New-York tribune., 1900-03-23
BOWERS BEHIND RAMAPO.
.xorHER SCHEME PROPOSED TO KILL
THE FoRDMORGAN BILL.
-rrrsKAFH TO THE TRrBUSE.I

~ TELEGRAPH TO THE TBTBUSE.I
.r-, March 22-The Ramapo Water Com
vzitb the assistance Of Senator Platt and
,,,.band Croker. appears TO have killed the Dill
:. ,be Merchants Association, or Ne"-forK' IN
s-'.s5 bv AssemhlFman Morgan and Senator
- authorizing the city OF New-York to con-
- f,o,5 and thus acquire water rights. Sen
oe p,o-+ with the aid OF his Taulmany Hall
a. a. . --as repor-ed tonight, purposes TO have
- ro,s.a Committee on Cities report the Ford
- - bsII adve-sely TO the Senate, and then
III and decsively destroy the measure on
a. ~ +be Senate by striking out it's en-
acting clause
-1o,,b+1ess The decision TO kill the Ford-Mor-
= v-ss made after il was known that the
s~-.ba-ts' association Of New-York has de-
:, .,a,r7it that act to be amended TO such
-. - 10 deprive it Of ali force. The
....on insisting upon naming an extensive
-, sn which water rights may be con-
- for the city Of New-York, the agents
- Pamapo Water Company are alarmed,
.tarafore now are resolved TO kill outright
=. FORD Morgan bill
r. bold destruction OF this measure IN the
80 bv Senator Platt and Richard Croker
III no a much more courageous policy on their
~ than they followed in the Assembly. There
:. ,,.,p he remembered. they held fast Assem-
,,,--,an Morgans bill in the Committee on
l-...a- T nav be stated here that the Kings
,-o,,r+v Assenblynen are highly pleased over
80 news that the next debate over the Ford
Morgan bill IS 70 take place in the Senate rather
49, g., me Assembly. for they are sensible that
= +5e,- should exhibit any hostility TO it they
- suffer q loss OF political strength in their
Assembly districts.
THE GOVERNORS ACTION
Governor Roosevelt would naturally like to
=. 4,--,-a HE report upon the Ford-Mor-
-. ,,i,1 ,v the Senate Committee on Cities. and
one recent development cannot please the GOV
ernor-nauaeIy threats by the Piatt orgaillza-
tim that il may withdraw support from the
hill OF Assemblyman Fallows now IN Mayor
Ven V-z,ck's hands. which empowers Controller
Coler 20 veto any proposed contract Win lhe
Ramapo Water Company. Mayor Van Wyck
is sin delaying action on Assernblynan FaI-
lows's bill and will probably not return it here
,in the latest possible moment. This threat in
measure must be directed al the Governor 10
prevenr him. i possible, from exerting himself
further in favor of the Morgan bill One
weapon Governor Roosevelt YET has which he
has not vet used. and the members Of the Platt-
Croker combination in the Legislature have
been apprehensive that he would use This
veapon Is that Of a message TO the Legislature
taroring the Morgan bill on the ground that its
massage would free New-york from the grip Of
the Ramapo Water Company by giving 10 il
the same power 10 condemn water rights that
is now possessed by that company. Most Of
Governor Roosevelc's efforts TO advance the
Morgan bill-and he has made many-have been
made in secret. They have consisted Of talks
in private with the members Of the Legislature
But the Governor has not Yet IN formal mes
sage addressed 10 the Legislature upon this
subject appealed 10 public opinion. Never at
length and n q commanding way has ne in an
Official way dealt with the attempt Of the
Ramapo Water Company 10 force New-YOrk
70 make q S2O00000j0 contract with il Future
historians IN discussing State affairs will not
discover Up 10 the present time any reference
Of an official nature made by Governor RoOse-
Welt 10 New -Torks relations with the Ramapo
Water Company. except The four lines he gave
- Lais subject, without naming the RamapO
company, in his recent message TO the Les4s-
lature.
NAY CORNER TAMAIANY MEN.
There VIII De one advantage to the State in
having The Senate Committee on Cities make
even zn adverse report upon the Ramapo Water
Company. and that is that the Tammany Hall
Senator'S. i the Republican Senators are skilful.
can be driven into position where they viii be
forced - disclose their friendship TO the Ram
APO Water Company.
40 one doubts here that both political ma
chimes Of 4Ir PlaIr and MI Croker are protect
ing The RdIapo Water Company. Most mem
the vote Of the Democrats in the Assembly IN
favor n dIschSrEtnE the Committee on Cities
from the further consideration of the Morgan
h-l was no indication Of frendluess TO that bill
large proportion OF the Democrats who voted
n tn Affirmative On the proposition only did so
because they saw tAar Speaker Nixon had
rnass7d so many Republicans against the motion
that II was already beaten.