Twin Raiders

New York, 1895

Fairbrother and Vacheron Playing a Part

TO CONTROL PATRONAGE.

Opposing the People's Back Tax Bill.

FAVORING A RAILROAD JOB.

Sure to Cost $25,000, May Cost $75,000,

THE SUPERVISORS DEFIED.

(Correspondence to THE FARMER.)

ALBANY, Feb. 7.

Unless Assemblymen Fairbrother and Vacheron "take a drop" they will retire themselves from public office permanently. They seem to be antagonizing every bit of legislation asked for by the Supervisors of Queens county and prominent citizens of that county. On the other hand, Senator Childs is doing his best to push all such bills through the Senate, and he will succeed, but when these bills go to the Assembly, and are attacked by the two gentlemen named above, they are likely to fail, for these men are in a combination that is powerful, albeit not moved by good motives. Senator Childs cannot lower his dignity by following these bills into the House and indulging in a scrap with the men from Jamaica and Newtown. It ought to be sufficient for these representatives, as it is for Senator Childs, that these important bills have received the approval of an honest board of Supervisors, but it is not.

These Assemblymen are favoring one bill that will cost Queens county not less than $25,000, and it may reach $75,000. The essential benefit is to accrue to a Brooklyn railroad company. Senator Childs is supporting a bill to prevent this wrong being inflicted on the people. These Assemblymen are opposing another bill to create a tax arrears bureau for Queens county, the object being to seek out the owners of property that is in arrears for taxes and effect a settlement. There is said to be outstanding taxes to the amount of $500,000, for a large part of which Queens county is bonded, and it is believed that half of this sum can be recovered, and may be nearly all of it. The bill creates a commission of three, at a salary of $1,500. The bill is clearly in the public interest, but that does not seem to count for anything with these two Assemblymen. They say they are opposed to the persons named as commissioners, and want to name other persons. They probably want to put in men who would run the bureau for patronage and politics, and it would be decidedly nice if Mr. Vacheron could have himself appointed counsel, and if Mr. Fairbrother could be appointed chief clerk, or if they could control these appointments. The benefit the bill would be to the people in collecting these tax arrears and reducing the tax rate, seems to go for nothing.

senator Childs has introduced the bill to make an additional appropriation of $50,000 for the normal school at Jamaica.

Bills introduced: By Mr. Armstrong, appropriating $40,000 to carry out the provisions of the highway law relative to wide tires; by Mr. Smith, providing that whenever the money to be distributed for town fairs shall reach $20,000, the sum of $2,000 shall be paid to such societies as have paid for three years $3,000 annually in premiums, such payment to be in lieu of any participation in money collected from racing associations; by Mr. Clarke, appropriating $32,000 for agricultural stations for experiments, half to be paid to the station at Geneva, and half to the station at Cornell; penal code relative to divulging telegraphic communications by Mt. Wilds, making it a felony to transfer any bet or wager from one place to another within the state, or to sell pools.

Mr. Nixon introduced his capitol bill embodying the suggestion of the governor. It provides that the care and custody of the capitol shall be under the supervision of a commission consisting of the comptroller, the attorney general, the capitol commissioner and two persons to be appointed by the governor. Also that the work of completing the construction of the capital and the approaches shall be done by contract.

On second reading order in Assembly Mr. Clarkson's bill submitting to the people the proposition to bond the state for $9,000,000 for canal improvements was called. Mr. Brown offered an amendment providing that only tax payers vote on the proposition, The amendment was lost, and the bill passed to a third reading.

Governor Morton has been requested by many prominent men to appoint Edward Thompson, of Northport, as a fish commissioner in case a further reorganization of the commission is made.

The general laws committee reported favorably the bill of Mr. Cutler legislating against the wearing of big hats at places of public entertainment.

Mr. Braun's bill, providing for the free transportation on railroads and steamboats of legislators on the certification of the secretary of state came up on second reading. After much discussion as to its legality with reference to the provisions of the new constitution, it was laid aside.

Senator Pearson's bill for issuing $9,000,000 bonds for canal improvement was reached, and after an attempt being made to delay it by sending it back to committee it was advanced.

Mr. Brush introduced a bill making a false canvass of votes at an election punishable by imprisonment for not less than two years nor more than five.

Senator Pound's bill allowing election officers to act at municipal as well as general elections was passed.

Mr. Higbie of Suffolk has introduced a bill providing that boards of Supervisors may pre-empt water supply sources. This is intended to check the extension of Brooklyn's water system.

—The Long Island Farmer, Jamaica, NY, Feb. 8, 1895, p. 1.