The Triumphant Life of Theodore Roosevelt edited by J. Martin Miller

GOVERNOR OF NEW YORK 127
But in spite of considerable opposition he was able to fol-
low out his own ideas and place men of his own choosing in
the important offices. He endeavored to secure the passage
of a bill to raise the standard of civil service and to change
the police system of New York, but the bill failed of passage
and it was this and other work that he felt had not been com-
pleted that made him opposed to being nominated for the
vice-presidency. To quote his own words, he wished "sin-
cerely to be reelected governor of New York because there
were things to be done there that he felt he could and ought
to do."
WHAT HE ACHIEVED
But he did much good work, and among other achieve-
ments of importance to the welfare of the State was that of
reforming the administration of the canals, making the canal
commission non-partisan, and the application of the merit sys-
tem in county offices. These were comparatively easy of
accomplishment when compared with his measure to force the
corporations of the State to pay their share of the taxation.
In 1899, he persuaded the legislature to pass an act taxing
as real estate the values of railroad and other franchises to
use public streets. The leaders of both parties, and the repre-
sentatives of corporations, brought every pressure to bear
upon the Governor, but he stated that he would sign the bill
unless a better one could be suggested. The contest which
followed was the most remarkable in the history of the State,
if not of the Union, with the result that Governor Roosevelt
was obliged to call an extra session, in which he secured the
passage of the bill, somewhat modified, but establishing the
principle of street franchise legislation.