Background
Under the provisions of the New York Constitution of 1894, 50 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 (seven 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 the 1895 New York state election, the state officers and state senators were elected to an exceptional three-year term (for the sessions of 1896, 1897 and 1898), so that the election of these officers would be held, beginning in 1898, in even-numbered years, at the same time as the gubernatorial election.
At this time there were two major political parties: the Republican Party and the Democratic Party. The Socialist Labor Party and the Prohibition Party also nominated tickets.
Sessions
The Legislature met for the regular session at the State Capitol in Albany on January 5, 1898; and adjourned on March 31.
James M. E. O'Grady (R) was re-elected Speaker, against Thomas F. Donnelly (D). [1]
On April 25, Congress declared that the Spanish–American War had begun four days previously. Many New Yorkers volunteered to fight for the independence of Cuba, among them Assistant U.S. Secretary of the Navy Theodore Roosevelt and Assemblyman William A. Chanler.
The Legislature met for a special session on July 11; [2] and adjourned on July 16. [3] The Legislature enacted a Metropolitan District Elections law which took the organization of elections in New York City out of the hands of the metropolitan police force, then headed by Chief William Stephen Devery, and placed them instead in the hands of a State Superintendent of Elections, appointed by the Governor, and confirmed by the Senate. A few minutes after the law was passed, John McCullagh, Devery's predecessor as head of the metropolitan police, was appointed to the office. The Legislature also appropriated money to an additional war fund; and enacted a Soldiers Vote law, expecting it being necessary to take the vote of the New Yorkers engaged in the Spanish–American War in the field during the next state election.
The 111th New York State Legislature, consisting of the New York State Senate and the New York State Assembly, met from January 3 to July 20, 1888, during the fourth year of David B. Hill's governorship, in Albany.
The 112th New York State Legislature, consisting of the New York State Senate and the New York State Assembly, met from January 1 to May 16, 1889, during the fifth year of David B. Hill's governorship, in Albany.
The 113th New York State Legislature, consisting of the New York State Senate and the New York State Assembly, met from January 7 to May 9, 1890, during the sixth year of David B. Hill's governorship, in Albany.
The 114th New York State Legislature, consisting of the New York State Senate and the New York State Assembly, met from January 6 to April 30, 1891, during the seventh year of David B. Hill's governorship, in Albany.
The 117th New York State Legislature, consisting of the New York State Senate and the New York State Assembly, met from January 2 to April 27, 1894, during the third year of Roswell P. Flower's governorship, in Albany.
The 118th New York State Legislature, consisting of the New York State Senate and the New York State Assembly, met from January 2 to May 16, 1895, during the first year of Levi P. Morton's governorship, in Albany.
The 119th New York State Legislature, consisting of the New York State Senate and the New York State Assembly, met from January 1 to April 30, 1896, during the second year of Levi P. Morton's governorship, in Albany.
The 120th New York State Legislature, consisting of the New York State Senate and the New York State Assembly, met from January 6 to April 24, 1897, during the first year of Frank S. Black's governorship, in Albany.
The 122nd New York State Legislature, consisting of the New York State Senate and the New York State Assembly, met from January 4 to April 28, 1899, during the first year of Theodore Roosevelt's governorship, in Albany.
The 123rd New York State Legislature, consisting of the New York State Senate and the New York State Assembly, met from January 3 to April 6, 1900, during the second year of Theodore Roosevelt's governorship, in Albany.
The 124th New York State Legislature, consisting of the New York State Senate and the New York State Assembly, met from January 2 to April 23, 1901, during the first year of Benjamin B. Odell Jr.'s governorship, in Albany.
The 125th New York State Legislature, consisting of the New York State Senate and the New York State Assembly, met from January 1 to March 27, 1902, during the second year of Benjamin B. Odell Jr.'s governorship, in Albany.
The 126th New York State Legislature, consisting of the New York State Senate and the New York State Assembly, met from January 7 to April 23, 1903, during the third year of Benjamin B. Odell Jr.'s governorship, in Albany.
The 127th New York State Legislature, consisting of the New York State Senate and the New York State Assembly, met from January 6 to April 15, 1904, during the fourth year of Benjamin B. Odell Jr.'s governorship, in Albany.
The 128th New York State Legislature, consisting of the New York State Senate and the New York State Assembly, met from January 4 to July 20, 1905, during the first year of Frank W. Higgins's governorship, in Albany.
The 129th New York State Legislature, consisting of the New York State Senate and the New York State Assembly, met from January 3 to May 3, 1906, during the second year of Frank W. Higgins's governorship, in Albany.
The 130th New York State Legislature, consisting of the New York State Senate and the New York State Assembly, met from January 2 to July 26, 1907, during the first year of Charles Evans Hughes's governorship, in Albany.
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.
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.
The 134th New York State Legislature, consisting of the New York State Senate and the New York State Assembly, met from January 4 to October 6, 1911, during the first year of John Alden Dix's governorship, in Albany.
