New-York tribune., 1905-04-14
AN ODIOUS BILL.

II is not The Tribune's habit to bring geherul
charges Of corruption as often as bill 10 "hich
strong objections are reasonably maze gains
headway at Albany. We much prefer IN sucn d
case to assume either that the Dill mas merltS
which have heen discovered only by its support
ers or that having been deceived as to It's char
acter their worst fault is a lack OF sagacl'y anu
prudence. It seems hardly possible however
TO take that benevolent view of the progress
which the Niagara power bill Is maklhs' Inc
Albanv correspondents are practically uham-
mons IN declaring that money IS being used IN
large sums TO secure the passage OF the meas
ure. Nor do they draw that conclusion Wholiy'
or even chiefly. from the fact that no attempt
amounting to anything is anywhere maze 10 ue-
fend the bill as a proper and benencial piece oL
legislation. OF course, that want OF cahGld'
confident. straightforward advocacy would OF u
self be suspicious. It would be rash TO deny
that dishonest influences were at work even II
nobody had dared to suggest such thing.
But this is not case Of darkness ana haruly
even of twilight. Experienced observers at the
canital Of all shades OF political opinion, blunt
II declare that the benefciaries of the bill are
buying its way through the legislature. Among
its supporters are steadily found the men who
are set down by common consent as purchas-
able. Notorious lobbyists Of whose disposition
to pay for what their employers want noDouy en-
terfains a doubt are uncOmmonly defiant OF de-
cency and public opinion in announcing their
belief that the bill will go through. The estaD-
lished character Of the men who are making 1t
their business TO push it along, and whose con-
duct constantly proclaims their sOlictude, would
be enough to Justify strong opposition even II
the character Of the bill itself were capable OF
being defended.
But when we turn from the quality Of its un-
disguised supporters to the quality of the meas
ure. the necessity OF defeating it becomes per-
fectIy obvious. 1t is described as worse bill
than the one which was framed to promote the
same interests last year, which passed the legis-
latIlre under similar pressure and failed to re-
ceive Governor Odell's approval. Possibly that
is a mistake. 1t may not be worse than lts
predecessor, but it does not need to be in order
10 incur the resolute hostility of upright and in
teligent citizens. It confers, without local con-
sent. privileges in every part of the State-privi
leges so various and far reaching that no cor
poratiOn ought TO be permitted to possess them.
II that were all it would be too much. But it Is
the least part of the proposed grant The people
are not considering what it gives so anxiously
and so Indignantly as what it takes away. The
proposition is that few individuals shall be au-
thorized 10 draw from the Niagara River water
enough TO produce 100000 electrical horsepower
enough, that is to say, in the opinion of compe-
tent engineers 10 OFain tne american AaLS uTy
and almost If not quite, suspend the flow
the Canadian side. The possibility Of such van
dasm on any terms is utterly abhOrrent.
1t seems to US inconceivable that Governor
Higgins could be persuaded to tolerate this
measure. If ii were to pass the legislature,
therefore, we should never expect to see its ugly
features staring out Of the statute book. The
men who sent it to him would not have accom-
plished the ruin of the falls. They would have
succeeded only in damaging their own reputa-
ton beyond repair and in making it doubly diff
cult for Republicans to carry the State of New
York at the next election.