New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-03-20
HENRY ". TAFT DECLINES.
WON'T PROBE LIGHTING.
TepisEative Committee at Loss to
Find Counsel.

--,,,,,-o % sud suitable counsel has placed the
.s.,..,,.a committee that is TO investigate the
s,-,-,-s conditions in this city in an awkward
-os,,.oo tate last night Senator Stevens.
$50, ~ the committee. lodged newspaper
-, sr,7 vent to bed IN an unhappy frame Of
..,,a hacause he had not been able TO find a
,.,,,ar Of the kind he wants 10 take the laboring
oor IN the Investigation. Other members Of the
sor,--,,-tee who were in the city said they did
,,ot have the faintest idea as to the lawyer TO be
,bosen for the important task. The committee
xiii have a meeting tonight in Albany, in the
xrnactation that by that time Senator Stevens
4su have succeeded in his search.
rarlv yesterday, Senator Stevens at the Fifth
1veuue Hotel, received a note from Henry w.
rrsf; declining absolutely to serve the commit
Sc as counsel, on the ground that his other en-
,eagements for the coming month will not allow
S,m tine for the work. Later in the day Mr..
s,svens had a talk with Governor Higgins. who
s,s5 come 10 the city and was at the Albemarle.
n was said that they discussed several Repub-
,,,an lawyers Of the city and talked with some
al them over the telephone. only TO find that
savvers OF ability for the task in hand were
soath TO leave other engagements and give up
eli their time for a month or more to an in
CURRY for which they were not. prepared.
Senator Stevens, who seems to be much in
earnest. has said that he wants counsel who is
neither interested in corporations in a way to
-revent him from going TO the bottom of the
sighting situation nor so much Of a partisan in
,oltics as TO give political color to the inquiry.
AT the same time lawyer is wanted who is
able IN examining witnesses, to draw out the
Important facts on which the committee can
recommend legislation to cure existing evils in
Che method Of supplying gas and electric lights
70 the city.
The plan Of the Investigation WHICH Senator
Stevens outlined yesterday makes it tolerablv
Main that the committee will not call II. H.
Rogers or any other director of the Standard
on Company. and probably will not call Mayor
Mcclellan Charles F. Murphy or other big men
in Tammany Hall. He said the investigation
would be conducted on a business plan, and wit
nesses called would be persons able to tell about
fhe cost of producing and supplying gas and
electricity in the city It is probable. therefore
that the inquiry VIII not be spectacular. II
may be extremely dull. The committee has
power 10 call for books and papers, and much
of the testimony may be by officials Of the Con-
solidated Gas Company about dry details Of
their business.
No meeting of The investigating committee
was held yesterday. and Senator Stevens did
not talk with other members of the commit
Gee. Senator Grady went TO Albany in the after
boon. Senator Page and Assemblynen Agnew,
Apgar, Palmer and Merritt got together in
formally at luncheon at the Claremont in the
afternoon, but they did not talk much about
The coming investigation. Assenlblyman Palm
er said he did not see how it would be possible
sor him 70 spend severalTveeks in this city while
che legislature was IN session.
Governor Higgins Eeft-tAe city late in the
afternoon TO return TO Albany. and two or three
members OF the investigating committee were
passengers on the same train. The Governor
had nothing to say TO reporters about the work
| Of the committee while he was in the city.
| II was said yesterday by persons in position
20 know that Mayor Mcclellan will want TO air
some OF his views about a municipal lighting
plant before the committee, and that Controller
GTout win welcome opportunity 10 give his
views about lighting contracts. Officials Of the
| Gas Trust are said TO be somewhat nervous
over the prospect of having to show their books.
| Il was said on their behalf yesterday that they
| would not try to dodge the committee. and that
] superintendents who might De called as wit
nesses would be told to give an information de-
nanded