138th New York State Legislature


The 138th New York State Legislature, consisting of the New York State Senate and the New York State Assembly, met from January 6 to April 24, 1915, during the first year of Charles S. Whitman'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.
At this time there were two major political parties: the Republican Party and the Democratic Party. Assemblyman William Sulzer, who had been removed from the office of governor in 1913, founded an American Party and ran also on the Prohibition Party ticket for governor. The Independence League, the Progressive Party, the Socialist Party and the Socialist Labor Party also nominated tickets.

Elections

The New York state election, 1914, was held on November 3. D.A. of New York County Charles S. Whitman and Edward Schoeneck were elected Governor and Lieutenant Governor; both Republicans. Of the other seven statewide elective offices, six were carried by Republicans and one by a Democrat. The approximate party strength at this election, as expressed by the vote for governor, was: Republicans 687,000; Democrats 412,000; Independence League 125,000; American 71,000; Prohibition 54,000; Progressives 46,000; Socialists 38,000; and Socialist Labor 2,000.
Also elected were 34 Republicans and 17 Democrats to the State Senate; 99 Republicans, 49 Democrats and two Progressives to the State Assembly; and 168 delegates to the Constitutional Convention.

Sessions

The Legislature met for the regular session at the State Capitol in Albany on January 6, 1915; and adjourned on April 24.
Thaddeus C. Sweet was re-elected Speaker,
Elon R. Brown was elected Temporary President of the Senate.
On April 6, the Constitutional Convention met at the State Capitol in Albany; and adjourned on September 4. All proposed amendments to the Constitution were rejected by the voters at the state election on November 2, 1915.

State Senate

Districts

Senators

The asterisk denotes members of the previous Legislature who continued in office as members of this Legislature. Charles C. Lockwood, Alvah W. Burlingame Jr., Jimmy Walker, Franklin W. Cristman, Samuel A. Jones, Clinton T. Horton and William P. Greiner changed from the Assembly to the Senate.
Note: For brevity, the chairmanships omit the words "...the Committee on..."
DistrictSenatorPartyNotes
1stGeorge L. ThompsonRepublican
2ndBernard M. Patten*Democratcontested by Christian Weiland
3rdThomas H. Cullen*Democrat
4thCharles C. Lockwood*RepublicanChairman of Public Education
5thWilliam J. Heffernan*Democrat
6thWilliam B. Carswell*Democrat
7thDaniel J. Carroll*Democrat
8thAlvah W. Burlingame, Jr.*RepublicanChairman of Revision
9thRobert R. LawsonRepublicanChairman of Printed and Engrossed Bills
10thAlfred J. GilchristRepublicanChairman of Commerce and Navigation
11thChristopher D. Sullivan*Democrat
12thHenry W. DollDemocrat
13thJimmy Walker*Democrat
14thJames A. Foley*Democratalso a delegate to the Constitutional Convention
15thJohn J. Boylan*Democrat
16thRobert F. Wagner*DemocratMinority Leader;
also a delegate to the Constitutional Convention
17thOgden L. MillsRep./Progr.
18thWilliam M. BennettRep./Progr.
19thGeorge W. Simpson*Democrat
20thIrving J. JosephDemocrat
21stJohn J. DunniganDemocrat
22ndJames A. HamiltonDemocrat
23rdGeorge CromwellRepublican
24thGeorge A. SlaterRepublican
25thJohn D. Stivers*RepublicanChairman of Military Affairs
26thJames E. Towner*RepublicanChairman of Insurance
27thCharles W. WaltonRepublican
28thHenry M. Sage*RepublicanChairman of Finance
29thWalter A. Wood, Jr.RepublicanChairman of Conservation; died on October 8, 1915
30thGeorge H. Whitney*RepublicanChairman of Public Health
31stArden L. NortonRepublicanChairman of Canals
32ndFranklin W. Cristman*RepublicanChairman of Privileges and Elections
33rdJames A. Emerson*RepublicanChairman of Taxation and Retrenchment
34thN. Monroe MarshallRepublicanChairman of Banks
35thElon R. Brown*Republicanelected Temporary President; Chairman of Rules
36thCharles W. WicksRepublican
37thSamuel A. Jones*RepublicanChairman of Affairs of Villages
38thJ. Henry Walters*RepublicanChairman of Judiciary
39thWilliam H. HillRep./Progr.
40thCharles J. Hewitt*RepublicanChairman of Internal Affairs
41stMorris S. HallidayRepublicanChairman of Penal Institutions
42ndThomas B. Wilson*RepublicanChairman of Agriculture
43rdCharles D. NewtonRepublicanChairman of Codes
44thArchie D. SandersRepublican
45thGeorge F. Argetsinger*RepublicanChairman of Affairs of Cities
46thJohn B. MullanRepublicanChairman of Public Printing
47thGeorge F. Thompson*RepublicanChairman of Public Service
48thClinton T. Horton*RepublicanChairman of Civil Service
49thSamuel J. Ramsperger*Democrat
50thWilliam P. Greiner*Democrat
51stGeorge E. SpringRepublicanChairman of Labor and Industry

Employees

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

Assemblymen

Employees