New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1906-02-01
MERGER UNDER FIRE.
BELMONT IND RYAN, TOO.
.Shearn and Ford Unlimber Batteries
Before assembly Committee.
Lnr Telegram to The Tribune. J

IBy Telegraph O The Tribune.I
Albany Jan 3l-In advocating the resoiu
lions demanding an investigation Oh '"e
mont Ryan traction merger, and a recount Oh
the ballots in the recent New-York City election.
ex-senator John Ford told the Assembly Com
mittee on Ways and Means to-day that the
merger was a direct result of the seating OF the
Tammany candidates. Belmonts money anu
Ryans money he said, bought the TammahS
votes, and If any other than the Tammany can
didates had been seated the merger never would
have been accomplished. as its ubiquitous pro-
visions" would have been seen and nullified
The Ways and Means Committee held two
hearings one OF the Smith resolution, which
asks for legislative investigation of the cleo
ton and the relations existing between puphe
service corporations and political organizations
the other on the Foelker resolution which asks
an Investigation of the traction consolidation
Most of the speakers discussed both at once as
did Senator Ford. William y. Amory told OF
specific instances of differences between hgures
compiled by him, and reports rendered by the
Metropolitan management TO State departments
Every speaker inveighed against the wholesale
watering" of the capitalization of the merger
companies
SHEARN TELLS OF ELECTION.
Clarence ]. Shearn. attorney for William r.
Hearst. took up in detail the experiences the
Hearst forces have had in trying 10 obtain
recount. He read affdavits of the assaults on
voters and watchers at the polling places and
declared that it was corporation money which
paid Tammany people to do all this. No relief
save an investigation by the legislature was In
sight he said. and went on:
We found the first indication Of the subtle con- cor,
necton between Mr. Ryan and the interes Us te
found that administration tied hand and foot to
the scheme turn over to the interests mat ne
shape OF contracts having to do with the lighting
of IL State of New-York- -, $1,000
ton between Mr.. Ryan.s forces and those aiied
m Hears 10 ana Mr. Ford and Mr. stokes the
candidates Of the, Municipal Ownership League ne
nineteen new subways planned, and which are to
be built during me next fGur s9d natural HOSTILITY
to the methods of the men who were trying TO get
headed that ticket and by the platform on which
they ran.
SENATOR FCRD's SPEECH
Ex-senator Ford told of the huge reservoir
of water which the merger had injected into
the stock The highest possible estimate of the
value of the plants would be S100O00OO0, he
said making about S400.000,000 of the proposed
Capitalization of $500, 100000 water" The peo-
pie get no adequate service in spite OF their
contributions to this corporation he declared lie
said:
can't investigate any election III winch
Tammany Hall takes part in New York CITY
without investigating these gentlemen ana thelr
financial operations. There is no doubt IN the
minds of any observant or reasonable 1Iliiio ,d
man in the city of New York but that the
money that induced the intimidation and the
assaults and the misconduct of election officers
and watchers and the money that paid the
watchers and bought these fraudulent votes was
in the main furnished by the people who control
and brought about this merger, and that a
superhuman effort put forth in this par
ticular election because more was OepeHOeHl
upon il concerning them than in any previous
election, They had this great merger in mind
at the time. They had III mind the nineteen
new subways that to be given out, and the
danger and the Imbecility Of Ryan and Belmont
bidding against each other for those suoways
when they might as well get together and COB
BILE them all at their price without competition
81 do not hesitate to name the eminent f1nan-
cers who have made the rObbing of their own
stockholders their chief business. The list in
cIudes the late William c. Whitney Thomas r
Ryan, Herbert H. Vreeland, William L. Widen
err, William L. Elkins and Thomas Dolan." de-
cared William N Amory.
IF this ubiquitous merger is permitted to go
through the Metropolitan management expects
to escape the penalties provided for their
crimes. If the merger is stopped the MetropOl-
ftsn stockholders will have an opportunity OF
forcing restitution of the millions Of dollars Of
which they have been robbed. The disclosure of
Metropolitan corruption will inevitably follow II
this merger shall be prevented. because cOndi-
lions are so rotten that they cannot longer be
concealed Not only should this merger be pre-
vented but the legislature ought to appoint an
able and fearless committee TO investigate the
Metropolitan Street Railway Company When
the Metropolitan is dug into the rottenness OF
the disclosures Will make the big insurance COM
panies appear by comparison institutions OF
immaculate virtue"
Mr. Ford then declared that the sworn report
of the Interurban and Metropolitan companies
for 1902 showed nine deaths and seventy-six In
iuries in accidents. with expenses on this &C
count of S744332 49, while a special report for
the companies own use, of which he had copy.
showed 100 deaths. So 1876 injuries, and expenses
on the account of 81, 1913 9O3 IA. He went on:
1t may be asked if the conditions described exist,
why the criminal authorities have not taken the
steps to punish the guilty. As TO that. the Dis
trict Attorneys office of the County of New-York
is getting to be generally recognized laoOra-
tory of hot air. Jerome knows the guilt of the
METROPOLITAN management but under his admins
tration all big criminals seem to be perfectly
safe.
KING ALFONSO AT BIARRITZ
~, d. Ar%a l.