Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-05-15

resents the Tammany machine and is ac-
customed to hold up every corporation that
seeks a franchise or comes under its au-
thority in any way. Fifteen of the seventy
three members are saloonkeepers; three are
men with notorious criminal records; the
most influential man in the entire body Is
the head Of the gambling fraternity in the
city, and considerable number OF the
"city fathers are dependent upon black
mail for a living. They have no visible
means Of support. And, as was formerly
the case in Chicago, when Mike Mcdonald
was king of that city, 1t Is the regular
practice in New York for persons seeking
franchises and other favOrs to make their
arrangements with Mr.. Murphy, the Tam
many chieftain, who assumes the respon-
sibility of securing whatever legislation IS
desired, upon such terms as he thinks rea-
sonable and proper.
Experience Of the Pennsylvania.
The Pennsylvania Company asked per-
mission to erect big station at 31st street.
and bore a tunnel under the river and the
city, to bring its trains into the center of
New York without Offering to pay the Gus
tomary blackmail; and its application was
hung up and the business delayed for
nearly two years. 1t has since endeavored
to secure permission to extend its facilities
to connect with Long Island and other
parts of New York Being unable to do
anything with the council 1t finally went
to the legislature with an act taking from
the board of aldermen the most valuable
prerogative enjoyed by that body, and con-
lating franchises upon a board of seven
men who are not likely to be guilty OF
taking brides or demanding blackmail.
The board of aldermen threatened to ap-
peal to the courts on the plea that the new
law Is unconstitutional. but they are not
likely to accomplish anything that way.
Comptroller Grout, who is himself demo-
crat and Tammany man, has announced
himself in favor of abolishing the board OF
aldermen entirely, because. he says: 1T
is an impeachment in the way of municipal
Improvement. 1t should be cut out from
the municipal body like diseased vermi-
form appendix. 1t Is an organized hoid.
up 1t paralyZes all genuine attempts at
progress and has opposed every important
and substantial public Improvement that
has been suggested for years"
Instead Of the present board of seventy
three men Comptroller Grout proposes a
small council of twelve or fifteen mem
bers composed of the present board of es-
Inmates and two men from each OF the
boroughs Of Greater New York, who should
be required to devote their entire time to
the business of the city.
There is, however, no formal movement
in that direction.
The New York Gas Fight.
There has been gas fight here, similar
to that In Chicago, but with a different re-
suit An attempt was made to get a law
through the legislature reducing the price
of gas to 10 cents per thousand feet and
of electric current to 10 cents a kilo-
watt hour But it failed. A substitute was
adopted. however, fixing those prices for
gas and electricity consumed by the cities
and towns of the state and appointing a
commission of three members to be Sc
lected by the governor) to have jurisdic-
ton over the lighting and power plants or
all the cities and towns of the state, with
authority to regulate prices and super
wise the management OF gas ana electric
corporations.
The commission Is permanent, with head
quarters at Albany, salaries of 5000 per
year each, and authority to appoint sucn
clerks, inspectors and other officers as may
be necessary. No gas or electric Eght cor
poration can hereafter be established and
no existing corporation can increase us
ca pital or extend its plant or sell or trans
fer it's franchise, or acquire property OF
do anything else without me consent anu
approval of the commission IL mas au-
thorty to fix standards of power, purity
and pressure, and to regulate rates, ana
may appeal to the supreme court at any
time to enforce its orders by writ OF man
damus The provisions of the law are
sweeping The commission can do almost
ANYTHING it pleases and, as L have already
said, it's jurisdiction is unlimited. IL can
even compel the adoption of improvements
In the manufacture and distribution of gas
and electricity as it deems best for the
public welfare. 1t may prescribe methods
Of keeping accounts and has the power 10
examine the books and papers or any cor
poration under its jurisdiction at any Tune.
In addition to the gas and electric hght
companies it has authority over all street
car power plants in every town IN the
state. including those at Niagara Falis.
This law was q surprise. 1t was sprung
on the legislature the last day of the SEES
sion as substitute for the 75-cent gas
bill, and was passed before the representa-
tives of the gas and electric hghtihg com
ma MES realized its comprehensive charac-
ter.