137th New York State Legislature
← 136th 138th →
New York State Capitol (2009)
Overview
Legislative body	New York State Legislature
Jurisdiction	New York, United States
Term	January 1 – December 31, 1914
Senate
Members	51
President	vacant
Temporary President	Robert F. Wagner (D)
Party control	Democratic (33-18)
Assembly
Members	150
Speaker	Thaddeus C. Sweet (R)
Party control	Republican (81-48-21)
Sessions
1st January 7 – March 28, 1914 2nd May 4 – 20, 1914

The 137th New York State Legislature, consisting of the New York State Senate and the New York State Assembly, met from January 7 to May 20, 1914, while Martin H. Glynn was Governor of New York, 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.

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

Elections

The New York state election, 1913, was held on November 4. The only two statewide elective offices up for election were two judgeships on the New York Court of Appeals. Democrat Willard Bartlett was elected Chief Judge, and Republican Frank H. Hiscock was elected an associate judge, which had been cross-endorsed by the Independence League. The approximate party strength at this election, as expressed by the vote for Chief Judge, was: Democrats-Independence League 600,000; Republicans 597,000; Progressives 195,000; Socialists 62,000; and Prohibition 17,000.

Ex-Governor William Sulzer who had been impeached, and removed from office in September 1913, was elected on the Progressive ticket to the Assembly.

Sessions

The Legislature met for the regular session at the State Capitol in Albany on January 7, 1914; and adjourned on March 28.^[1]

Thaddeus C. Sweet (R) was elected Speaker with 81 votes against 48 for Al Smith (D) and 21 for Michael Schaap (P).^[2]

John F. Murtaugh (D) was elected Majority Leader of the New York State Senate while Robert F. Wagner (D) continued as president pro tempore of the State Senate and Acting Lieutenant Governor.

On February 25, the Legislature elected Homer D. Call (P) as New York State Treasurer, to fill the vacancy caused by the suicide of John J. Kennedy (D). Call was elected by a combination of Democrats and Progressives with 98 votes against 96 for Republican William Archer.^[3]

The Legislature met for a special session at the State Capitol in Albany on May 4, 1914;^[4] and adjourned on May 20.^[5] This session was called because the Democratic Senate majority and the Republican Assembly majority were at odds over the State's budget, and did not approve the necessary financial appropriations during the regular session.

State Senate

Districts

Members

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

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

Employees

• Clerk: Patrick E. McCabe
• Sergeant-at-Arms: Henry W. Doll
• Stenographer: William F. MacReynolds

State Assembly

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

Assemblymen

Employees

• Clerk: Fred W. Hammond
• Sergeant-at-Arms: Harry W. Haines
• Principal Doorkeeper: Fred R. Smith
• First Assistant Doorkeeper: James B. Hulse
• Second Assistant Doorkeeper: Michael Kehoe
• Stenographer: Henry C. Lammert
• Postmaster: James H. Underwood^[7]