New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-12-31
Plans to
Reduce Powers of
Leader in Senate
Dry Candidate, Foreseeing
Defeat by Walters, Asks
That Committee on Rules
Have More Authority
BY BRIGGS
.Stnf Corres,nna1lenc.

staff Correspondence
ALBANY, Dec. 3O.-While practically
conceding that Senator Henry Walters,
of Onondaga, has the advantage over
HIM in the contest for the office OF
president PRO tenn. of the Senate, Sena-
tor George F. Thompson, of Niagara.
declared tonight that he would fight
to amend the rules of the Senate so
as to provide for freedom of action
on the part of the Senator's And
these changes, Senator Thompson
added, would prevent any one man
from setting himself up as a boss. In
a formal statement setting forth his
views, Senator Thompson said:
BY the adoption and gradual per-
lection of subtle set of rules the
power Of each house Of the Legislature
OF the State OF New DIRK has been
delegated to a very few. and in the
Senate, by the operation of these rules.
this power has been wholly assimilated
by one man and discharged by him. SO
that in New York State the Constitu-
ton has been violated, and we find two
departments of government wherein
the affairs are administered by one
man.
THE excuse offered for the usurpa-
ton of the functions of either house Of
the Legislature by one man is the ne
cesslty of the majority party so en-
trenching itself that it can SUPPRESS
dllatory tactics of the minority party.
1t is simple matter to amend these
rules so as to restore the constitutional
order Of things and at the same time
protect majority party in carrying
out its principles.
These amendments are necessary if
we are to have freedom of expression
on the part of the majority. As it is,
the functions not only of the mai GRITTY
party but of the entire Senate are
centred in one man and discharged by
hlm. And he interprets to suit him
self, after his own fashion, what he
believes to be the will of the majority
party. This is in controvention to the
very fundamentals Of our government.
1t makes for bolshevsm.
1T IS apparent that the members Of
each House are powcrless to prevent
this while the present rules are in
operation. The rules as they. stand
strangle freedom Of expression. The
only opportunity provided to restore
the constitutional function to the ma
i 3lan ny Of +So T"e t,ne ol me organize
orrortn,;+' 10 bao uie ana yeO ms
49, s vaar n"S oee's IesieeGeo year
Se"l oe'ause " Dne lack OF ex-
,rno eeare u "eT ".enlpers; ana thelr
n 49, 49, 20 o ,ne reai e"ecc OF the
~ @..ua' ", sme ui1s anu One rear OF
an atte,ont p tIrCeu i1e'lpe's TO MAKE
he unsuccessful and sm itr,ss ',;s 10y
zion Of The uninnairad no,,,or f "a
leader. As Senator an nU"c cor % af.5
solely with the rules eovernin r|T- 10 ~
Senate. It is 2 change in these rules les
that am primarily interested in bring
ing about.
"The most important change that
should be made is to enlarge the Com
mittee on Rules so as TO make il renre-
sentative of the whole Senate. It
should be required to hold stated and
public meetings. AS it is now this
committee never holds a meeting, and
its entire functions are exercised by
the chairman, who is the president pro
TEN. and thus controls the advancing or