New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-09-05
"a AMENDMENTS
TO CONSTITUTION
GO UP TO PEOPLE
Convention Ends Six
Months Session, Costing
State S1,000,000.
From stan CorrespOndent OF Tie Tribune. J

a
Albany. Sept. 4.-The Constitutional
Convention adjourned tonight after
having been in session five days short
Of six months. at cost Of Sl,OOO,OOV
TO the state and having passed thirty
four amendments. These amendments
affect thirteen of the fifteen articles
Of the state constitution. The articles
which we're not amended are those deal
ing with education and corporations.
Effort was made, however, to amend
these also. Samuel Untermyer tried
70 have the convention compel the in
oorporation OF the Stock Exchange and
similar bodies. This was beaten in
committee. The fight to amend the
educational article was beaten IN open
convention. There were two groups
oacb renrescnting an extreme attack
ing the present clause which provides
that the education Of children IS
etate function. One group represent
Cd those who wanted to see schools
where religion is taught subject 70
moro stringent regulations, while the
otber set wanted them left alone. The
committee on education, Of which JACOB
Could Schurman, Of Cornell, is chair
man. reported compromise 'ha'
spelled nothing new. and 1t was de-
feated
There were exactly 725 proposals Of
fered by the delegates. More than ooo
of these died in committee. The i'm
nortant proposals left to die in the
"moroue." as general orders is called
we're those Of John G. SAKE and Pat
trick J. Tierney, restoring party CON
,,entions and killing direct primaries
scant half dozen amendments.
among which was the Barnes anti
privilege proposal. which would have
,revented the enactment of social wei
fare legislation. were beaten on the
floor
Religion and Politics Kept Out.
To Flibu Root. president Of the CON
at;or and George W. Wickersham,
a. leader. credit is due for keeping
+be question of religion and politics out
80 tbe convention. Had these questions
been allowed 10 enter into the open
dehates il is doubtful If the convention
would have made what progress II mas
Tho two issues were ever present IN
tho nrivate talk of delegates. ana ohiy
the bigness of the delegates as Whole
prevented them from becoming lsSues
Of no small measure. 80
A. the hearings on the proposal 70
tax religious, charitab le' educa'loiia,'
and philanthropical institutions cohs'u-
erabie bitterness prevailed.
The most important proposal passeu
was the Tanner snort bailot am ..
ment. This measure was desG' ny ~
Elihu Root in the big speech % s,-o
convention as the one thing thal it, no,s
than any other would strlhe ge.s' a
blow at invisible government ana the
,,nI;t;cai bosses. Originally II was IN
terded that this should limit the elec-
,i,.e oficials TO Governor and Lleuten-
a,t Covernor. Friends Of State Con-
troIler Travis and Attorney Generai
Woodbury.. however. advanced reasons
To- the retention of their oihces as
elective. and the result was a eonipI1- 19
mise measure, retaining the IouI vi"
cials mentioned as elecuVe.
Governor Given Wide Powers.
Tho short ballot measure gives un-
,;;,od no,ver 10 the Governor IN max
80 ali departments, except the Two
coE5trolled cnE By the Attorney General and
,pn Controlier. directly responsible to
him The 1862 state departments are re,
nrganized n,,,, and co-ordinated ana placed
Undrr seventeen heads: Law Attorney
GeneraD. france (Controllerl ac-
connts. treasury, taxation, state pub
Continued on page Q. column