New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-04-08
DEAL CARRIES THE GRAB
NIAGARA BILL PASSED.
R6mSeR Gas Measure to FOlIO1C To-
day-lSenSatiOnal Session.
[nY rELEoRAPH TO TIE rRtnrNE.

Albany. April 1.-Ey Of the most patsns
and barefaced deals OF the session the Niagara
Power COMPANY grab" bill was to-day jock
eyed through the Senate. and, pursuant to ths
terms Of this deal. the ReTusen East River
grab" will be passed tomorrow morning. The
terms OF the agreement were simple. To Sen
atOr FHOmmedeu. who was in charge Of tbs
Niagara bill. Senator McCarren delivered all
the Brooklyn Democratic votes except his own
The solid Tammany vote was similarly deliv-
cred. with the exception OF Senators Dowlins
and Grady. the official representatives oe
Charles T. Murphy. and the bill was hurried
through by vote OF 80 to II. The Openness
OF the whole performance was so obvious THAI
when. pending motion 70 adjourn. Senator Me-
Carren arose and requested IN his most innocens
and b1andest tones for the consideration OF "jUso
more BILL the Senate. realizing that thin
was the Remsen bill laughed outright
"Oh, WELL" was the calm comment. "ws'u gee
to It the first thing in the morning" OF tha
passage Of this bill tomorrow morning by ap~
proximately the same vote as the rHOmmediss
bill there is not the slightest doubt
The delivery OF the votes OF the McCarren
Senator's to the Niagara contingent was. on ths
whole. clumsily managed Senator McCarreu
arose and offered amendment TO the btIl, ex-s
Guiding its provisions from Nsw-Yor1 City.
When the vote on this proposition came. an ths
Brooklyn Senators. for the first time IN thsl
session, calmly voted against their leader. Tha
orders Of Charles F. Murphy, who Is said 20 %
under obligations to pay up for a $4,000 carn-
paign contribution OF certain gas interests laSs
fall. were quite apparent In the action %
Tammany Hall Senator Grady, who has oit-i
terly opposed the bill in a recent debate, offered
an amendment protecting existing rights %
corporations already organized He made nos
protest; simply introduced the amendment. ana
then, without protest, watched it voted down.
Senator Dowling. ths personal spokesman oe
Charles f. Murphy, saved his leaders face" bE
voting for the aInendment. Every other Tam
many Senator voted against It. There was nos
| effort at concealment. attempt to disguiss
| the fact that the Remsen East River gas grab.
had been made the price OF the Tammany and
McCarren support for the Niagara bill
CALMLY TURN BACKS ON LEADERS.
| The fact that Tamnany and tho McCarrea
/ interests in Brooklyn had been obliged to enter
into this deal to fulfil the ante-campaign agree
ment made with the gas corporations was nOa
/ questioned BY any one who saw the representa-
\ tves Of the Democratic organizations calmly
/ turn their backs on their recognized leaders.
/ The handful who voted against the bill repre-
/ sented the Republicans of Manhattan. Brooklyn
\ and Buffalo Senator's Elsberg. OF New-York:
/ Hill. OF Buffalo. and White. OF Syracuse. pro-
/ tested against the bill vehemently, but in vain.
\ SO strong was the pressure OF circumstances
1
/ with Senators EIsberg and Brown. stole out oe
/ the chamber to escape the necessity Of gOlDs
| record. returning in time 70 attack the ne1rs-
papers for their charges Of grab on the next bill.
| The farce Of the opposition 20 the LHomme-
/ dieu Niagara grab was conducted in the follow
| ing fashion: As soon "a the bill came up Sem
| ator EIsberg moved to strike out rerfunctory
\ motion calling for an explanation OF the bin.
/ Rising IN his place. Senator L'Hommedieu said
/ with n sneer:
This Is the second time 7 have 70 thank ths
/ Senator from the Fifteenth for this motion.
He then explained that the bill was entirely
harmless: that it gave the company no power
/ Of condemnation outside OF Niagara County.
/ save for the transmission lines. He explained
/ that It was practically impossible for the COM
pany 20 transmit power to New-Yorlz City.
And even If we could" said the Senator. re-
ferriug 10 the Niagara company in PERSONAL
/ pronouns "the New-YorS authorities could re-,
ject it if they wanted: they needn't take it,
BROOKLYN DELEGATION CHUCKLED.
When this explanation was over. every ons
/ looked 70 Senator Grady, who made bitter
| fight against the bill on an earlier occasion. buo
/ he sat still and smiled. Then Senator 9IcCar-
rem mildly suggested an amendment excluding 2
New-Yorl City from the provisions OF the bills
and the Brooklyn delegation chuckled. Them
Senator White. in q brief and earnest speech.
/ opposed the bill and offered amendment ex
Guiding the city OF Syracuse from the provisions q
/ Of the bill. He said in part:
It Is not my custom to indulge in many Inquiries
/ into bills unless IN their general character they
affect my district We have had great trouble In
chisCs. The city has been subjected To grabbing
/ Influences and our franchises actually thrownl
4S% this M b % ieRS TO invade these laws Rot tS
It does not provide that the local consent shall 81
obtained but because IL does not require that tho
/ local law now prevailing shall be enfOrced.
All this while Senator Grady had been keepin r
unwoutedIy quiet IN his corner 1T length he arose
/ and presented amendment providing that ths
I rights and powers already granted to corporations
/ should not be disturbed by the rights granted "a,
7 the Niagara company. Then he sat down. and OF .
/ by one the amendments were voted down. with AIN
/ but three OF the Tammary and Brooklyn votes
against the floor leaders Of the minority. The fnak
/ protest against the measure made BY Seuator,
. HiIl. of Buffalo, who recognized that the cards.
/ were stacked" against him. lie said in part:
/ No measure Of the ma snitude OF this has been
presented and received the favorable c0nstderltsap
i Of this body the vote on the amendments indi-
I cate this viii. since j became member OF this
I body. This bill grants 20 one corporation thu
power and right to invade all rshts and privileges
enjoyed by any city community private cOrpO-
/ ration OF the state You propose 10 give your ap-
prOvdl 10 a measure which on the face OF e VIII
/ confer power whereby no city or town with
/ stand this company when once lt has entered it,
limits. This measure has been dts1pprOvel by all
who have given it consideration it has received
/ approval. save by the locality i'm which it is de
sisned 20 locate it's operations Z believe il IS an
yuf1rt uuate day which this Senate shall embark
/ upon policy frausht with much litigation and
/ danger
ABSENT ON THE FINAL CALL
Senator Brackett. who had been listening ~
missionary appeals OF Senators Braclett and
/ F,Is5erg fed the chamber as Senator Fill be-