132nd New York State Legislature


The 132nd New York State Legislature, consisting of the New York State Senate and the New York State Assembly, met from January 6 to April 30, 1909, during the third 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, the Prohibition Party and the Socialist Labor Party also nominated tickets.

Elections

The New York state election, 1908, was held on November 3. Gov. Charles Evans Hughes was re-elected; and State Senator Horace White was elected Lieutenant Governor; both Republicans. The other six statewide elective offices up for election were also carried by the Republicans. The approximate party strength at this election, as expressed by the vote for Governor, was: Republican 805,000; Democratic 735,000; Independence League 43,000; Socialists 34,000; Prohibition 19,000; and Socialist Labor 4,000.

Sessions

The Legislature met for the regular session at the State Capitol in Albany on January 6, 1909; and adjourned on April 30.
James Wolcott Wadsworth, Jr. was re-elected Speaker.
John Raines was re-elected President pro tempore of the State Senate.
On January 19, the Legislature elected U.S. Secretary of State Elihu Root to succeed Thomas C. Platt as U.S. Senator from New York for a six-year term beginning on March 4, 1909.

State Senate

Districts

Members

The asterisk denotes members of the previous Legislature who continued in office as members of this Legislature. Orlando Hubbs, Robert F. Wagner, George M. S. Schulz, J. Mayhew Wainwright, George L. Meade and Charles Mann Hamilton changed from the Assembly to the Senate.
Note: For brevity, the chairmanships omit the words "...the Committee on..."
DistrictSenatorPartyNotes
1stOrlando Hubbs*RepublicanChairman of Affairs of Villages
2ndDennis J. Harte*Democratre-elected
3rdThomas H. Cullen*Democratre-elected
4thReuben L. GledhillRepublican
5thBarth S. CroninDemocrat
6thEugene M. Travis*Republicanre-elected; Chairman of Banks
7thPatrick H. McCarren*Democratre-elected; died on October 23, 1909
8thAlvah W. Burlingame, Jr.Republican
9thJohn KisselRepublican
10thCharles AltRepublican
11thChristopher D. Sullivan*Democratre-elected
12thTimothy D. SullivanDemocrat
13thWilliam J. A. CaffreyDemocrat
14thThomas F. Grady*Democratre-elected; re-elected Minority Leader
15thThomas J. McManus*Democratre-elected
16thRobert F. Wagner*Democrat
17thGeorge B. Agnew*Republicanre-elected; Chairman of Printed and Engrossed Bills
18thAlexander BroughRepublican
19thJosiah T. NewcombRepublicanChairman of Indian Affairs
20thJames J. Frawley*Democratre-elected
21stStephen J. StilwellDemocrat
22ndGeorge M. S. Schulz*Democrat
23rdHoward R. BayneDemocrat
24thJ. Mayhew Wainwright*RepublicanChairman of Miscellaneous Corporations
25thJohn B. RoseRepublicanChairman of Military Affairs
26thJohn F. SchlosserRepublicanChairman of Privileges and Elections
27thJohn N. Cordts*Republicanre-elected; Chairman of Commerce and Navigation
28thWilliam J. Grattan*Republicanre-elected; Chairman of Insurance
29thVictor M. AllenRepublicanChairman of Canals
30thEdgar T. BrackettRepublican
31stWilliam A. GardnerDemocrat
32ndSeth G. Heacock*Republicanre-elected;
Chairman of Internal Affairs of Towns and Counties
33rdJames A. Emerson*Republicanre-elected; Chairman of Penal Institutions
34thWilliam T. O'Neil*Republicanre-elected; Chairman of Revision; died on May 5, 1909
35thGeorge H. Cobb*Republicanre-elected; Chairman of Railroads
36thFrederick M. DavenportRepublican
37thJotham P. Allds*Republicanre-elected; Chairman of Finance
38thHendrick S. HoldenRepublican
39thHarvey D. Hinman*Republicanre-elected; Chairman of Affairs of Cities
40thCharles J. HewittRepublicanChairman of Public Printing
41stBenn CongerRepublicanChairman of Trades and Manufactures
42ndJohn Raines*Republicanre-elected; re-elected President pro tempore;
Chairman of Rules; died on December 16, 1909
43rdFrank C. PlattRepublicanChairman of Agriculture
44thGeorge H. WitterRepublicanChairman of Public Health
45thGeorge L. Meade*RepublicanChairman of Taxation and Retrenchment
46thCharles J. WhiteRepublican
47thJames P. MackenzieRepublican
48thHenry W. Hill*Republicanre-elected; Chairman of Codes
49thSamuel J. Ramsperger*Democratre-elected
50thGeorge Allen Davis*Republicanre-elected; Chairman of Judiciary
51stCharles Mann Hamilton*RepublicanChairman of Forest, Fish and Game

Employees

Assemblymen

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

Employees