New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-06-18
UPSTATE MEN
WOULD CUT CITY
REPRESENTATION
Bracket Report Favors
Limiting 1t to Half
of the Total.
CHURCHILL URGES
ALBANY CONTROL
Boards of Education Should Be
Part of State System, lie Tells
Convention Committee.

Prom star Co-ros2v-ler, OF The Tribune
Albany, June l7.-Greater discrim-
nation against New York City in rep
resentation in the Legislature would
be worked By proposed amendment TO
the constitution offered to-day in the
convention by ex-senator Edgar 7.
Bracket, Of Saratoga, as committee
report. Its introduction was made de-
spite the protests Of Elhu Root, George
". WickcrsEam. Frederick {. Tanner
and other leaders who DO not want pol
itics injected INTO the proceedings.
Those behind the Bracket committee
report boast openly that II they sue
coed in advancing b. 20 the order OF
third reading their next move Will he
for q rCapportloUmcut OF the Senate
and Assembly districts on the enumera-
tion now being made by the Secretary
o. State
The Bracket amendment, which
would prevent New York City from
having more than onc-haf OF the total
number Of Senators and Assomb.ymen,
is regarded uy some of the clty's rep
rcscrtatives as particularly unfair, be-
cause. as IS already known, the census
viii show the city now has 100000 10
100000 more tGar onc-hat the tota!
population Of the state.
The figures collected by Secretary
HuCo's cnumorators indicate that the
total population Will be between TO-
OO1 900 and ll,0o0"00, and that Of New
York City about 100000.
The present constitutional restric
tIon on the number Of representatives
provides that no county shall have
more than ouC-thjrd Of all the Senators,
and no two counties which adlO!A or
are separated only By public waters
shall have more than one-half the Sen
ators The amendment would prevent
any reapportjoument for eleven years
IL states that the Legislature Of 1926
shall make a reapporuonmcnt, and pro-
vldcs:
In such anQortionment not more
than orc-ha.f Of all the Senators and
not more than orC-half Of all the men,
bers of the Assembly shall be chosen
from the counties. as now constituted,
wholly contained within a single city
Increased Population Ignored.
While the language makes it clear
that this restriction shall not be ap-
Piled until 1926, New York delegates
say il is all the more vicious because
Of this. for il would leave without far
representation the great increase IN
population bound 20 come in the city
within the next eleven years.
Considerable upstate sentiment has
been created by Mr.. Bracket and ms
first lieutenant from Syracuse, Ray 3.
Smith. They made known their lnten-
tions nearly six weeks ago, but Sena-
tor Root and those who believe with
him that the question Of reapporton-
ment should be kept out Of the conven-
tiop have been unable TO dlssuade
them.
Ncssrs Smith and Bracket want the
convention and not the next Leglslat-
ure 10 make the rcapportlonment, be-
cause in the former case they can cal
culate the result with certainty. The
Legislature is an unknown quantity
owing to the election Of the Assembly
next fall.
Debate on the proposal will start next
Thursday Senator Robert +. Wagner
and Asscmblyman a. Smith, minority
leaders Of the Legislature, declared to-
night that they would fight the amend
ment to the last ditch. Morgan j.
O'Brien. Democratic floor leader, served
formal notice on the Bracket forces
of the intentions Of the Democrats. At
the same time Mr. O'Bricn introduced
an amendment seeking 10 remove all
restrictions on New York Clty's repre-
sentatiou The Democrats know such
an amendment cannot be passed, but
they had u introduced for purposes OF
debate.
The Taxation Committee, Of which
Martin Sake, State Tax Commissioner,
is chairman, introduced an amendment
limiting tax exemptions, and giving TO
the Legislature the right 10 modify or
revoke existing tax exemptions. This
proposal will also cause considerable
debate.
Barnes Prepares Amendment.
William Barnes convinced his Com
mittee on Legislative Powers this after
noon that his proposed amendment pre-
venting the Legislature from passing
minimum wage laws, widows pension
laws and similar measures, which he
termed state sociallstic laws" should
be approved
A subcommittee was appointed. .on-
sisting Of Monroe Wheeler and l.. VI.
Martin, Republicans, and John u. SAKE,
Democrat, 90 put Mr. Barness ideas
into shape for introduction IN the con-
vention.
II hope" said Mr. Barnes, "to write
into the constitution provisions which
will prevent the Legislature from pass
ing laws which tend toward state So
cialism. ] mean minimum wage laws
and the like At present the due pro
cess Of law clause Of the bill OF rights
OF the constitution would seem 20 re-
strict the Legislature in this direction,
but such has not proved TO be the case.
Laws have been enacted which lean
toward socialism, and If there were
specific provisions IN the constitution
against such statutes, they would quiet
the popular hue and cry against Judge
made laws They would also reduce
the passage Of unconstitutional laws,
and as the constitution must be ratified
By the people themselves, such ratih-
cation would relieve the Legislature
Of specializing on what the people want
in this respect
Churchill Urges State Control.
Boards Of education should be made
an integral part Of the state educa-
tionai system Thomas W. Churchill.
president Of the New York board, told
a convention committee to-day. lie
recommended that funds for educa-
tional purposes be raised by separate
municipal taxes at rates TO be pre-
scribed by the Legislature. Such pro
visions in the constitution would firmly
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