New-York tribune., 1900-03-16
RAMAPO PLOTS EXPOSED.
NIXON, KELSEY AND ALLDS WORK
AGAINST THE MORGAN BILL.

Albany. March 10 (SpeciaD-Senator Platts
machine" and Richard Croker's machine"
acted in beautiful harmony to-day the bills
to abrdge the extraordinary privileges con-
ferred upon the Ramapo Water Company by
the act submitted to the Legislature OF 1895
by Speaker Nixon
1t had been supposed that the Senate would
pess Assembyman Fallows's bill. comforting
upon Mayor Van Wyck and Controller CoIer
the right to veto any contract with the Ramapo
Water Company, but at the suggestion of Sen
ator Grady Of Mr.. Croker's forces action upon
this benef1cent measure postponed until
Monday evening next. and the Legislature may
adjourn March 81 Senator Grady declared
that Mayor Van Wyek would certainly act upon
this amendment to the charter in less than if-
teen days 1t is to be hoped that Mayor Van
Wyck will fulfil Senator Grady's contract
1t is possible that this action by Senator
Platts and Mr.. Croker's followers in the SEN
ate due TO a desire to wait until the action
Of the Assembly upon Assemblyman Morgans
bill concerning the Ramapo Water Company
could be learned. This bill frees the city of
New-YOrk from the Ramapo Water Company
by providing that it may condemn land for
water rights; that, in a word it may possess
the same rights of condemnation as
possessed by the Ramapo Water Company. The
friends of the Ramapo Water Company do not
wish either the Fallows act or the Morgan act
to pass.
BILL CAREFULLY PREPARED.
Mr.. Morgan's bill, it should be stated, was
drawn up by the Merchants Associate Of New
York, after careful examination Of the statutes
bearing upon the subject of the water supply of
New-York and equally careful survey of
various water sheds from which the city might
supply itself with water. The Merchants As
sociatiOn has expended $50, 1000 in this survey
and in the examination Of the documents and
laws bearing on New-York's water supply. The
measure. therefore, a most carefully con-
sdered document. 1t is possible that of
the members of the Merchants Association were
spurred to efforts free the city from the
domination of the RamapO Water Company by
the discovery that a committee Of the English
Parliament had recently learned that If London
were TO buy out eight private water companies
which supply portion of the great metropolis
with an Indifferent supply of water the sum of
S16O,0O0.000 would have to be expended
AS is we'll known, Assemblyman Morgans bill
was submitted early in January to the Commit
tee Cities, and that committee has failed to
make any report upon it. Mr.. Morgan yesterday
gave notice that he would move in the Assem-
bly, to-day that the committee should be dis
charged from further consideration of his bill
When he made this motion to-day he found ar
rayed against him Speaker Nixon and the lat
ter's two heutenants the floor Otto Kelsey
the chairman of the Assembly Committee on
Cities and Mr.. Aids. the chairman of the Com
mittee Ways and Means. and therefore the
Republican leader
Assenblyman Aids gave the impression TO
Assemblyman Cooley that Governor Roosevelt
was opposed the Morgan bill. Mr. Cooley and
Assemblyman Davis went to the Governor and
asked him about this. Governor Roosevelt re-
Piled Il am not opposed to the Morgan bill
All I have said was that did not believe it
could be passed
Mr.. MORGAN'S FORCIBLE SPEECH
Mr.. Morgan. in making his motion, said he
regretted to take such a stand, because he knew
that he would antagonize certain members Of
the Assembly who were his friends. Continuing
he said:
We all know the purpose of the bill and the pur-
pose Of the opposition against H. On the one hand
rice. We know, too, the enormous powers OF the
York City. Both are the products of this Legis-
lature Here the three steps by which the pres
ent depIorable condition of things was accom-
Firsf-The Ramapo company had act passed
was entitled An Act to limit and define the powers
limiting these powers, however it made them
wellnigh boundless. 1t permitted the company to
acquire land and waters not only along the Ram
apo watershed, but also along any other water
shed throughout the State
founding powers was followed by second which
largtng its municipal water system. In the char
of that city an amendment was made in 1897,
known as Section 472. by which the city could not
acquire lands the waters of which in whole
in part used by any other city or village.
These words ''in part were the fatal words As
a consequence the city cannot take water from the
Hudson or any other stream II even drop "a used
by another municipality.
The third and final step to make it easy for
the city Of New-York TO purchase water from
private corporation. That was done by permitting
the city enter into contract for water the
approval of a few subordinate appointlve officers.
These three steps have been engineered with con-
summate skill.
The Faliows bill is step in the right direction,
but IL is insufficient II only makes II somewhat
harder for the RamapO company TO contract with
the city But should water va taTalne I'm & come me- the re-
bv necessity be thrown aside. The question of how
answered My bill would answer this question.
When Mr. Morgan had finished speaking. Mr.
Tranor the leader of the Democratic minority.
looked at Mr. Aids, the leader of the Repubn-
can majority. Mr.. Aids looked at Mr. Trainor
It had been decided that Mr. Trainor should
do the talking, while Mr.. Aids would adopt
other means to defeat The motion OF Mr.. Morgan.
This was easy enough, since Speaker Nixon,
Mr. Aids and Mr. Trainor are now known as
"the Ramapo triumvirate." Yesterday he had
tried to bring Mr.. Morgan's bill before the House
by substituting it for the Fallows bill which
had come up for consideration the Governors
emergency message. Although IL was known
at the time that Mr.. Trainor did this in order TO
kill all Ramapo legislation, nevertheless the
Tammany chieftain had nothing but praise for
the Morgan bill, and nothing but odium for the
FaIIows bill. To-day the change of front was
complete and astounding
Mr.. Post of Suffolk County, said that he op-
posed the Morgan bill because it would endan-
ger the water rights of Suffolk County.