New-York tribune., 1884-01-24
INVESTIGATING COMMITTEES.

THOROUGH WORK PROMISED BY THE LEGIsLA-
TURE-FALsE ASSERTIONS ABOUT THE SENATE
| COMMITTEE.
! IRON THE REGULAR CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIBUSEl
! ALBANY Jan. 23.-Efforts are being made to get
the Legislature to appoint special committees to
investigate various matters. But such efforts are
! likely to meet with little success. Some of the
Democrats appear TO be eager for these special
| committees than are Republicans Mr. Van Cott, o
Democrat from New-York, asked to-day to have q
special committee appointed 10 investigate tho
alleged lease gift by the Erie Railroad of a right
of way along its line TO the Standard Oh Company
! for pipe line. Such an investigation If needed,
can Just as well be conducted right here in
Albany by the regular Railroad Committee
of the House Another member has asked
for special committee 10 investigate the
Kings County Inebriate Asylum, and special COM
mitees have been sought after for other purposes.
1t is not the intention of the Republicans to fol.
low the Democratic majority of the last two Legs-
lures in expendng large sums of money for
investigations. SO far two special committees have
been appointed-one to investigate the management
of the Western House of Refuge, and the other to
investigate the abuses and the maladminlstration
existing IN the New-YOrk city government. But
whatever investigations are undertaken the
Republicans propose to make them thorough, and
not to skim over the surface has too often been
done in the past. For this purpose good counsel
have been employed by both the Assembly aud Sem
ate COMMITTEES which have begun investigations
in New-York. The Assembly Committee has even
gone so far TO employ well-known Democrat.
Mr.. Wheeler II. Peckham. for one ofits counsel. Mr.
Miller, who is also counsel for the committee. is
Republican.
The employment of Mr.. Frederick H. Whitridge
as one of its counsel by the Senate Committee is
Nv 70 q hat ha
investigation is begun in good faith by Mr.. Gibbs,
and that it will be thorough. This committee has
employed Mr.. Kirkland. an ex-bank examiner, as
countant 1t is expected that the committee will
authorize the employment of some good lawyer TO be
associated with Mr. Whtridge in order that all the
facts necessary for intelligent legislation on the
subject may be brought out to prepare report
In he limited time fixed by the Senate. Ii is said
that Mr.. George Bliss will probably be associated
with Mr.. Whitridge in conducting the Senate in
quiry Mr. Bliss prepared the codifcation Of the
city laws and is thoroughly familiar with city
affairs and some of the members of the committee
think that his experience would be useful in franz
ing the necessary legislation to prevent the repe
titon of the abuses existing in the Public Works
Department Two years ago when Senator Grady
undertook to investigate this Department, Com
missioner Thompson employed Mr.. Bliss as one or
his counsel But Mr. Bliss was called away to
Washington and did not take any part IN the
investigation III Mr.. Bliss IL not employed
it ia probable that james G.. Carter or some
other well-known lawyer will be secured
10 assist Mr.. Whitridge. Senator Murphy and
other of Mr.. Thompsons friends here assert that he
has nothing to fear, and that he does not care for
George Bliss or all the other lawyers In New-fOrk.
But IL is evident that they have misglyngs Of tho
result. ,
which some Of the socalled " independent news
papers have made upon his committee. He says
that before the introduction of his resolution in
the Senate he never so much as spoke TO Mr.. Nc
Carthy on the subject, and that the talk of
kelly Mccarthy -Belden" deal is outrageous
falsehOod far as IL affects his motive In moving
for the investigation. lie acted wholly in obedi-
ence TO his notion of what was right and to the
requests of his constituents. He believes thateyery
member of his committee is In favor OF
thorough investigation In order that the necessary
corrective legislation may be applied AS no
strenuOusly opposed the action of the four Repu0-
can Aldermen who voted for Kirk, Mr. Kelly can.
ddate for president of the Board, that ought 10 90
n sufficient answer to the attacks made upon p S,r'
Gibbs Senator Mccarthy says that the uaIk oi % n'
Belden seeking contracts III the Puoc noiaN JIM -
nortments IL nonsense. The contracts ior tne ~"
a1ueduct will be given out by the Aqueous. Ioh Ih
mssionors and not by Mr.. Thompson AS ipf IT, Jonn t
KelIv II il we'll known here that he opposed the ils
eatSSgation into the Public Works Department as
MAS clear By the action W the 1snuaAnS wsa''''s