New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-07-03
QUIGG OBJECTS
TO CRITICISMS
OF HIS COURSE
Stirred by The Tribune's
Comments on ReappOr-
tiOnment Scheme.
ADMIRES HIS OWN
SELF-RESTRAINT
Tells Constitution Makers 1t
Isn't Fair to Attribute Parti-
sanShip to Them.
From a stan Correspondent o, The Tribune ]

Iron stan Correspondent Of The Tribune
Albany, July 2-For the first time
since the Constitutional Convention or
gained, one of its delegates arose to-
day to a question of personal privilege,
although he cid not call it that. Lem
uel Ely Quigg was moved to this action
by the leading editorial in to-day's
Tribune.
"Mr. President" said Mr.. Quigg. "im-
posing upon the spirit of considera-
ton that has prevailed here, ask
unanimous consent for a word of per-
sonal explanation. | don't think | can
call it a question Of personal privilege"
THE chair hears no objection" said
President Root.
Mr.. Quigg took from his desk a copy
of The Tribune, and, holding il aloft,
said: "Mr. President, this morning the
New York Tribune, newspaper to
which gave fifteen years Of my life
and ! suspect the best fifteen years
said this, of which | want to speak, of
reapportionmcnt."
Mr.. QUigg turned to the editorial
page and read the following:
Stripped of all 1r2tences, the de-
mand which Messrs. Bracket, Smith.
QuigC ami their followers are making
for an apportionment now is simply
an endeavor to play politics. They
want this convention, Overwhelmingly
Republican, to make a partisan reds
trcting of the state doubtless taking
care in doing it of their own particular
political desires. They seek to inject
party politics into this convention,
which should be kept free from such
issues, in order to take no chance of
having the apportionment made by the
next Legislature, which might have
Democratic Assembly. They take this
course in spite of the likelihood of
partisan division in the convention ere
ating such bitterness there and among
the voters that the whole new consti-
tuition might be endangered
"Now, Mr.. President" Mr.. Quigg
went on, when | came here | did
think, and do think now, that reap
Tortionment is part of our business,
lut | was uncertain then, as ! am un
certain now, whether we would better
do it or not. | can call you as a wit
ress, and Mr.. Wickcrsham, too, that |
have sought advice on the subject and
that my mind is not now concluded
whether we would better do It or not.
felt this that you are not going TO
lie a candidate for a member OF the
Legislature, nor am !, nor is Mr.. Gin
ton, nor is Mr. Wickersham, and very
few Of US here want to be candidates
for the Legislature And | have felt
that perhaps our Democratic friends
would be moro disposed to have this
matter of a reapportionment, if there
is any reason for one, determined here
than in the Legislature, where per-
sonal as well as party considerations
are sure to arise.
"Now, Mr.. President, / don't want
that the newspapers should give the
idea-it is unfair that there is any d.
vision here among the Republicans or
any partisan question here between
Republicans and Democrats that was
net settled yesterday. With a self-re-
straint for which ! know you were
grateful and that | myself admired, ]
did not 90 into the discussion yester-
day. ! did not ask you for recognition,
lecause there are two times when no
body needs to say anything. One is
when he is hopelessiy beaten. and the
ether is when even his own mistakes
could not defeat him, when he IS bound
to win, anyway.
"This notion Of apportionment is so
general in the United States. as so
many Of the speakers showed yester-
cay, that it will never be gotten rid
Of, and ! could see no reason why |
should inject myself into the discus
sion. ! do it now simply to sey that
! have not come here in the shirt Of
craftsmanship, that ! don't know whether
reapportionment in this convention
is wise or not, that | now am inclined
to leave il alone, and that | would en-
gage in il only for The sake of the
Democratic party and in order TO see
that it should be fair and just and
7easonable-that II should be in the
interest, as Mr.. Low put it, of minori-
ties.
~ believe that something Of that
kind ought to be done, and ! suspect
that this is the best place to do it,
where all of us are freer either of
partisanship or of personal interest
than could be had anywhere else"
Speaking later to the newspaper
men, Mr. Quigg remarked, referring
&c The Tribune: "You know ! have a
reverence for that damned paper"
The convention did little of impor-
lance to-day. Beginning next week,
the convention will sit six days week
~, meeting daily at 10 a. m The
delegates want to get through with
the vast amount of work before them
as near the middle Of August as prac-
ticable.