New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-11-01
4 FATAL OMISSION.

In response 70 an inquiry involving the char-
acter Of the Astoria Gas BILL which was hhahE
defeated mt Albany last winter after nara con-
tost Secretary Root has recently written the
oninion that il was an honest and merNor"uS
measure and ought to have been passed MI
Root. who was counsel for the company i'll
whose interest the bill was drawn ana VINO ap-
pearcd ut Albany in its support. SAYS thlS con
corning It: at undertook To do nothing eXce?t
.to authorize the Consolidated Gas Company 10
connect works which IT proposed 10 bulld Oh
"the Long Island side OF the East River with
"the pipes which it already had on the New
"York side by means Of laying its pipes under
THE bed Of the river, on paying the Vaue OF Inc
fright Of way. To he ascertained 10y condemha'
zion PROCEEDINGS" This quotation from Mr.
Roots letter published on Monday makes u
clear that he still holds precisely the same view
Of the purpose and presumptiye effect OF inc
Astoria Gas bill that he held last winter, when
he explained its meaning In almost ldehu'al
words 70 committee Of The Legislature II
was Lis misfortune that his Interpretation of
the meaning Of the bill did not prevail. There
were honest and intelligent members of the
Iooislatilre who could not he convinced tha1 II
contained no rapaciouS intention and bestowed
no dangerous authority. and we suppose there
can I've no doubt that public opinion was almost
solidlv arraved against il on the sam" grounds
II is 70 he regretted that pretty general ana
not wholly unreasonable suspicion Of Inc can
dor of corporations seeking legislative hep
sometimes operates 10 prevent the bestowal or
privileges which could not harm anybody, hut
MIGHT ny promoting private convenience heneht
the public also. Bencvolencc and public spirit
alike demand that careful discrimination should
he exercised in such eases. and after reading MI
Roots statement 10 the committee last winter II
occurred to us that injustice was possibly being
done in the matter of the Astoria Gas bill. We
accordingly suggested. as means Of protecting
fine nublic welfare and at the same time legiu-
mately serving the company's interests. that 1t
might he well to add to the bill few words
which would irrevocably fasten upon il the pre-
else meaning which Mr.. Root supposed 1t 10
contain and thus remove the possibility that at
some future time somebody else might be able 10
rive II different meaning. We said that some
smell clause as this would probably answer the
purpose: Nothing in this act contained shall
..be construed as authorizing the Consolidated
"GaS Company to do anything else than connect
Its proposed works on Long Island with lis eA-
listing pipes on the opposite side OF the East
"Kiver by means of pipes laid under the BED OF
said river
With a simple amendment TO this effect III
addition'to such safeguards as the original drait
contained and to the special provision sarding
condensation on which the Governor ihSiSteu'
the bill might have been passed without serious
difficulty or danger 10 The community. tut the
suggestion was not adopted and the killing sus-
uicion remained. doubtless to the regret OF MI.
Root who rs we have seen. has not changed
his onlnjon as to the purpose and effect OF pro
,oso6 enactment which both as counsel and
ritizen he heartily approved \ great deal of
.ro,,hjo would be avoided II more care and skill
u.oro bestowed upon the drafting Of legislative
ncnsnrt..