The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-07-27
LAWMAKERS LIKELY
TO GET BETTER PAY
No Protest Yet to Proposed
State Amendment Provid- ;
ing for Increase.

II a constitutional amendment to be
to the voters at the coming
election Is passed the hard working
members of the Legislature will no
longer have to, serve the State for a
miserly pittance of $1,000 a year.
Increasing the salaries OF the law
makers is one of four amendments to
the basic law OF the State that will be
submitted to the people at the polls in
November.
The second would increase the salaries
of the Judges of the Court of Appeals
to $17,500.
A third amendment would permit per-
sons who are necessarily and unavoid-
ably away from their homes on election
day to cast their votes.
The fourth amendment would declare
that the use of property in the drainage
of swamp lands for agricultural purposes
was q public use" 1t would permit
the condemnation of such lands under
the right of eminent domain.
Amendments to the constitution must
and then submitted to the people Cor
their approval or disapproval.
Unless some organized movement is
invoked against them proposed consti-
tutional amendments usually pass, and
so far no such opposition has developed
toward any of the measures that are
to be submitted this fall.
1t is not altogether the high cost of
living that has led to increasing the SAL
aries of the Senators and Assemblymen.
For a long time 1t has been recognized
that the State could not hope to ask
men OF ability and small means to go
to Albany for $500 a year. Many have
done so, but most Of them find 1t impos-
sible to remain more than a term or two.
The legislative session lasts not less
than 100 days, and frequently much
longer. Not infrequently the legislators
are called back for extraordinary ses-
sions, and in 1918, the year that Gov.
william Sulzer was impeached, the Leg
islature was in session greater part
OF the year.
Under the proposed amendment, Sen
ators. beginning January l, will get
$4,000 a year and Assemblymen $4,000.
The Speaker of the Assembly will get
5000 a year.
The amendment increasing the salaries
of the Judges of the Court Of Appeals
will remedy an inequality OF long stand
ing. Although they are now getting only
$40, 900 year. including the Chief Judge,
the Justices of the Supreme Court In the
First and Second departments, OF In
ferior rank, have been getting s17,500 a
year In addition to the $4,000 the
Court Of Appeals Judges have been re-
ceiving s3.70o for travelling and other
expenses.
Under the proposed amendment the
minimum salary of these Judges will be
sl7,5o0 in the future, and to the Legisla-
ture Is given the discretion to increase
that figure If II deems proper.
For many years travelling men, rail-
road men. actors and others whose bust
ness takes them away from home con-
tinually have been protesting against the
fact that they generally lose their vote
Either they are away on registration
day or election day, either absence being
sufficient to "disfranchise" them. Their
organizations have been working to cor
rect this, and the ease with which the
Secretary OF State was able to provide
for taking the vote of soldiers and sail
ors absent from home during the war
gave an impetus to their plea. Under
the proposed amendment the Legislature
Is authorized TO pass laws for taking the
votes of men and women who can show
that their necessary duties will keep
them away from their regular voting
places on election day.