The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-04-17

OF Gov. Odell, including number OF eml,
nent Republican lawyers IN the state, told
Gov. Odell az the metropolitan Clnb NJ New
York city and elsewhere that he should not
play politics with the Remsen Gas bill for the
reason that the bill merely PERFECTED the
title OF the Ras cotnpanies 10 their real
and that tire bin had nothing. whatever TO
DO with the pnce Of gas when tie COM
paniss were charging New loIk Siy a. ~ !, q
municipality and the consumer n; Nothm <,
howe yer, would change Gov. Odells attitude
from the moment that lie decided 70 Pmy
Republican politics, or, rather, Odeu pom
tics, with a purely business pro position;
lie announced privately that ~ S9uia
veto the bill, and certain OF hB irienos IN
Albany and New York city, having early
knowledge Of his veto, sold Coonsoildated
Gas short through brOkers IN Albany ana
In New York city. The price Of Conso n
dated Gas at tbs time Gov. Odefs coeTie
In Albany and New York city sold the stock
abort was 1IoI, 20 which later there was
added SIS In rights, making TIE market
price S2iO, and subsequently there was an
advance all told to $40. All this time the
Odell ooterie was short OF Conso hoate9
Gas and as the rights were announced
and the adyanoe IN the stock continued
their very hair stood on end and their faos
were white. 10 end that dismal the u
may lie stated without fear Of CONTRADICTION
that the OIell cote ne who sold Conso lidated
Gas stock short at tlSi, because OF carry
knowledge that their patron was to VETO
the RRm-en Gas bill, have never Deeh hOo
90 quit anywhere near even.
Along came the Presidential and Guber-
Material campaigns in the State last la J.
The Com olidated Gas Company, IKE most
other corporations In the State OF New loIk
has contributed to the campaign funds OF
the two political parties, Republican and
Democrats. Gov. Odell had become he
publican State chalrT an, but he Was not IN
favor with the Cons ollGated Gas Company
especially, heCau-e he had played lCltlc7
with "A purely business proposition anu a'
Mr. Odell could not secure any contrlbull II
from the Consolidated Gas Company
Edward II. Hartman, IL wa asserted .e-.
terday, then tried his hand, but he was net
with a stern refusal Mr.. Harm an was
told that Mr.. Odell had played politics WIN
a purely business matter, and Killed IN
which would In no way in!ure the IeolIS
of the city OF New York, but rather WOuld
be a great benefit 10 them On removing tLe
hideOus gas tanks on the East Side 70 a.
toriaD and Mr.. Harm an adm tilted that Mt
Odell'a Performance had been old. %
the Consolidated Gas people gave thelr
usual contribution TO the hepubho ans
through Senator Plat, II was asserted
Yesterday, and OF COurre, the company
according TO custom, didn't forget TIE
Democrats all Of the contributions natui-
ally. being for legitimate campaign puI-
poses.
Election dav last fall was no sooner over
than Mr. Odell and biz friends began 70 say
that the Republicans in this Legs iatuie
would certainly insist upon legFlaIlNe
inquiry about the gas companies N New
York CITY, In December this talk becane
more pronounced. There was desultoTE
conversation about an 30 OF 30 cent gaS IN
which the Republicans would pass at Az any
forthwith, but the real purpose Was leE 81
lative investigation Of the gas companies
not only through a feeling OF anger on the
part OF Mr.. Odell because the campaign
contribution had been handed 70 senator
Platt, but Mr.. Odel a. chairman OF the
Republican State committee hoped 70
fall into thinking that Mayor Mcclellan ana
his adu ini,tration had favored the gas
conlpanies In preference 70 the city and the
consumers that he, Mr.. Odell, might he aCle
TO elect his candidate for Mayor over nr:
Mcclellan, when. a. a matter OF TACT ana OF
record, John 7. Oakley, McClellails Nu
and Light Comm ssioner, acted Just az
Mayor Lows commissioner, Robert Grier
Monroe, had acted In first de- ding 20 pay
tho gas comranies and then rejecting their
bids The bids which the gas companies
nut IN over O month ago are still rejected by
Mayor McClellan's ADMINISTRATION; Just as
they were rejected by Mayor Low . adm IN,
stration. Politics Of that kind n descT3bed
"a Odel politics with vengeance by which
nobody 4 long deceived except those VINO
attempt 70 deceive others with II.
Chairman Odell left for Europe iter
giving Instructions TO Gov. Higgins ana
Senators Raines and Malby and Speaker
Nixon that there must be a gas inyestiga.
ton. Many Republican Senators objected
to this style Of doing things, and stoutly
insisted on the floor OF the Senate that the
whole scheme was politics and nothing
more. and some Of the Republican Senators
called attention to the fact that whereas
the price OF gas TO the consumer in New
York city u 81 and 20 the city 90 cents, the
price OF gas In the upstate cities i from
81. IS TO 1i.75. and these Republican Solons
went on to add that II the consumers OF
New York city and New York city itself
we're entitled 10 cheaper rates for gas,
their own bailiwicks up the State we're
equally entitled 20 lower rates But moth
ing Of that kind would do. Gov. Higgins
sent for Republican Senators and told
them that they must vote for a gas investi-
CATION Of New York city, adding to some
OF the ob-treperous ones, i can he friendly
70 Senators who are friendly to me, or vice
versa Gov. Higgins adopted that line
OF conduct with these Republican Senators
after announcing publicly that he was TO
be the Executive Of the State and that
he was not TO NEEDLE as former Governors
had meddled with the legislative and judci-
ary branches Of the State government
Under pressure from Gov, Higgins and the
Odell tTiumvirate at Albany, Senators
Raines and MalDy and speaker nixon,
Chairman Odell has had his way, and the
gas investigation is in our midst
As a matter OF fact the ga situation 80
far a. it, political aspect should be con-
eidered favors the MCC elan administration
over the Low administration, inasmuch a.
Col. Monroe actually paid tho hrst years
ALLEGED eEorbitant bills whereas the Nc
Cellan administration has not paid any
bill al all When Commissioner Oakley
e,-ayed 20 pay the bills left over from the
Low administration, Supreme Court Justice
William d Dickcy granted a permanent
Injunction restTaining him from paying
them. This permanent Injunction wa
vacated by the unanimous vote OF the APP
RELATE Division Of the Second Department,
The majority Of the Judges being Republic
can, and the matter has Teen argued before
Judge Kelly, who has not yet handed down
his decision In view of the actual facts
Of the situation the Odell gas gators can
moi manufacture a political mia sma against
the Mcclellan administration.
But 40 EQUITABLE RvEsTIJAuoS.
Ardent as they are for gas politics, Gov
Higgins and the Odel triumvirate, SEN
ator5 Malby and Raines and Speaker Nixon,
have pcrsfstenuy refused n legislative in
yysstiration Of the Equitable Lie Assurance
SoriCty's Affairs MLny orb o. have been
rsorivsd from Ar. Odcn declaring against
s,lch an Investigation, and the utterance-
Of Mr.. Hartman on this subject are too we'll