131st New York State Legislature

131st New York State Legislature

New York State Capitol (2009)
Duration: January 1 – December 31, 1908
President of the State Senate: Lt. Gov. Lewis Stuyvesant Chanler (D)
Temporary President of the State Senate: John Raines (R)
Speaker of the State Assembly: James Wolcott Wadsworth, Jr. (R)
Members: 51 Senators
150 Assemblymen
Senate Majority: Republican (32-19)
Assembly Majority: Republican (96-54)
Sessions
1st: January 1 – April 23, 1908
2nd: May 11 – June 11, 1908
<130th 132nd>

The 131st New York State Legislature, consisting of the New York State Senate and the New York State Assembly, met from January 1 to June 11, 1908, during the second year of Charles Evans Hughes's governorship, in Albany.

Background

Under 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.

On April 27, 1906, the Legislature re-apportioned the Senate districts, increasing the number to 51.[1] The apportionment was then contested in the courts.

The Legislature also re-apportioned the number of assemblymen per county. Nassau County was separated from the remainder of Queens County; Albany, Broome, Cattaraugus, Cayuga, Onondaga, Oswego and Rensselaer counties lost one seat each; Erie, Monroe and Westchester gained one each; and Kings and Queens counties gained two each.

On April 3, 1907, the new Senate and Assembly apportionment was declared unconstitutional by the New York Court of Appeals.[2]

On July 26, 1907, the Legislature again re-apportioned the Senate districts, and re-enacted the 1906 Assembly apportionment.[3]

At this time there were two major political parties: the Republican Party and the Democratic Party. The Independence League, the Socialist Party and the Prohibition Party also nominated tickets.

Elections

The New York state election, 1907, was held on November 5. The only two statewide elective offices up for election were two judgeships on the New York Court of Appeals which were carried by a Republican and a Democrat both of which had been endorsed by the other major party.

Sessions

The Legislature met for the regular session at the State Capitol in Albany on January 1, 1908; and adjourned on April 23.

James Wolcott Wadsworth, Jr. (R) was re-elected Speaker.

The Legislature met for a special session at the State Capitol in Albany on May 11, 1908; and adjourned on June 11. This session was called to consider enacting reform legislation which had been recommended by the governor at the beginning of the session, but was ignored by the Legislature. Among the measures advocated by the governor were an anti-horse-race-track-gambling bill (enacted as the Hart–Agnew Law), a plan to extend the jurisdiction of the Public Service Commission to the telephone and telegraph companies, and a ballot reform.

State Senate

Districts

Note: The senators had been elected to a two-year term in November 1906 under the 1906 apportionment, as stated below. Although the Legislature re-apportioned the Senate districts in 1907, the first senatorial election under the new apportionment occurred in November 1908.

Members

The asterisk (*) denotes members of the previous Legislature who continued in office as members of this Legislature.

District Senator Party Notes
1st Carll S. Burr, Jr.* Republican
2nd Dennis J. Harte* Democrat
3rd Thomas H. Cullen* Democrat
4th Otto G. Foelker* Republican on November 3, 1908, elected to the 60th U.S. Congress
5th James A. Thompson* Democrat
6th Eugene M. Travis* Republican
7th Patrick H. McCarren* Democrat
8th Charles H. Fuller* Dem./Ind. L.
9th Conrad Hasenflug* Democrat
10th Alfred J. Gilchrist* Republican
11th Dominick F. Mullaney* Dem./Ind. L.
12th William Sohmer* Dem./Ind. L.
13th Christopher D. Sullivan* Dem./Ind. L.
14th Thomas F. Grady* Dem./Ind. L. Minority Leader
15th Thomas J. McManus* Dem./Ind. L.
16th John T. McCall* Dem./Ind. L.
17th George B. Agnew* Republican
18th Martin Saxe* Republican
19th Alfred R. Page* Republican
20th James J. Frawley* Dem./Ind. L.
21st James Owens*[4] Democrat
22nd John P. Cohalan* Dem./Ind. L. on November 3, 1908, elected Surrogate of New York Co.
23rd Francis M. Carpenter* Republican
24th John C. R. Taylor* Democrat
25th Sanford W. Smith* Republican
26th John N. Cordts* Republican
27th Jotham P. Allds* Republican
28th William J. Grattan* Republican
29th Frank M. Boyce* Democrat
30th H. Wallace Knapp* Republican
31st William W. Wemple* Republican
32nd James A. Emerson* Republican
33rd Seth G. Heacock* Republican
34th William T. O'Neil* Republican
35th George H. Cobb* Republican
36th Joseph Ackroyd* Democrat
37th Francis H. Gates* Ind. Rep.
38th Horace White* Republican on November 3, 1908, elected Lieutenant Governor
39th Harvey D. Hinman* Republican
40th Owen Cassidy* Republican
41st Benjamin M. Wilcox* Republican
42nd John Raines* Republican President pro tempore
43rd William J. Tully* Republican
44th S. Percy Hooker* Republican
45th Thomas B. Dunn* Republican on November 3, 1908, elected New York State Treasurer
46th William W. Armstrong* Republican
47th Stanislaus P. Franchot* Republican died on March 24, 1908[5]
William C. Wallace[6] Republican elected on May 12 to fill vacancy[7]
48th Henry W. Hill* Republican
49th Samuel J. Ramsperger* Democrat
50th George Allen Davis* Republican
51st Albert T. Fancher* Republican

Employees

State Assembly

Note: For brevity, the chairmanships mentioned omit the words "...the Committee on (the)..."

Assemblymen

District Assemblymen Party Notes
Albany 1st Ellis J. Staley Republican
2nd William E. Nolan Republican
3rd Robert B. Waters* Republican
Allegany Jesse S. Phillips* Republican Chairman of Judiciary
Broome Harry C. Perkins Republican
Cattaraugus John J. Volk* Republican
Cayuga Frederick A. Dudley* Republican Chairman of Soldiers' Home
Chautauqua 1st Augustus F. Allen* Republican Chairman of Federal Relations
2nd Charles Mann Hamilton* Republican Chairman of Military Affairs
Chemung David C. Robinson[8] Dem./Ind. L.
Chenango Julien C. Scott Republican
Clinton Alonson T. Dominy* Republican
Columbia Lester J. Bashford Democrat
Cortland Charles F. Brown Republican
Delaware Henry J. Williams Republican
Dutchess 1st Myron Smith* Republican
2nd Frederick Northrup* Democrat
Erie 1st Orson J. Weimert* Republican Chairman of Indian Affairs
2nd John Lord O'Brian* Republican
3rd George J. Arnold Republican
4th William Jordan Democrat
5th Edward P. Costello Democrat
6th Frank S. Burzynski* Democrat
7th George W. Walters* Democrat
8th Clarence MacGregor Republican
9th Frank B. Thorn Republican
Essex James Shea Republican
Franklin Harry H. Hawley Republican
Fulton and Hamilton William Ellison Mills* Republican Chairman of Fisheries and Game
Genesee Fred B. Parker* Republican
Greene William C. Brady* Republican Chairman of Villages
Herkimer Thomas D. Ferguson* Republican
Jefferson 1st Alfred D. Lowe* Republican Chairman of Public Lands and Forestry
2nd Gary H. Wood* Republican
Kings 1st Edmund R. Terry Democrat
2nd James Jacobs Democrat
3rd Arthur L. Hurley Rep./Ind. L.
4th Andrew C. Troy Democrat
5th Charles J. Weber* Republican
6th Thomas J. Surpless* Republican
7th Thomas J. Geoghegan* Democrat
8th John McBride Rep./Ind. L.
9th George A. Voss* Rep./Ind. L.
10th Charles F. Murphy* Republican Chairman of Codes
11th William W. Colne* Republican Chairman of Canals
12th George A. Green* Republican Chairman of General Laws
13th John H. Donnelly* Democrat
14th James E. Fay Democrat
15th John J. Schutta Democrat
16th Michael J. Grady Democrat
17th John R. Farrar Republican
18th Warren I. Lee* Rep./Ind. L.
19th John Holbrook Rep./Ind. L.
20th Harrison C. Glore* Republican
21st Samuel A. Gluck* Democrat
22nd Emil Rose Dem./Ind. L.
23rd Isaac Sargent Republican
Lewis C. Fred Boshart* Republican Chairman of Agriculture
Livingston James Wolcott Wadsworth, Jr.* Republican re-elected Speaker; Chairman of Rules
Madison Orlando W. Burhyte* Republican
Monroe 1st George F. Harris* Republican
2nd James L. Whitley* Republican
3rd George L. Meade Republican
4th Bernard J. Haggarty Republican
5th Henry Morgan* Republican
Montgomery T. Romeyn Staley* Republican
Nassau William G. Miller* Republican Chairman of Commerce and Navigation
New York 1st Thomas B. Caughlan Democrat
2nd Al Smith* Democrat
3rd James Oliver* Democrat
4th Aaron J. Levy Democrat
5th John T. Eagleton* Democrat
6th Adolph Stern* Democrat
7th Joseph W. Keller* Democrat
8th Moritz Graubard Democrat
9th John C. Hackett* Democrat
10th Anthony M. McCabe Ind. L./Rep.
11th Frank K. Johnston Ind. L./Rep.
12th James A. Foley* Democrat
13th James J. Hoey* Democrat
14th John J. Herrick Democrat
15th William M. Bennett Rep./Ind. L.
16th Martin G. McCue* Democrat
17th Frederick R. Toombs Republican
18th Mark Goldberg* Democrat
19th William B. Donihee Democrat
20th Patrick J. McGrath Democrat
21st Robert S. Conklin* Republican
22nd Robert F. Wagner* Democrat
23rd James A. Francis* Republican Chairman of Banks
24th Walter Spriggins Democrat
25th Artemas Ward, Jr. Republican
26th Solomon Strauss Rep./Ind. L.
27th Beverley R. Robinson* Rep./Ind. L.
28th Edward W. Buckley* Democrat
29th Walter H. Liebmann Democrat
30th Louis A. Cuvillier* Democrat
31st Abraham Greenberg Democrat contested by Philip Reece[9]
32nd Jesse Silbermann Democrat
33rd Phillip J. Schmidt* Democrat
34th George M. S. Schulz* Democrat
35th John V. Sheridan* Democrat
Niagara 1st Charles F. Foley* Democrat
2nd W. Levell Draper* Republican Chairman of Privileges and Elections
Oneida 1st Merwin K. Hart* Republican
2nd Ladd J. Lewis, Jr.* Republican
3rd Arthur G. Blue* Republican
Onondaga 1st John C. McLaughlin Republican
2nd Fred W. Hammond* Republican Chairman of Affairs of Cities
3rd J. Henry Walters Republican
Ontario George B. Hemenway Republican
Orange 1st Henry Seacord Republican
2nd Charles E. Mance* Republican
Orleans Myron E. Eggleston* Dem./Ind. L.[10]
Oswego Fred G. Whitney* Republican Chairman of Excise
Otsego Charles Smith* Republican
Putnam John R. Yale* Republican Chairman of Electricity, Gas and Water Supply
Queens 1st Thomas H. Todd* Democrat
2nd William Klein Democrat
3rd Conrad Garbe* Democrat
4th William A. DeGroot* Republican Chairman of Claims
Rensselaer 1st Frederick C. Filley* Republican Chairman of Public Education
2nd Bradford R. Lansing* Republican Chairman of Charitable and Religious Societies
Richmond William A. Shortt Democrat
Rockland Frank DeNoyelles Democrat
St. Lawrence 1st Fred J. Gray* Republican Chairman of Revision
2nd Edwin A. Merritt, Jr.* Republican Majority Leader; Chairman of Ways and Means
Saratoga George H. Whitney* Republican Chairman of Public Health
Schenectady Miles R. Frisbie* Republican
Schoharie George M. Palmer Democrat Minority Leader
Schuyler Charles A. Cole* Republican
Seneca William B. Harper* Democrat
Steuben 1st William H. Chamberlain* Republican Chairman of Taxation and Retrenchment
2nd Charles K. Marlatt* Republican Chairman of Unfinished Business
Suffolk 1st John M. Lupton* Republican Chairman of Public Institutions
2nd Orlando Hubbs* Republican Chairman of Internal Affairs
Sullivan George W. Murphy* Republican Chairman of Printed and Engrossed Bills
Tioga Frank L. Howard Republican
Tompkins William R. Gunderman* Republican Chairman of Trade and Manufactures
Ulster 1st Joseph M. Fowler* Republican Chairman of Public Printing
2nd William E. E. Little Democrat
Warren William R. Waddell* Republican Chairman of State Prisons
Washington James S. Parker Republican Chairman of Labor and Industries
Wayne Edson W. Hamn* Republican Chairman of Insurance
Westchester 1st Harry W. Haines* Republican
2nd Marmaduke B. Wright Democrat
3rd Isaac H. Smith Republican
4th J. Mayhew Wainwright* Republican Chairman of Railroads
Wyoming Robert M. McFarlane Republican
Yates Leonidas D. West* Republican

Employees

Notes

  1. ↑ see APPORTIONMENT PLAN MADE; ODELL BEATEN in NYT on April 27, 1906
  2. ↑ OLD APPORTIONMENT IS DECLARED VOID in NYT on April 4, 1907
  3. ↑ see HUGHES WINS ON APPORTIONMENT in NYT on July 24, 1907
  4. ↑ James Owens, five-term NYC alderman, died March 7, 1911
  5. ↑ SENATOR FRANCHOT DEAD in the New York Times on March 25, 1908
  6. ↑ William C. Wallace (died 1928), of Niagara Falls, see EX-SENATOR W. C. WALLACE in the New York Times on July 8, 1928 (subscription required)
  7. ↑ HUGHES MAN WINS SENATE ELECTION in the New York Times on May 13, 1908
  8. ↑ David C. Robinson (c.1853–1912), son of Gov. Lucius Robinson, see FATALLY STRICKEN ON TRAIN in NYT on September 22, 1912
  9. ↑ BEATEN CANDIDATE CONTESTS in the New York Times on December 27, 1907
  10. ↑ Eggleston was a Republican assemblyman in 1907, but was voted down at the Republican county convention. He then ran on the Democratic and Independence League tickets, and defeated the regular Republican candidate.

Sources

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