Asscmblyman Smith. Delaney
Nicoll and other Democratic leaders
that New York was Disseminated
against because Of partisanship.
NO Partisan Question Involved"
There is no partisan question in
volved,' said Mr.. Mclean. There are
no partisan questions on which the two
parties represented here can be dia-
metrically opposed. The duty Of this
convention is TO exercise its judgment
wholly unbiased by party influence or
demand"
The debate was closed by George W.
Wickersham, the floor leader, who read
a letter from Joseph Choate. printed in
The Tribune in the fall campaign OF
1894 The letter, Mr. Nickersham eX.
planned, was addressed TO the voters OF
the state. 1t defended the clause re-
stricting New York City's representa-
ton as reasonable, just and wholesome,
and because il furnished proper bal
ance of the rule OF numbers.
There are some leaders of the con-
vention who are inclined 20 give New
York City some relief. They believe
that a solution could be found in max
ing the Assembly a popular body, bas-
ing its representation on population,
as is the House of Representatives, re-
stricting the Senate representation, so
that no locality in the state could dom.
mate it. and granting some measure OF
home rule to New York City. II tins
were done New York City would control
the Assembly, while the Senate would
be controlled by upstate.
Ex-senator Bracket, who caused all
the trouble by trying to bring about
reapportionment of the state, which he
still believes possible, said that more
harmful thing for New York City could
not be done than to give it control OF
the Legislature.
when II comes to culture-physical
culture-I know the people Oh the
country who WELD the pillow, the ham
mer and the jack plane cannot compete
with their urban brothers, the wlelders
Of the golf stick, the tennis racquet
and the walking cane" he said. But
7 believe that the ability to crowd hu-
man beings into tenement houses shall
rot be the final test of representation
either in the city or the country.
L. ~. Ia a