Year: 1876

conscientious members and Mr. OHare showed that ne
was deficient neither in honesty nor good sense fhese
gentlemen, with Mr.. Forster and Mr.. FISK, VINO come
from other counties but NewYorkers IN all put no
name did what they could but they were constantly
clogged with o crowd Of worthless colleagues Ohe oi
these members Mr.. Graf, deserves word OF specai
mention. When the committees announced at the
opening Of the session. he found on but one OF them
and that OF the least important in the House. Ihe
explanation was curious one. With delicacy almost
unheard OF in Albany lie had refrained from pressing MS
claims on the Speaker and had prevented his friends
from doing The Speaker, accustomed to being Dad
gered and worried into every appointment, had over
looked him almost entirely For the first month that MT
Graf appeared the noor the House laughed at him
and facetous correspondents called him fool but MI
Graf went talking nevertheless aud conquered the
full respect OF every in the House. He 1t was who
from ofduty attended every session OF the
subcommittee Of the Whole, the "Grindng Commit
tee where bills passed through by the dozen and 20
directly their third reading Though not member OF
the Committee, he watched every bill and every meeting
with unnaggng attention. Forths single oft oextra work
the City OF NewYOrk him great DEAL inasmuch as
there but two useless NewYork members on tDls
most important Committee, which the fayorite passage
way OF Jobs Mr. Crafts the most character
istic lie returned the Clerk half package OF memo
randum paper and other Of stationery and
did quietly and with as little expectation OF havins
get into the newspapers did Senator Coleman who
returned halused lead pencils and few postage
stamps 10 Mr.. Glidden.


Just here-though perhaps people In New-York ought
not to throw any other ctieslet put forth
the suggestion often made during the session, that
the County Of Erie would only make effort and send
delegation of Assemblymen which not always openly
aud unanimously in the market regardless of politics or
decency IL would be refreshing change. The Senators
from Buffalo of late years have been men OF excellent
ability far removed from personal jobbery as for the
Assembly ymen-we after the breaking up OF the House
tho other day, came across prominent Republican
tearing up two photographs that he had received and
scattering the fragments about in deep disgust They
were those of Messrs Gallagher and lawson and dare
say many another member would have been glad TO do
the same thing by Messrs Chafee, Cruce, and Tabor


RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE FAILURES.


Responsibility for the failures OF this Legislature can
justly rest wholly the shoulders Of the Democrats
because they bustered away the last two hours OF the
session. They seized the advantage which any minority
would SEIZE no matter how doubtful its proprety The
fault must lie mainly with the Republicans who faltered
aud blundered and let precious time slip away Mr. Car
roll T. Smith might have forced his common school
amendment to vote two months before the close OF the
session instead of two hours Mr.. Woodin and Judge
Hogebo III might have reported the most important
measure Of the session, the Apportionment bill, four
weeks before the adjournment instead OF four days IL
hcre had been any sincere intention on the part OF the
Republicans Of passing the New-YOrk Salaries bill, 1t
need not have been lost for lack Of few minutes time
The truth that neither party ever intended to pass
this b the Republicans having great hopes OF securing,
with the help of anTammany. part of the patronage
il would have diminished. So with other things. The
men who complain that their work destroyed by two
hours Glbustcring have only themselves TO blame for
having left 50 little margin for such important matters.


Perhaps the striking instance Of neglect OF duty
on the part OF tho legislature, and one to which atten
ton has called is TO be found in the fact that
so little legislation resulted from the investigations that
were In progress last year The Legislature spent whole
days demanding the report OF the Canal Commissions;
since II wes presented not word has been said about it,
and only ono law minor Importance in relation TO the
appointment OF engineers, passed. The only bill sub
mttcd by the Joint Legislative Canal Committee, con-
suting Court Of Claims was killed, and the Board OF
Canal Appraisers still exists The two costly iuvestiga
lions that were had Of the New-York departments and
resulted in next TO nothing. Tho Woodin Charter
enbOdles OF the changes recommended. but all or
the three bills, reducing police salaries and providing
sricter government FOR them, died quiet death, and
little nothing else was accomplished.
one exception mast be made however, to the list OF
failures There never las been year within the MEMORY
Of even such political veteran Gov Tden, when the
appropriaton bills were oean and far above cri
ci-u aud year wthn.th memory OF the younger
generation at least, that these bills instead OF being
the hustle and confusion OF the last hours Of the
session wce calmly considered and sent TO the Governor
two weeks before adjournmeDt Mr. soan the chairman
OF the Committee OF Ways and Means is getting comp
mcns enough the head of anybody but shrewd
grain merchant, but lie is getting no more than he
deserves II few OF his Republican colleagues had had
fraction Of his industry his fidelity and his fairness,
tie record OF the Centennial Legislature might have been
,ycrthy Of its name. ID. l.