131st New York State Legislature


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, Kings County, Erie County and Monroe County. 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. 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.
On July 26, 1907, the Legislature again re-apportioned the Senate districts, and re-enacted the 1906 Assembly apportionment.
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. 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, 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.
DistrictSenatorPartyNotes
1stCarll S. Burr, Jr.*Republican
2ndDennis J. Harte*Democrat
3rdThomas H. Cullen*Democrat
4thOtto G. Foelker*Republicanon November 3, 1908, elected to the 60th U.S. Congress
5thJames A. Thompson*Democrat
6thEugene M. Travis*Republican
7thPatrick H. McCarren*Democrat
8thCharles H. Fuller*Dem./Ind. L.
9thConrad Hasenflug*Democrat
10thAlfred J. Gilchrist*Republican
11thDominick F. Mullaney*Dem./Ind. L.
12thWilliam Sohmer*Dem./Ind. L.
13thChristopher D. Sullivan*Dem./Ind. L.
14thThomas F. Grady*Dem./Ind. L.Minority Leader
15thThomas J. McManus*Dem./Ind. L.
16thJohn T. McCall*Dem./Ind. L.
17thGeorge B. Agnew*Republican
18thMartin Saxe*Republican
19thAlfred R. Page*Republican
20thJames J. Frawley*Dem./Ind. L.
21stJames Owens*Democrat
22ndJohn P. Cohalan*Dem./Ind. L.on November 3, 1908, elected Surrogate of New York Co.
23rdFrancis M. Carpenter*Republican
24thJohn C. R. Taylor*Democrat
25thSanford W. Smith*Republican
26thJohn N. Cordts*Republican
27thJotham P. Allds*Republican
28thWilliam J. Grattan*Republican
29thFrank M. Boyce*Democrat
30thH. Wallace Knapp*Republican
31stWilliam W. Wemple*Republican
32ndJames A. Emerson*Republican
33rdSeth G. Heacock*Republican
34thWilliam T. O'Neil*Republican
35thGeorge H. Cobb*Republican
36thJoseph Ackroyd*Democrat
37thFrancis H. Gates*Ind. Rep.
38thHorace White*Republicanon November 3, 1908, elected Lieutenant Governor
39thHarvey D. Hinman*Republican
40thOwen Cassidy*Republican
41stBenjamin M. Wilcox*Republican
42ndJohn Raines*RepublicanPresident pro tempore
43rdWilliam J. Tully*Republican
44thS. Percy Hooker*Republican
45thThomas B. Dunn*Republicanon November 3, 1908, elected New York State Treasurer
46thWilliam W. Armstrong*Republican
47thStanislaus P. Franchot*Republicandied on March 24, 1908
47thWilliam C. WallaceRepublicanelected on May 12 to fill vacancy
48thHenry W. Hill*Republican
49thSamuel J. Ramsperger*Democrat
50thGeorge Allen Davis*Republican
51stAlbert T. Fancher*Republican

Employees

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

Assemblymen

Employees