154th New York State Legislature

The 154th New York State Legislature, consisting of the New York State Senate and the New York State Assembly, met from January 7 to September 19, 1931, during the third year of Franklin D. Roosevelt's governorship, in Albany.

154th New York State Legislature
153rd 155th
Overview
Legislative bodyNew York State Legislature
JurisdictionNew York, United States
TermJanuary 1 – December 31, 1931
Senate
Members51
PresidentLt. Gov. Herbert H. Lehman (D)
Temporary PresidentJohn Knight (R), until April 9
George R. Fearon (R), from April 9
Party controlRepublican (26–25)
Assembly
Members150
SpeakerJoseph A. McGinnies (R)
Party controlRepublican (80–70)
Sessions
1stJanuary 7 – April 10, 1931
2ndAugust 25 – September 19, 1931

Background

Under the provisions of the New York Constitution of 1894, re-apportioned in 1917, 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 consisted either of one or more entire counties; or a contiguous area within a single county. The counties which were divided into more than one senatorial district were New York (nine districts), Kings (eight), Bronx (three), Erie (three), Monroe (two), Queens (two) and Westchester (two). The Assembly districts were made up of contiguous area, all within the same county.

At this time there were two major political parties: the Democratic Party and the Republican Party. The Law Preservation Party, the Socialist Party, the Communist Party and the Socialist Labor Party also nominated tickets.

Elections

The New York state election, 1930, was held on November 4. Governor Franklin D. Roosevelt and Lieutenant Governor Herbert H. Lehman, both Democrats, were re-elected. Of the other three statewide elective offices, two were carried by Democrats and one by a Republican judge with Democratic endorsement. The approximate party strength at this election, as expressed by the vote for Governor, was: Democrats 1,770,000; Republicans 1,045,000; Law Preservation 191,000; Socialists 100,000; Communists 18,000; and Socialist Labor 9,000.

Assemblywoman Rhoda Fox Graves (Rep.), of Gouverneur, a former school teacher who after her marriage became active in women's organisations and politics, was re-elected, and remained the only woman legislator.

Sessions

The Legislature met for the regular session at the State Capitol in Albany on January 7, 1931; and adjourned on April 10.[1]

Joseph A. McGinnies (Rep.) was re-elected Speaker.

John Knight was re-elected Temporary President of the State Senate. He was appointed to the United States District Court for the Western District of New York, and resigned as Temporary President. On April 9, George R. Fearon was elected to succeed.[2] Knight vacated his seat on May 1 when he took office as federal judge. After the ouster of Democrat Samuel H. Miller, the election of Republican Charles B. Horton, and the death of the Democratic minority leader Bernard Downing, the Republicans continued to hold a majority of 26 to 23 in the Senate during the special session, 26 being the minimum number of votes to pass a law.

The Legislature met for a special session at the State Capitol in Albany on August 25, 1931;[3] and adjourned on September 19. This session was called to enact legislation to provide for emergency unemployment relief.[4]

State Senate

Districts

Members

The asterisk (*) denotes members of the previous Legislature who continued in office as members of this Legislature. Joseph D. Nunan Jr, Frank B. Hendel, John J. Howard and Julius S. Berg changed from the Assembly to the Senate.

Note: For brevity, the chairmanships omit the words "...the Committee on (the)..."; Chairmanships as appointed at the beginning of the session

District Senator Party Notes
1st George L. Thompson* Republican re-elected; Chairman of Conservation
2nd Joseph D. Nunan, Jr.* Democrat
3rd Frank B. Hendel* Democrat
4th Philip M. Kleinfeld* Democrat re-elected
5th John J. Howard* Democrat
6th Marcellus H. Evans* Democrat re-elected
7th John A. Hastings* Democrat re-elected
8th William L. Love* Democrat re-elected
9th Henry L. O'Brien* Democrat re-elected
10th Jeremiah F. Twomey* Democrat re-elected
11th James J. Crawford* Democrat re-elected
12th Elmer F. Quinn* Democrat re-elected
13th Thomas F. Burchill* Democrat re-elected
14th Bernard Downing* Democrat re-elected; Minority Leader; died on May 25, 1931
15th John L. Buckley* Democrat re-elected
16th John J. McNaboe Democrat
17th Samuel H. Hofstadter* Republican re-elected; Chairman of General Laws
18th John T. McCall Democrat
19th Duncan T. O'Brien* Democrat re-elected
20th A. Spencer Feld* Democrat re-elected
21st Henry G. Schackno* Democrat re-elected
22nd Julius S. Berg* Democrat
23rd John J. Dunnigan* Democrat re-elected; Minority Leader from August 25
24th Harry J. Palmer* Democrat re-elected
25th Walter W. Westall* Republican re-elected; Chairman of Internal Affairs
26th Seabury C. Mastick* Republican re-elected; Chairman of Taxation and Retrenchment
27th Thomas C. Desmond Republican Chairman of Public Printing
28th J. Griswold Webb* Republican re-elected; Chairman of Public Education
29th Arthur H. Wicks* Republican re-elected; Chairman of Public Health
30th William T. Byrne* Democrat re-elected
31st John F. Williams* Republican re-elected; Chairman of Affairs of Villages
32nd Alexander G. Baxter Republican Chairman of Revision
33rd Henry E. H. Brereton* Republican re-elected; Chairman of Civil Service
34th Warren T. Thayer* Republican re-elected; Chairman of Public Service
35th Henry I. Patrie* Republican re-elected; Chairman of Privileges and Elections
36th Samuel H. Miller Democrat contested by William S. Murray (R); seat vacated on March 31[5]
Charles B. Horton Republican elected on May 5 to fill vacancy[6]
37th Perley A. Pitcher* Republican re-elected; Chairman of Codes
38th George R. Fearon* Republican re-elected; Chairman of Judiciary;
on April 9, elected Temporary President
39th John W. Gates* Republican re-elected; Chairman of Labor and Industry
40th Bert Lord* Republican re-elected; Chairman of Pensions
41st Frank A. Frost* Republican re-elected; Chairman of Commerce and Navigation;
Chairman of Printed and Engrossed Bills
42nd Charles J. Hewitt* Republican re-elected; Chairman of Finance
43rd Leon F. Wheatley* Republican re-elected; Chairman of Insurance
44th John Knight* Republican re-elected; re-elected Temporary President; Chairman of Rules;
on March 30, appointed to the U.S. Court for the Western D. of NY[7]
45th Cosmo A. Cilano* Republican re-elected; Chairman of Military Affairs
46th Fred J. Slater* Republican re-elected; Chairman of Penal Institutions
47th William W. Campbell* Republican re-elected; Chairman of Banks; Chairman of Re-Apportionment
48th William J. Hickey* Republican re-elected; Chairman of Cities
49th Stephen J. Wojtkowiak* Democrat re-elected
50th Nelson W. Cheney* Republican re-elected; Chairman of Canals
51st Leigh G. Kirkland* Republican re-elected; Chairman of Agriculture

Employees

  • Clerk: A. Miner Wellman

State Assembly

Assemblymen

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

District Assemblymen Party Notes
Albany 1st John H. Cahill* Democrat
2nd John P. Hayes* Democrat
3rd Rudolph I. Roulier* Democrat
Allegany Harry E. Goodrich* Republican
Bronx 1st Nicholas J. Eberhard* Democrat
2nd William F. Smith* Democrat
3rd Carl Pack Democrat
4th Herman M. Albert* Democrat
5th Harry A. Samberg* Democrat
6th Christopher C. McGrath* Democrat
7th John F. Reidy* Democrat
8th John A. Devany, Jr.* Democrat
Broome 1st Edmund B. Jenks* Republican Chairman of Judiciary
2nd Forman E. Whitcomb* Republican Chairman of Cities
Cattaraugus James W. Riley Republican
Cayuga Fred Lewis Palmer Republican
Chautauqua 1st Hubert E. V. Porter* Republican
2nd Joseph A. McGinnies* Republican re-elected Speaker; Chairman of Rules
Chemung G. Archie Turner* Republican
Chenango Irving M. Ives* Republican
Clinton Charles D. Munsil* Republican
Columbia Charles S. Fayerweather Democrat
Cortland Irving F. Rice* Republican Chairman of Public Education
Delaware James R. Stevenson* Republican
Dutchess 1st Howard N. Allen* Republican Chairman of Charitable and Religious Societies
2nd Charles F. Close Republican
Erie 1st Charles J. Gimbrone* Republican Chairman of Aviation
2nd William L. Marcy, Jr.* Republican
3rd Frank X. Bernhardt* Republican Chairman of Revision
4th Anthony J. Canney* Democrat
5th Edwin L. Kantowski Democrat
6th Howard W. Dickey* Republican Chairman of General Laws
7th Arthur L. Swartz* Republican
8th R. Foster Piper* Republican
Essex Fred L. Porter* Republican Chairman of Re-Organization of State Government
Franklin James A. Latour* Republican
Fulton and Hamilton Eberly Hutchinson* Republican Chairman of Ways and Means
Genesee Charles P. Miller* Republican Chairman of Labor and Industries
Greene Ellis W. Bentley* Republican Chairman of Conservation
Herkimer William J. Thistlethwaite* Republican
Jefferson Jasper W. Cornaire* Republican Chairman of Re-Apportionment
Kings 1st Crawford W. Hawkins* Democrat
2nd Albert D. Schanzer* Democrat
3rd Michael J. Gillen* Democrat
4th George E. Dennen* Democrat
5th John J. Cooney* Democrat
6th Jacob J. Schwartzwald* Democrat
7th William Kirnan Democrat
8th Luke O'Reilly* Democrat
9th Daniel McNamara, Jr.* Democrat
10th William C. McCreery* Democrat
11th Edward J. Coughlin* Democrat
12th Edward S. Moran, Jr.* Democrat
13th William Breitenbach* Democrat
14th Jacob P. Nathanson* Democrat
15th Edward P. Doyle* Democrat
16th Maurice Z. Bungard* Democrat
17th Robert K. Story, Jr. Republican
18th Irwin Steingut* Democrat Minority Leader
19th Jerome G. Ambro* Democrat
20th Frank A. Miller* Democrat died on June 25, 1931
21st Joseph A. Esquirol* Democrat
22nd Jacob H. Livingston* Democrat
23rd Albert M. Cohen* Democrat
Lewis Edward M. Sheldon* Republican
Livingston A. Grant Stockweather* Republican
Madison Arthur A. Hartshorn* Republican Chairman of Social Welfare
Monroe 1st Truman G. Searle* Republican
2nd Harry J. McKay* Republican
3rd Haskell H. Marks* Republican
4th Richard L. Saunders* Republican
5th W. Ray Austin* Republican Chairman of Public Health
Montgomery Rufus Richtmyer* Republican
Nassau 1st Edwin W. Wallace* Republican Chairman of Affairs of Villages
2nd Edwin R. Lynde* Republican
New York 1st James J. Dooling* Democrat
2nd Millard E. Theodore* Democrat
3rd Sylvester A. Dineen* Democrat
4th Samuel Mandelbaum* Democrat
5th John F. Killgrew Democrat
6th Irving D. Neustein Democrat
7th Saul S. Streit* Democrat
8th Henry O. Kahan* Democrat
9th Ira H. Holley* Democrat
10th Langdon W. Post* Democrat
11th Patrick H. Sullivan* Democrat
12th John A. Byrnes* Democrat
13th William J. Sheldrick Democrat
14th Joseph T. Higgins* Democrat
15th Abbot Low Moffat* Republican
16th William Schwartz* Democrat
17th Meyer Alterman* Democrat
18th Sol A. Hyman Democrat
19th James E. Stephens Democrat
20th Louis A. Cuvillier* Democrat
21st David Paris Democrat
22nd Benjamin B. Mittler* Democrat
23rd Alexander A. Falk* Democrat
Niagara 1st Fayette E. Pease* Republican
2nd Roy Hewitt* Republican
Oneida 1st Mark C. Kelly Democrat
2nd Russell G. Dunmore* Republican Majority Leader
3rd Walter W. Abbott* Republican
Onondaga 1st Horace M. Stone* Republican Chairman of Insurance
2nd Willis H. Sargent* Republican Chairman of Banks
3rd Richard B. Smith* Republican Chairman of Public Printing
Ontario Robert A. Catchpole* Republican Chairman of Public Service
Orange 1st William J. Lamont Republican
2nd Rainey S. Taylor Republican
Orleans John S. Thompson Republican
Oswego Victor C. Lewis* Republican Chairman of Canals
Otsego Frank M. Smith* Republican Chairman of Agriculture
Putnam D. Mallory Stephens* Republican Chairman of Military Affairs
Queens 1st John O'Rourke* Democrat
2nd Joseph C. Mulligan Democrat
3rd Peter T. Farrell* Democrat
4th James A. Burke Democrat
5th Maurice A. FitzGerald* Democrat
6th Frederick L. Zimmerman* Democrat
Rensselaer 1st Michael F. Breen* Democrat
2nd Maurice Whitney* Republican Chairman of Commerce and Navigation
Richmond 1st Francis P. Heffernan Democrat
2nd William L. Vaughan* Democrat
Rockland Fred R. Horn, Jr.*[8] Democrat
St. Lawrence 1st Rhoda Fox Graves* Republican Chairwoman of Public Institutions
2nd Walter L. Pratt* Republican Chairman of Taxation and Retrenchment
Saratoga Burton D. Esmond* Republican Chairman of Codes
Schenectady 1st Charles W. Merriam* Republican
2nd William W. Wemple, Jr.* Republican
Schoharie Kenneth H. Fake* Republican Chairman of Pensions
Schuyler Jacob W. Winters* Republican
Seneca James D. Pollard* Republican
Steuben 1st Wilson Messer* Republican Chairman of Soldiers' Homes
2nd James T. Foody* Republican
Suffolk 1st John G. Downs* Republican
2nd Hamilton F. Potter* Republican
Sullivan William Whittaker Democrat
Tioga Frank G. Miller* Republican
Tompkins James R. Robinson* Republican Chairman of Claims
Ulster Millard Davis* Republican
Warren Harry A. Reoux Republican
Washington Herbert A. Bartholomew* Republican Chairman of Internal Affairs
Wayne Harry A. Tellier* Republican Chairman of Excise
Westchester 1st Charles H. Hathaway* Republican
2nd Ralph A. Gamble Republican
3rd Milan E. Goodrich* Republican Chairman of Penal Institutions
4th Alexander H. Garnjost* Republican
5th William F. Condon* Republican
Wyoming Joe R. Hanley* Republican
Yates Edwin C. Nutt* Republican

Employees

Notes

  1. AMITY MARKS CLOSING in The New York Times on April 11, 1931 (subscription required)
  2. LEGISLATORS RUSH FIFTY BILLS ON WAY; Both Parties Join to Elect Senator Fearon to Succeed President Pro Tem Knight in The New York Times on April 10, 1931 (subscription required)
  3. GOVERNOR CONSIDERS $25,000,000 RELIEF FOR UNEMPLOYMENT in The New York Times on August 25, 1931 (subscription required)
  4. ROOSEVELT DECIDES ON RELIEF HEADS in The New York Times on September 21, 1931 (subscription required)
  5. SENATE UNSEATS MILLER OF ONEIDA in The New York Times on April 1, 1931 (subscription required)
  6. Horton, Republican, Wins State Senate Seat in The New York Times on May 6, 1931 (subscription required)
  7. HOOVER PUTS KNIGHT ON FEDERAL BENCH in The New York Times on March 31, 1931 (subscription required)
  8. Ferdinand R. Horn, Jr. (born 1897), ran sometimes for office as "Fred R. Horn, Jr."

Sources

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