The sun., 1918-03-19
Tells Assembly to Reject or
Accept Prohibition
Amendment.
VETO IS INTlMATED
Tweed EXpedient Seen in
Useless Effort to Evade
Responsibility.
FINAL VOTE DUE TO-DAY
Cnrlcy Moves for Inquiry Into
legislative Activities of
Inti-SalOOn League.
FINAL VOTE DUE TO-DAY

Spsc,H Despatch TO THE srN.
Arn.NY. Marcn 1S.--l;ov. Whitman
earned the Legislature in a special mes
l,se tonight that he considered the bill
I, refer the question Of Federal prohibi-
ton to the people at the next general
s.ction "an evasion and deception and
.s,d he was not willing to be q party
10 the fcisting upon the public Of a dis
homes, measure This is a plain inti-
! alton that he will veto the referendum
III.
Tie Governor points out that this ref
t-.ndum plan is the method devised by
william N. Tweed fifty years ago TO de-
Eat In tire State Senate the Federal
amendment eufranchising the emauci-
p,,et negro and says "it is inconceicab bic
n m. that the method devised by Tweed
s.ould be adopted to-day by the Legisla-
,.-e @. New York for the same pur-
yose"
The referendum was tackled on to the
H!,l-McNab resolution ratifying the Fed
t-al prohibition amendment by the AS
rrolN last week altcV httt
against II by the temperance advocates.
Tic p,an was engineered by the nn,i-
Whitman Republicans and the an,end-
vent was adopted by a vote Of 81 to s..
The referendum bill is on the Assembly
,a,andar for passage tomorrow. and the
drvs are hoping to forestall it SO they
ian get the ratification resolution before
,hs Legislature in its> original FORM
They believe that the Governors mes
sar, tonight spells success for their
foPes.
Resreta Delay in. Message.
As soon as the Governors message
Mad heen read Speaker Sweet said he
regretted that il had come 80 late. The
Speaker called attention to the fact that
'a dry forces last Tuesday. Just prior
'f,he adoption Of the amendment max
,nE the ratification resolution refer-
.ndum bill. had requested such mes
age from the Governor and that one
rad been denied.
This looks like n case OF locking me
larn door after the horse has been
sto.en,' the Speaker said.
Assemblyman Tuckerman declared
nat the Governor exceeded his author
,'y in sending this message TO the Leg
stature pointing out that the Const'th-
ton provides for action by the Leg'sia-
,lre alone upon constitutional amend
llsnts.
Sneaker Sweet disagreed with this as
,er,ion and said that the Governor couid
=, ary time render advice to the Leg
stature upon pending measures IL A'
SAW ~ so TO do.
Ass.mblvman Shiplacoff. Socialist
leader. declared that in spite of the mes
age. the Assembly should pass the rel-
rrendum in order to ascertain the senli-
men, OF the people upon the prohlp't,oh
question before binding this and other
States to prohibition
whitman cites Constitutton.
The Governors message follows:
To THE ASSEMBLY: desire to COM
r,lnicate with your honorable bodH on
he subject OF proposed so-cahed relei
eEdum to the voters OF the state on the
ouss,ion OF ratification OF the resolution
~ Congress- proposing an amendment TO
tie Constitution Of the United states
prohihitng the manufacture. sale ana
Transportation Of intoxicating liquors.
THE Federal Constitution provides the
METHOD by which the people OF the state
NAV act and the only method by when
they may legally ratify or reject such
proposed amendment. namely. action
y'e '|'s.a,' ho o,,osed IN allowing
"ou'a n"' go IN se,t,e the
pte,.i,, peop'e n,, airsct vote ~ II were
,o n.-f' sn ,,o L.odsral constitution
,,,,t u''u.' Wv o., t.rs M nouer what
~. ''.'a -. do mn, onpose
up,. w. ,.. ,,r.ssr, TORN because
is tn,,,,,r, -, Nv objection Is that
~ , aa,',o. NO n referendum. M
We PUBIC uhders'a'lus ue an,srdner,
20 the State Constitution is decisive. The
result Of a vote under this measure
should II become a law. would leave the
legislature exactly where 1t now il.
Referendum Not h,ndi"s'
M. , s;r,re nember of the I.egisla
t;r- yo,,'b he legally b0,nd to abide h,