A Robber Bill

New York, 1895

Trying to Steal the Normal School from Jamaica.

IS VACHERON WILLING?

He Made No Protest When the Robber Bill was Read.

THE SENATOR SHOWS FIGHT.

Messrs. Childs, McCormick and Van Vechten Will be Able to Defeat the Bill.

THE OYSTER PLANTING ACT.

ALBANY, Feb. 28.

(Special Correspondence of the Farmer,)

Counselor Van Vechten was at the Capital on Tuesday arguing a case in the Court of Appeals. His court labors over, he dropped in at the Assembly chamber and looked over the file of bills lately introduced. he found one that gave him a mental and moral shock. Following is a copy of the bill:

STATE OF NEW YORK. No. 950. IN ASSEMBLY, February 20, 1895: introduced by Mr. Brownell—read once and by unanimous consent referred to the commit? too on ways and means.

AN ACT To amend chapter five hundred and fifty-three of the laws of eighteen hundred and ninety-three, entitled "An act to establish a normal and training school in the village of Jamaica, in the county of Queens," so as to establish said school in the city of Binghampton, county of Broome.

The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:

SECTION 1. Section one of chapter five hundred and fifty-three of the laws of eighteen hundred and ninety-three, entitled "An act to establish a normal and training school in the village of Jamaica, in the county of Queens," is hereby amended to read as follows :

§1. There shall be established in the city of Binghamton, county of Broome, a normal and training school, provided, however, and upon condition that within one year from the passage of this act, one or more persons shall convey to the State a suitable site in such city for said institution to be approved and accepted by the commissioners named in section one of chapter four hundred and sixty-six of the laws of eighteen hundred and sixty-six, entitled "An act in regard to normal schools."

§2. The title to such chapter five hundred and fifty-three of the laws of eighteen hundred and ninety-three is hereby amended to read as follows: "An act to establish a normal and training school in the city of Binghamton, county of Broome."

§3. The sum of one hundred thousand dollars heretofore appropriated by such chapter five hundred and fifty-three of the laws of eighteen hundred and ninety-three, is hereby reappropriated out of any moneys in the treasury, not otherwise appropriated, for the erection of a normal and training school in the city of Binghamton, in pursuance of chapter five hundred and fifty-three of the laws of eighteen hundred and ninety-three, as amended by this act. Such money shall be payable by the treasurer upon the warrant of the comptroller, upon certificates approved, by the superintendent of public instruction, the comptroller and the board of managers of such school.

§4. This act shall take effect immediately.

Mr. Van Vechten at once secured a copy of the bill and went straight to the Senate in search of Mr. Childs. To say that the Senator was surprised is to but feebly express the state of his mind. Here it was February 26th, and the date on the bill showed that it had been introduced on the 20th. Six days had elapsed and not a word had been heard from Assemblyman Vacheron about the existence of the robber bill. The conclusion was inevitable that he knew all about it, for a copy of it was on the file on his desk. His silence seemed more than suspicious.

Another striking thing about the bill was the introductory clause. It shows that when Mr. Brownell introduced the bill, and it was read, Mr. Vacheron made no objection to it, and it was referred to the proper committee by unanimous consent. Mr. Vacheron makes no explanation of his peculiar conduct.

Mr. Van Vechten and Senator Childs hustled around among some of the more prominent members of the Assembly, Ainsworth, Malby, Nixon, and others, and even saw Speaker Fish, and the bill is not going to have on easy time in spite of Mr. Vacheron's indifference to it, or even his willingness to let it go through unopposed.

Ex-Governor McCormick of Jamaica has been communicated with about the matter, and although he has not come here yet (his presence is not necessary at present) several of the prominent Assemblymen and some of the state officers have heard from him. Mr. McCormick will come here if his presence is required.

The bill, you will observe by reading it, also grabs the $100,000 appropriated last year for the Jamaica school. There is hardly a possibility of so rascally a measure getting through the Assembly, but for its defeat credit will be due to Mr. Vacheron. If, however, it should be bowled through the Assembly, it is bound to die in the Senate. Mr. Childs will be all powerful there. Mr. Van Vechten is coming back next week to renew his warfare upon the bill.

Senator O'Connor, the Republican leader, has a similar grand larceny bill in his charge. When Senator Childs heard of it, he went right up to O'Connor and told him what he thought of him. Senator Child's bill to appropriate $50,000 more for the Jamaica normal school is in the finance committee.

The Senator will demand a favorable report on this bill. If it is not made at once, he will call it up in the Senate and fight it out there with O'Connor. Mr. Childs will win, because O'Connor and the Republican majority are often in need of his vote, and they dare not throw him down.

Senator Childs has introduced his promised bill for the protection of shell fish. The bill is designed to correct abuses which have stranded hundreds of men who got a living for themselves and their families by working in the public waters. The bill has the approval of the baymen and the oyster planters, who ought to know what is best for their interests. The bill is applicable only to Queens, Suffolk, Westchester and Richmond Counties.

The board of Supervisors are to have a map made of all public land under tide water in the county, to show the extent and area of the natural growth shell fish bottoms and of other bottoms under such water. All natural growth lands are to be set apart and marked and shall not thereafter be saleable or leaseable. The Supervisors are authorized to enact laws authorizing town boards to lease lands, and appeals may be had from the town board to the county board, but only land which contains no natural growth shellfish shall be leased. Lessees are to have exclusive rights in the land ceded to them. The lessee must have been an inhabitant of the town for at least one year.

No person shall be alloted more than six acres of land. He must clearly define his patch by stakes. At least fifty bushels of oysters must be sown on each acre of land, and any person not so planting his land within six months forfeits all claim to it. If he violates this statute in any particular he forfeits his privilege to what land he may possess or to any other land. Before any lease is granted the applicant must prove to the satisfaction of the town board that the land is not bearing shell-fish of natural growth, or a bed of legally planted oysters, and he must prove himself an actual inhabitant of the town.

The annual rental is to be $5 per acre and a fee of $1 for each certificate granted. The income is to be applied to the current expenses of the town. A fine of $100 is imposed for taking oysters from any planted bed, or for disturbing the bed in any manner. The owner of the bed may bring the action and keep the penalty. Criminal prosecution is also provided for. Any person who moves out of town forfeits his lease, but he is to have six months in which to remove his oysters from the land. The rights of all persons now holding leased land are to expire on November 1st next, unless they sooner acquire the same land under the provisions of this new law. Dredging is forbidden, and a fine of $100 or 60 days' imprisonment is imposed. Seine fishing must not be obstructed by stakes or buoys in what are known as "runs."

Assemblyman Vacheron has introduced a bill which compels any county in the state to pay $500 for the death of any volunteer fireman killed in the performance of duty at a fire. The money is made payable to the executor or administrator of any deceased fireman.

Speaker Fish has a good deal of patience, but he found it necessary to sit down rather hard on Assemblyman Vacheron during the discussion of the bill to require ladies to remove their hats in the theatres. Mr. Vacheron essayed to make a speech on the occasion, but the language he used in reference to the women aroused the indignation of many members. Speaker Fish brought his gavel down with a whack which woke the echoes in the chambers, and ordered Mr. Vacheron to take his seat. How much more offensive Mr. Vacheron might have become if he had not been cut off is left to conjecture.

—The Long Island Farmer, Jamaica, NY, March 1, 1895, p. 1.