The 134th New York State Legislature, consisting of the New York State Senate and the New York State Assembly, met from January 4 to October 6, 1911, during the first year of John Alden Dix's governorship, in Albany.
| 134th New York State Legislature | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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 The State Capitol on fire during the early morning of March 29. (1911) | |||||
| Overview | |||||
| Legislative body | New York State Legislature | ||||
| Jurisdiction | New York, United States | ||||
| Term | January 1 – December 31, 1911 | ||||
| Senate | |||||
| Members | 51 | ||||
| President | Lt. Gov. Thomas F. Conway (D) | ||||
| Temporary President | Robert F. Wagner (D) | ||||
| Party control | Democratic (30-21) | ||||
| Assembly | |||||
| Members | 150 | ||||
| Speaker | Daniel D. Frisbie (D) | ||||
| Party control | Democratic (87-63) | ||||
| Sessions | |||||
| |||||
Background
editUnder the provisions of the New York Constitution of 1894, re-apportioned in 1906 and 1907, 51 Senators and 150 assemblymen were elected in single-seat districts; senators for a two-year term, assemblymen for a one-year term. The senatorial districts were made up of entire counties, except New York County (twelve districts), Kings County (eight districts), Erie County (three districts) and Monroe County (two districts). The Assembly districts were made up of contiguous area, all within the same county.
At this time there were two major political parties: the Republican Party and the Democratic Party. The Socialist Party, the Independence League, the Prohibition Party and the Socialist Labor Party also nominated tickets.
Elections
editThe 1910 New York state election, was held on November 8. John Alden Dix and Thomas F. Conway were elected Governor and Lieutenant Governor; both Democrats. Of the other seven statewide elective offices up for election, five were carried by the Democrats, and two cross-endorsed incumbent judges of the Court of Appeals were re-elected. The approximate party strength at this election, as expressed by the vote for governor, was: Democrats 690,000; Republicans 622,000; Socialists 49,000; Independence League 48,000; Prohibition 22,000; and Socialist Labor 6,000.
Sessions
edit
The Legislature met for the regular session at the State Capitol in Albany on January 4, 1911; and adjourned on October 6.
Daniel D. Frisbie (D) was elected Speaker with 84 votes against 62 for Edwin A. Merritt Jr. (R).
Robert F. Wagner (D) was elected president pro tempore of the State Senate.
On January 17, the Legislature began proceedings to elect a U.S. Senator from New York for a six-year term beginning on March 4, 1911.
On January 19, Governor of Minnesota Adolph Olson Eberhart addressed the members of the Assembly.
On February 6, Ex-Governor of North Carolina Robert Broadnax Glenn addressed the members of the Assembly.
On February 7, the Legislature elected Abram I. Elkus to succeed Edward Lauterbach as a Regent of the University of the State of New York, for a twelve-year term beginning on April 1, 1911.
On February 8, Daniel E. Sickles, at the time the oldest living former assemblyman (a member in 1847), addressed the members of the Assembly.
On March 9, UK Ambassador to the U.S. James Bryce addressed the members of the Senate and Assembly.
During the small hours of March 29, a fire broke out in the New York State Capitol, consuming most of the West Wing, and destroying almost completely the State Library and Archives.[1] The Legislature moved to temporary quarters in the Albany City Hall.
On March 31, after 74 days of deadlock, the Legislature elected New York Supreme Court Justice James A. O'Gorman (D) to succeed U.S. Senator Chauncey M. Depew (R). Afterwards the Legislature took a recess of two weeks while the Capitol was being repaired.
On April 17, the Legislature met again at the State Capitol to resume the legislative business which had been delayed by the deadlocked U.S. Senate election.
On July 21, the Legislature took a recess, and met again on September 6. Clerk of the Assembly Luke McHenry had become ill, and George R. Van Namee was designated to act as Clerk. McHenry died on September 17, and Van Namee was chosen to succeed to the clerkship.
State Senate
editDistricts
edit- 1st District: Nassau and Suffolk counties
- 2nd District: Queens County, i.e the Borough of Queens
- 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th and 10th District: Parts of Kings County, i.e. the Borough of Brooklyn
- 11th, 12th, 13th, 14th, 15th, 16th, 17th, 18th, 19th, 20th, 21st and 22nd District: Parts of New York County, i.e. the boroughs of Manhattan and the Bronx
- 23rd District: Richmond and Rockland counties
- 24th District: Westchester County
- 25th District: Orange and Sullivan counties
- 26th District: Columbia, Dutchess and Putnam counties
- 27th District: Greene and Ulster counties
- 28th District: Albany County
- 29th District: Rensselaer County
- 30th District: Saratoga and Washington counties
- 31st District: Montgomery, Schenectady and Schoharie counties
- 32nd District: Lewis, Fulton, Hamilton and Herkimer counties
- 33rd District: Clinton, Essex and Warren counties
- 34th District: Franklin and St. Lawrence counties
- 35th District: Jefferson and Oswego counties
- 36th District: Oneida County
- 37th District: Chenango, Madison and Otsego counties
- 38th District: Onondaga County
- 39th District: Broome and Delaware counties
- 40th District: Cayuga, Cortland and Seneca counties
- 41st District: Chemung, Schuyler, Tioga and Tompkins counties
- 42nd District: Ontario, Wayne and Yates counties
- 43rd District: Steuben and Livingston counties
- 44th District: Allegany, Genesee and Wyoming counties
- 45th and 46th District: Monroe County
- 47th District: Niagara and Orleans counties
- 48th, 49th and 50th District: Erie County
- 51st District: Cattaraugus and Chautauqua counties
Members
editThe asterisk (*) denotes members of the previous Legislature who continued in office as members of this Legislature. Felix J. Sanner, Loren H. White and J. Henry Walters changed from the Assembly to the Senate.
| District | Senator | Party | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | James L. Long | Democrat | |
| 2nd | Dennis J. Harte* | Democrat | re-elected |
| 3rd | Thomas H. Cullen* | Democrat | re-elected |
| 4th | Loring M. Black Jr. | Democrat | |
| 5th | Barth S. Cronin* | Democrat | re-elected |
| 6th | Eugene M. Travis* | Republican | re-elected |
| 7th | Thomas C. Harden* | Democrat | re-elected |
| 8th | James F. Duhamel | Ind. L./Dem. | |
| 9th | Felix J. Sanner* | Democrat | |
| 10th | James H. O'Brien | Democrat | |
| 11th | Christopher D. Sullivan* | Democrat | re-elected |
| 12th | Timothy D. Sullivan* | Democrat | re-elected |
| 13th | James D. McClelland | Democrat | |
| 14th | Thomas F. Grady* | Democrat | re-elected |
| 15th | Thomas J. McManus* | Democrat | re-elected |
| 16th | Robert F. Wagner* | Democrat | re-elected; elected president pro tempore |
| 17th | John G. Saxe | Democrat | |
| 18th | Henry W. Pollock | Democrat | |
| 19th | Josiah T. Newcomb* | Republican | re-elected |
| 20th | James J. Frawley* | Democrat | re-elected |
| 21st | Stephen J. Stilwell* | Democrat | re-elected |
| 22nd | Anthony J. Griffin | Democrat | |
| 23rd | Howard R. Bayne* | Democrat | re-elected |
| 24th | J. Mayhew Wainwright* | Republican | re-elected |
| 25th | John B. Rose* | Republican | re-elected |
| 26th | Franklin D. Roosevelt | Democrat | |
| 27th | William P. Fiero | Democrat | |
| 28th | Henry M. Sage | Republican | |
| 29th | Victor M. Allen* | Republican | re-elected |
| 30th | Edgar T. Brackett* | Republican | re-elected; Minority Leader |
| 31st | Loren H. White* | Democrat | |
| 32nd | Seth G. Heacock* | Republican | re-elected |
| 33rd | James A. Emerson* | Republican | re-elected |
| 34th | Herbert P. Coats* | Republican | re-elected |
| 35th | George H. Cobb* | Republican | re-elected |
| 36th | T. Harvey Ferris | Democrat | |
| 37th | Ralph W. Thomas* | Republican | re-elected |
| 38th | J. Henry Walters* | Republican | |
| 39th | Harvey D. Hinman* | Republican | re-elected |
| 40th | Charles J. Hewitt* | Republican | re-elected |
| 41st | John F. Murtaugh | Democrat | |
| 42nd | Frederick W. Griffith* | Republican | re-elected |
| 43rd | Frank C. Platt* | Republican | re-elected |
| 44th | Thomas H. Bussey | Republican | |
| 45th | George F. Argetsinger | Republican | |
| 46th | William L. Ormrod | Republican | |
| 47th | Robert H. Gittins | Democrat | |
| 48th | Frank M. Loomis | Democrat | |
| 49th | Samuel J. Ramsperger* | Democrat | re-elected |
| 50th | George B. Burd | Democrat | |
| 51st | Charles Mann Hamilton* | Republican | re-elected |
Employees
edit- Clerk: Patrick E. McCabe
- Sergeant-at-Arms: James McMahon
- Assistant Sergeant-at-Arms: August Gerritson
- Principal Doorkeeper: Fred W. Theobold
- Assistant Doorkeeper: Thomas Nolan
- Stenographer: William E. Reynolds
State Assembly
editNote: For brevity, the chairmanships omit the words "...the Committee on (the)..."
Assemblymen
edit| District | Assemblymen | Party | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Albany | 1st | Harold J. Hinman* | Republican | |
| 2nd | William E. Nolan* | Republican | ||
| 3rd | Robert B. Waters* | Republican | unsuccessfully contested by John W. Kenny[2] | |
| Allegany | Jesse S. Phillips* | Republican | ||
| Broome | Charles S. Butler | Republican | ||
| Cattaraugus | Ellsworth J. Cheney* | Republican | ||
| Cayuga | Nelson L. Drummond | Democrat | ||
| Chautauqua | 1st | Julius Lincoln | Republican | |
| 2nd | John Leo Sullivan* | Republican | ||
| Chemung | Robert P. Bush | Democrat | Chairman of Public Health | |
| Chenango | Walter A. Shepardson* | Republican | ||
| Clinton | John B. Trombly* | Democrat | Chairman of Penal Institutions | |
| Columbia | Randall N. Saunders | Democrat | ||
| Cortland | Charles F. Brown* | Republican | ||
| Delaware | Clayton L. Wheeler | Democrat | ||
| Dutchess | 1st | Ferdinand A. Hoyt | Democrat | |
| 2nd | Lewis Stuyvesant Chanler* | Democrat | Chairman of Codes | |
| Erie | 1st | James S. Dawson | Democrat | |
| 2nd | Oliver G. La Reau | Democrat | ||
| 3rd | Leo J. Neupert* | Democrat | Chairman of Printed and Engrossed Bills | |
| 4th | Edward D. Jackson* | Democrat | ||
| 5th | Richard F. Hearn* | Democrat | ||
| 6th | Anthony H. Monczynski | Democrat | ||
| 7th | Gottfried H. Wende* | Democrat | Chairman of Labor and Industries | |
| 8th | Clarence MacGregor* | Republican | ||
| 9th | Frank B. Thorn* | Republican | ||
| Essex | James Shea* | Republican | ||
| Franklin | Alexander Macdonald* | Republican | ||
| Fulton and Hamilton | Alden Hart | Republican | ||
| Genesee | Clarence Bryant | Republican | ||
| Greene | J. Lewis Patrie* | Democrat | Chairman of Public Education | |
| Herkimer | Judson Bridenbecker | Democrat | ||
| Jefferson | 1st | Lewis W. Day | Democrat | |
| 2nd | John G. Jones | Republican | ||
| Kings | 1st | Edmund R. Terry | Democrat | Chairman of Claims |
| 2nd | William J. Gillen* | Democrat | ||
| 3rd | Michael A. O'Neil* | Democrat | Chairman of Banks | |
| 4th | Clarence W. Donovan | Democrat | ||
| 5th | Abraham F. Lent | Republican | ||
| 6th | John H. Gerken* | Democrat | ||
| 7th | Daniel F. Farrell* | Democrat | ||
| 8th | John J. McKeon* | Democrat | ||
| 9th | Edmund O'Connor* | Ind. L./Dem. | abstained from voting for Speaker; Chairman of Public Institutions | |
| 10th | Fred M. Ahern | Republican | ||
| 11th | William W. Colne* | Republican | ||
| 12th | Sydney W. Fry | Democrat | ||
| 13th | John H. Donnelly* | Democrat | ||
| 14th | James E. Fay* | Democrat | Chairman of Electricity, Gas and Water Supply | |
| 15th | John J. O'Neill* | Democrat | Chairman of Charitable and Religious Societies | |
| 16th | John F. Jameson | Democrat | ||
| 17th | Edward A. Ebbets* | Republican | ||
| 18th | Almeth W. Hoff | Republican | ||
| 19th | Jacob Schifferdecker | Democrat | ||
| 20th | George F. Carew | Democrat | ||
| 21st | Harry Heyman | Democrat | ||
| 22nd | Joseph T. Geatons | Democrat | ||
| 23rd | Louis Goldstein | Democrat | ||
| Lewis | Robert E. Gregg | Democrat | ||
| Livingston | John C. Winters Jr. | Republican | ||
| Madison | Kirk B. Delano* | Republican | ||
| Monroe | 1st | Edward H. White* | Republican | |
| 2nd | Simon L. Adler | Republican | ||
| 3rd | August V. Pappert | Republican | ||
| 4th | Cyrus W. Phillips* | Republican | ||
| 5th | William T. Keys | Republican | ||
| Montgomery | Richard A. Brace | Democrat | ||
| Nassau | Henry A. Hollmann | Democrat | ||
| New York | 1st | Thomas B. Caughlan* | Democrat | Chairman of Railroads |
| 2nd | Al Smith* | Democrat | Majority Leader; Chairman of Ways and Means | |
| 3rd | James Oliver* | Democrat | died on September 18, 1911 | |
| 4th | Aaron J. Levy* | Democrat | Chairman of Judiciary | |
| 5th | Jimmy Walker* | Democrat | ||
| 6th | Harry Kopp* | Republican | unsuccessfully contested by Sol H. Eisler[3] | |
| 7th | Peter P. McElligott* | Democrat | ||
| 8th | Moritz Graubard* | Democrat | Chairman of Public Printing | |
| 9th | John C. Hackett* | Democrat | Chairman of Excise | |
| 10th | Harold Spielberg* | Democrat | unsuccessfully contested by Jacob Kostman[4] | |
| 11th | John J. Boylan* | Democrat | ||
| 12th | James A. Foley* | Democrat | Chairman of Affairs of Cities | |
| 13th | James J. Hoey* | Democrat | Chairman of Insurance | |
| 14th | John J. Herrick* | Democrat | ||
| 15th | Ashton Parker | Democrat | ||
| 16th | Martin G. McCue* | Democrat | Chairman of Commerce and Navigation | |
| 17th | Franklin Brooks | Republican | ||
| 18th | Mark Goldberg* | Democrat | Chairman of Taxation and Retrenchment | |
| 19th | Andrew F. Murray* | Republican | ||
| 20th | Patrick J. McGrath* | Democrat | Chairman of Revision | |
| 21st | Joseph A. Warren | Democrat | ||
| 22nd | Edward Weil | Democrat | ||
| 23rd | Frederick A. Higgins* | Republican | ||
| 24th | Thomas A. Brennan* | Democrat | Chairman of Privileges and Elections | |
| 25th | Artemas Ward Jr.* | Republican | ||
| 26th | Abram Goodman | Republican | ||
| 27th | Walter R. Herrick | Democrat | ||
| 28th | Jacob Levy* | Democrat | ||
| 29th | Harold J. Friedman | Democrat | ||
| 30th | Louis A. Cuvillier | Democrat | Chairman of Military Affairs | |
| 31st | Max Shlivek | Republican | ||
| 32nd | Thomas F. Turley | Democrat | ||
| 33rd | John Gerhardt* | Democrat | ||
| 34th | Seymour Mork | Democrat | ||
| 35th | Thomas F. Egan | Democrat | ||
| Niagara | 1st | Benjamin F. Gould | Democrat | |
| 2nd | Henry A. Constantine | Republican | ||
| Oneida | 1st | John W. Manley* | Democrat | Chairman of Canals |
| 2nd | Herbert E. Allen* | Republican | ||
| 3rd | James T. Cross* | Republican | ||
| Onondaga | 1st | James E. Connell* | Republican | |
| 2nd | Fred W. Hammond | Republican | ||
| 3rd | Thomas K. Smith | Republican | ||
| Ontario | Thomas B. Wilson | Republican | ||
| Orange | 1st | Caleb H. Baumes* | Republican | |
| 2nd | John D. Stivers* | Republican | ||
| Orleans | Frank A. Waters | Republican | ||
| Oswego | Thaddeus C. Sweet* | Republican | ||
| Otsego | Chester A. Miller | Democrat | ||
| Putnam | John R. Yale* | Republican | ||
| Queens | 1st | Andrew Zorn* | Democrat | |
| 2nd | Alfred J. Kennedy | Democrat | ||
| 3rd | Owen E. Fitzpatrick | Democrat | ||
| 4th | Harry I. Huber | Democrat | ||
| Rensselaer | 1st | Frederick C. Filley* | Republican | |
| 2nd | Bradford R. Lansing* | Republican | ||
| Richmond | William A. Shortt* | Democrat | Chairman of General Laws | |
| Rockland | George A. Blauvelt | Democrat | ||
| St. Lawrence | 1st | Fred J. Gray* | Republican | |
| 2nd | Edwin A. Merritt Jr.* | Republican | Minority Leader | |
| Saratoga | William M. Martin | Democrat | Chairman of Affairs of Villages | |
| Schenectady | John C. Myers | Democrat | ||
| Schoharie | Daniel D. Frisbie* | Democrat | elected Speaker; Chairman of Rules | |
| Schuyler | John W. Gurnett | Democrat | Chairman of Forestry, Fisheries and Game | |
| Seneca | Charles W. Cosad* | Democrat | Chairman of Agriculture | |
| Steuben | 1st | Thomas Shannon | Republican | |
| 2nd | John Seeley | Democrat | Chairman of Soldiers' Home | |
| Suffolk | 1st | DeWitt C. Talmage | Republican | |
| 2nd | Frederick Sheide | Democrat | ||
| Sullivan | John K. Evans* | Democrat | Chairman of Internal Affairs | |
| Tioga | Otis S. Beach | Democrat | ||
| Tompkins | Minor McDaniels | Democrat | ||
| Ulster | 1st | George Washburn | Democrat | |
| 2nd | Samuel C. Waring | Republican | ||
| Warren | Henry E. H. Brereton | Republican | ||
| Washington | James S. Parker* | Republican | ||
| Wayne | Albert Yeomans | Republican | ||
| Westchester | 1st | Harry W. Haines* | Republican | |
| 2nd | William S. Coffey* | Republican | ||
| 3rd | Frank L. Young* | Republican | ||
| 4th | John A. Goodwin* | Republican | ||
| Wyoming | Henry A. Pierce | Republican | ||
| Yates | Frank M. Collin | Democrat | ||
Employees
edit- Clerk: Luke McHenry, died September 17[5]
- George R. Van Namee, acting from September 6
- Sergeant-at-Arms: Lee F. Betts
- Principal Doorkeeper: Joseph Hurley, until January 24
- Peter J. O'Neil, from January 24
- First Assistant Doorkeeper: Edward Bourne
- Second Assistant Doorkeeper: Edward Murphy
- Stenographer: Josiah B. Everts
Notes
edit- ^ $5,000,000 LOSS IN CAPITOL FIRE; West Wing Wrecked and State Library, with Historic Records, Almost Destroyed in NYT on March 30, 1911
- ^ see Assembly Journal Vol. I, pg. 1027–1031 for report, and pg. 1037 for vote
- ^ see Assembly Journal Vol. II, pg. 2001–2004 for report, and pg. 2004 for vote
- ^ see Assembly Journal Vol. I, pg. 1031–1036 for report, and pg. 1038 for vote
- ^ LUKE McHENRY DIES in NYT on September 18, 1911
Sources
edit- Official New York from Cleveland to Hughes by Charles Elliott Fitch (Hurd Publishing Co., New York and Buffalo, 1911, Vol. IV; see pg. 360f for assemblymen; and 367 for senators)
- Journal of the Assembly (134th Session) (1911; Vol. I, until March 29)
- Journal of the Assembly (134th Session) (1911; Vol. II, from March 29)
- DEMOCRATS CONTROL LEGISLATURE BY 29 in NYT on November 10, 1910
- WAGNER IS LEADER; GRADY STAYS AWAY in NYT on January 4, 1911
- LEGISLATURE MEETS; HEARS DIX MESSAGE in NYT on January 5, 1911
- LEGISLATORS MEET IN A DAMP CAPITOL in NYT on April 18, 1911
- LEGISLATURE RESTS; PRIMARIES BILL LOST in NYT on July 22, 1911
- LEGISLATORS RIOTOUS OVER PRIMARIES BILL in NYT on October 1, 1911
- PASS PRIMARIES BILL AS LEGISLATURE ENDS in NYT on October 7, 1911