The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-02-28
1ssAr1rn on pnopEnrE.
W. Croker's Prsnuseisue-ts Liheiy q STIR
the Deusrrats On AIsanJ 20 Rrnewed ERerta.

the Densrrats On AisanJ to Renewed ERsrts.
ALBANY. Feb. oT.-Mr. Cookers %pronuncia.
mento in favor OF dollar gas and cheap telephone
rates and against trusts will undoubtedly have
the effect OF stirring the Democratic members of
the Legislature to removed efforts this week TO
ward carrying out the Chicago platform idea OF
a general assault on property. and especially
on corporate Investments. 1t should not Ue
assumed. however. that tho Democrats have
been at all backward in this direction
heretofore. Whenever you SEQ a corporation.
hit it. has been their motto since the leCisla.
tive session began. and they lived up to it in n
way 10 warm the heart OF the Chicago platform
candidate himself. Railroads. banks. gas com.
panics. electric light concerns and industries OF
less moment have been assaulted right and left.
These attacks have been legion 80 far. and the
cry is. still they come.
The plan to wipe out the profits OF the gas
companies at one fell swoop before they have
had a chance to accommodate their affairs even
TO the gradual reduction provided for u st year
was a plank in the Tainmany platform, AMI IL is
fathered here by Senator Cantor, the Official
Democratic leader. Senator Cantor has been as
persistent in the attempt. TO drive the gus com.
panies into n corner as Mr.. Croker could desire.
peared at hearings before the uni on
Miscellaneous Corporations and have shown 10
the satisfaction OF a majority OF its members
Of confscation. The small and struggling gas
companies in West Chester, Flushing. and New
town have shown that they would be wiped out
altogether, and that in their case the con.
~fiscation would be complete. The arguments
have shown conclusiyely that the only way in
which the gas companies could survive the pas
sage Of the bill at all would be through the abb
sorption OF the smaller concerns by the larger.
This would he in the direction OF the monopoly
which Senator Cantor is fond of holding up as "A
bugbear.
has not relaxed his efforts. and they have been
emulated on the Ascend d. side BY Mr.. Donnelly.
the Democratic leader in the lower house; Last
Thursday morning Senator Cantor moved in the
Senate to discharge the Committee on Miscel.
leneous Corporations from further considers
tion Of his bill, in spite Of The fact that the week:
" meeting OF the committee was to be held
the same afternoon and he would have
a chance to appear and reinforce his arguments
in any way possible. The Senate laid Senator
Cnntor's motion on the able by u decisive vote.
The committee me after the session, but Senator
ing from him by which he could escape the
dilemma between gas at the present price, with
chea per gas furnished by the hated trusts and
monopolics. Under Mr.. Cookers spur. he will
proba bly, renew his motion some day this week,
but there is no prospect for better success on
his part. in view OF the facts developed at the
hearing.
senator Cantor also made an attempt last
week to push along his Anti-Monster bill. which
Is in the hnnds OF the judiciary Committee.
This is a comprehensive attack on nearly all
forms Of corporate industry. and provides for
hauling up any corporation and demanding n
general show down of all its private affairs.
Senator Cantor urges it because he thinks the
Antitrust bill. passed last year is uncon-
stitutional. This question is TO be passed on by
the Court of Appeals probably within a week,
but Senator Cantor's sense OF propriety or defer
ence TO the Judgment of the highest court in the
State did not prevent him from seeking. at
Wednesdays session of the committee. to have
his bill reported in advance OF the courts de-
Cision. In the circumstances the
naturally refused to act on his bill at that time.
Senator Cantor, activity, however, is as moth
ing compared TO that OF Assemb!yman Jimmy"
was. the Scrgeant-at-Arins OF the Democratic
National Committee during tho Bryan cam
paign. He ana the late William 7. st. John
constituted Mr.. Bryan's immediate bodvguard
whenever the candidate was In New York. The
three lunched together and dined together at
all times. Perhaps III consequence OF this fact
Mr.. Oliver came 10 Albany thoroughly i'm
bued with all the articles of the Bryanits
faith. A corporation is as hateful to him as the
supreme Court or the crime OF 'T3. Nearly all
the Democrats have shown exceeding industry
rate or otherwise. but none has shown the un.
tagging zeal of Mr.. Oliver, and there has been
was not made their leader instead of Mr.. Don
nelly.
Alter a preliminary whirl at the sleeping car
companies. Mr.; Oliver bobbed up with a series
OF resolutions directed at a number of big in.
~terests. One contemplated a general overhaul
ing of the affairs of gas companies. Another
proposed an investigation of savings banks.
with the avowed object OF compelling them to
BBn Business " n'f men T Enew o' t inatFe they ai haSe had dvs fhs
greatest difficulty in maintaining the
e 5 snan satf , ass%ss.ion the Ls last s ssw ye r..
e'N W. ANoN ~ ."ls
Oliver got after the title guarantee companies
and n book trust" which. he says. is in ex-
istence in this State. All Of these resolutions
are slnmbering in committees, but every few
MIR. Oliver moves to discharge one or more
OF them and gets n chance to make a gallery
play about the downtrodden masses and the
of making money. His poor success
doesn't discourage him in the least. These rcso-
buttons and 4 batch Of bills TO reduce ferry and
r!ilro d charges comprise only a partial list of
his endeavors.
His Democratic colleagues are by no means
idle, The bills they introduced earlier in the
session mcnlcing all sorts of corporations are
locked up in committees, but THAR output
shows no diminution. Assemblyman Wicks, |
the Williamsburg druggist, who knows ali
about corporations and the possibilities which
De in attacking them, has recently introduced q |
Dill providing for n ten.cent charge for tele-
pEoning from New York TO Buffalo, less than |
Murray dem. y. W wants the cable and cleo.
.Tlc roadsin New York city to put two conductors
In each cur for several hours. morning and
'ycning. Assemhlyman Gale tDem.. Queens) is
tucing the lare from 3 to . cents a mile. AS.
iemhlyman Griggs Dem, Kings would compel
he Brooklyn trolleys to carry passengers for
whom there are no seats at 3 cents a head.
AssemblyInan Grancy Wem., Westchesterl has
n new field 10 work in the employment /
lnrcans. He introduced a bill this week liking
he rate which they may charge applicants for
OF handling bills menacing corpora.
ions are growing restless, and Inst week they
succeeded in getting several OF their bills out Of
and upon the Assembly calendar,
Sho fathered them either had them laiG aside
" rccommitted for "a hearing" The same old
with these corporation TERRIERS.
which is familiar to everybody who watches
threatens to become more general in
he Assembly. in spite OF all the more Conserya-
i've members can do.