The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-04-06
BARNES CALLS
FOR REPEAL OF
FULL CREW ACT
Scores Legislators Who
Cater to Labor at EX-
pense of Business.
HITS COMPENSATION
AND WIDOWS RELIEF

! ALBANY. ADrll Wv imam i'fii li'T wv
clared for the absolute repeal of the full
crew law In his address to-day at the
| Chamber Of Commerce luncheon. Mr..
Barnes criticised those legislators who
! with AN idea of catering to the labor
vote. refuse to lift unjust burdens from
! business.
The reference 20 the full crew law
was not in tn. speech 'as Mr.. Barnes had
| prepared IL IN advance, but 1t was one of
the most striking things he said
| Candidates for office anxious 10 get
back" Mr.. barnes said. are declaring
In favor of the full crew law. which
compels the railroads to employ extra
train crews. whether or not they are
needed. such Legislators. he declared
evidently had overlooked what happened
In Missouri. where referendum har'
ing been taken on full crew measure
the people defeated It by "A very decisive
vote.
Mr., Barnes intimated New York State
voters are even more opposed to the
! full crew plan than the voters or Ms
souri, and that any notion to the contrary
ia based on ignorance Of real public
, | opinion
Not Voice Of People.
"a noise by coterie or by an or
ganiyed few" Mr.. Barnes said, 'is not
, the voice Of the people. nor Is mere
. newspaper camor the voice of the
people"
Mr.. Barnes gave what he considered
the essentials Of the work of the con-
stitutional convention as follows; lie
declared that while he could not discuss
the probable outcome ot the delibera-
4 lions of the constitutional convention he
=, would dwell on what nc considered the
essentials.
, The voters should he educated
that the Constitution is the peoples
law
The Legislature should be de
, prived of the power OF originating
| appropriations but II should grant
i or reduce budget made by State
board of finance.
, The legislative body should be
deprived Of its powers 20 amend
charters Of municipalities at will.
The Constitution itself should pro-
Q vide gone method of guaranteeing
. n charter against amendment.
-. The Constitution should be COM
pressed az much as possible, elimi-
Q mating all specific provisions that
c should come within the legislative
II power. IL should b@ made. what
- every No4's''NNs'Ni '''NN'N
d be:
l. An instrument of government IN
o The simplest form and.
An enumeration of the limitations
n upon the legislative power in terms
~ iedred with such perfect clarity
% that there can he no possible mis-
- Interpretation of their meaning.
i. thereby preserving to the voters
themselves. and not to their repre-
seutatives in the Legislature, the
power 20 determine In" principles
upon which their government shall
rest, and Dy which il must lie con-
h trollrd until such time as they shall
again make manifest their Will
advice ia Voters.
"a "Th. Constitutional 'unv"ntIoi
ought to talk. steps to make clear 4
!" the voters OF the state what thsi
ID function will be In November in rela
said NJ Barnes The convention oul
~ recommends. The voters make the es
~ Enlistment
a. The speaker then said that there wa
~ "A confusion existing In the minds Of q
voters "a short time ago. when II Wa
's attempted to establish ny constitutions
'e amendment tho power In the voters
10 recall Il decision of the courts uphold
NJ ing tn. Constitution OF the State q
nation against "A legislative act whic
violated 1t.
I'VE. therefore. come IN logical Sc
: , quence tp the most important matte
with which the convention will have
deal the extension. or the Limitation
e Of legislative power.
Il assume that the convention vi
not .avor AN extension Of legislatiy
power. | favor greater limitation upo
III the legislative power than exists AT u
present time, believe that as IL
subject becomes more and more unde
stood the people will see the manife
importance Of greater curtailment
that power, leaving to the process
constitutional amendment by the votei
themselves such new establishment (
re- doctrine as they desire by majori,
IN vote OF the whole electorate.
-. II will be charged in this statemei
nus with favoring direct legislation. q
ch favor direct action whenever the subje
he Is general and not specific.
-, THE Constitution OF the State 2ri,
NV to the year 1919 provided that properI
Din could rot be taken without due proce
nic of law. II was amended AT thu
time. by vote OF 100000 to 10000
that in the caso OF an employee injur'
ne through his own fault and through
int fault of his employer he could he cor
,vo pensated FOR his loss. and that in such
specific case, the property OF the er
ICY pioyer could be taken without due pro
lur escs Of law.
ge. THUS the noters o' ths STATE ma
-, already Established q privileged ella
"'" and have already est bl'sHcu one .
Fey ception to the general rule that n man
en- property cannot he taken by I
II, i.egisla lure,
The widows pension bill recen;
sed ~. ased nv tbs Legislature. which pr
vas vided that living should be paid
rbe the PEOPLE OF the state to those "
4, had become dependent, established
'S evitablv the principle that tho Sta
mr. owes rs dependings not care but
hts independent, living. The Legisntu
IN was pusllanmo'Is on this measure, 4
d. ring 20 oppose the humanitarian II
pulls" bshlnd it
mad .-...~.-..-.-... .-.--.-.-----.