New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-05-30
FULLER BILL DEFEATED
EmbOdieS Governors Ideas ON Water
Regulation and Com pensation.
LBy Telegraph 10 The Tribune

Albany May 29-The Fuller bill eu1bodvlng ~.
principles Of regulation Of use of the stata.s
water powers and compensation for them put into
effect recently by Governor Hughes was defeated
by the Senate to-day. 1t received twenty-three az
frmatve TO four negative votes but lacked three
votes Of the necessary number for passage MANI
Senators refused outright to vote on the hill al
though there were about forty in the Senate cham
Der when the vote was taken In this thew fol-
lowed the example Of Senator Agnew OF New York
City remaining silent when their names were
called.
This attitude on their part brought a rebuke from
Senator Cobb. who had vanly endeavored TO get
Senator Agnew to vote the bill
What you afraid Of? you so lacking in
spirit. in sense of duty. bereft of courage that
you won't vote this measureP" he demanded
Have you not tho courage to and stand by
your voter
This bill is considered here of tho most i'm
portant of the year. It authorizes the State Water
Commission to devise plans for the progressive de-
velopment of the water powers OF the state and
for their public use under state control. The COM
mission Is TO lay out schedules of compensation
for the various water powers. The bill was drafted
by the Association for the Protection of the Adiron
dacks and the New York City Board of Trade end
Transportation.
Senator Agnew when the bill was reached set
forth several minor objections the measure
Senator Fuller replied to these forcibly and then
turning his attention to the bill itself said
81 introduced this measure to carry out the Gov
ernor's recommendations this subject In his
first message to the Legislature. We have in the
undeveloped water powers OF the state a source OF
incalculsble wealth. This bill provided for a thor
ough investigation Of our undeveloped powers: for
the making of maps and plans by competent en-
gineers far the appropriation allowed will
permit In other words IL is simply attempt to
figure up the assets of the state and find out how
wealthy We are, with the idea of putting this in
formation TO practical use."
Senator O'Nei, who, with Assemblyman Merritt
introduced the constitutional amendment permit
ting flooding OF state lands which has been gen
orally characterized water grab scheme
supported the BILL lie interrupted by Senator
Cassidy, who asked him If he believed this bill was
the entering wedge for the water power constitu-
tional amendment he had introduced
Il would not call it entering wedge but I
would call 1t the initial step toward that amend
rnent," he replied.
Senator Hill said he thought the measure was one
OF the most important bills of the year and should
receive the support OF every Senator who had the
interests OF the state at heart. ~
~, when senator rulers name was called during
the vote he vehemently denied that the bill was an
entering wedge for water storage amendment or
had any connection with the O'Ne amendment at
al MY bill Is drafted by the interests who most
bitterly opposed Mr.. ONeiis." he exclaimed
little later Senator ONsil explained that he