New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-09-02
ALBANY DEBATES
WILL BE PRINTED
Convention Adopts Roots
Plan for Record of
Legislature.
PUBLICITY NEEDED,
ADVOCATES ASSERT
Ex-senator Declares Some Mys-
ferrous Ways of Solons
Will Be Eliminated.

From Stan Correspondent of IN. Tribune
Albany. Sept. 1.-The Constitutional
Convention adopted to-day an amend
ment providing for the publication
daily of the Senate and Assembly de-
bates.
Elihu Root, sponsor for the amend
ment. advocated its adoption. He de-
clared it would eliminate the mys-
FERROUS ways of the Legislature The
printing Of such a record, he said.
would attract able men to the Legis-
lature, would aid in restoring the art
Of debate, ana would help to dignity
the Legislature and make il respected.
The proposal. Mr.. Root declared, was
in line with the time-honOred custom
of Congress, the British Parliament
and the French Senate and Chamber
OF Deputies. The cost, ne estimated,
would be about $4,000 yearly.
The convention adopted the amend
ment
81 see no reason" said Mr.. Root,
"why this great state of 100000
PEOPLE should permit its Legislature to
do its business in such way that
there is no means of knowing the rea-
sons for its action.
1.-THE effort of this convention in
dealing with the conduct of our govern
ment has rightly been to seek to bring
about public action rather than pri-
vate. and ! will not say secret, but un-
known action. This measure is dc
signed to make the Legislature of the
state an avenue to preferment so that
able and ambitious young men of the
state may seek places in the Senate
and Assembly in order that they may
demonstrate their capacity and become
known to the people of the state. As
il is now, no one knows what the Leg
islature is doing or why it is done ex-
cept as the quite limited news articles
Of the public press are spread through
the state.
Dlgnifies the Legislature.
1--WE ought to dignity the Legislature
OF this state, we ought TO seek TO make
il respected and honored. We ought
TO treat il as being worthy of attention
by the people of the state. We ought
to proceed upon the theory that the ar
guments that are made here for ana
against measures of public interests
are worth attention, are worth Delhg
known to the people of the state
BY vote Of 100 to "a the convention
adopted proposal which grants to the
Legislature power to permit actors.
travelling statesmen, railroad men and
others whose work keeps them away
from their homes on registration days
t,t,na Wit
beore Election Day. This will affect at
least 10000 in this state, il is esti-
mated. The bill also puts the regis
tration period ack five days.
Publicity for Amendments.
An amendment offered by Floor
Leader Wickersham was adopted, re-
curing that the Legislature shall con-
slider in joint session all proposed
amendments to the constitution, once,
within a week after the amendment IS
introduced, and again when both houses
pass Il. The object is to centre pup
lie attention on future amendments.
The convention tonight adopted an
amendment increasing the Governor's
salary from $4,000 TO $4,000. The
proposal takes effect January 1916.
so that il ratified by the people Gov
ernor Whitman will benefit.
In the same proposal was provi-
sion increasing the terms OF Governor
and Lieutenant Governor from two TO
four wears. Lemuel Ely Quigg. argued
that Governor with the powers OF
appointing all the state heads, except
Controller and Attorney General, eould,
IN a. four wear term turn the state
into an oligarchy, and could determ-