New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-05-16
ALL FOR UTILITIES BILL
ASSEMBLY IS UNANIMOUS.
Fate of GOUernOr's Measure Norc
Rests zcith Senate.
tBy Telegraph TO The Tribune

tBy Telegraph 10 The TribuneI
Albany. May 15-Without one dissenting vote
the Governors public utilities bill was passed by
the Assembly to-day. Amendments of varied
Importance presented exhaustively by
Democrats. who then. with notable consistency.
after a majority party vote had defeated these
amendments. voted unitedly for the measure.
One hundred and forty Assemblymen were pres
ent: 14O votes were cast for the measure.
Thus the fate of the public utilities bill of
most OF the other features of Governor Hushess
policy. now rests squarely with the Senate. No
executive meeting of the Senate Judiciary Com
mittee was held To-day so neither the utilities
bill the recount bill reported. This
meeting Will be held tomorrow morning. and
Senator Page intends to ask for the reporting Of
each measure.
But the utilities blu cannot come UP for pas
sage in the Senate until next Tuesday
Wednesday. and between now and that time
there is tho question of amendments TO dispose
Of with the Republican caucus 10 discuss them,
which must be held IN accordance with the reso-
luton adopted at the conference OF Republicans
last week
In the mean timo the Senate Is preparing to
tackle tho vexatious apportionment problem
Senator Raines presented to-day resolution
FOR the appointment OF an appoFtionmsnt COM
get to work and unite on the reapportonment
bill which probably will he presented early next
week Most OF the Senators say they can see
no reason for tearing UP the districts laid out
last year beyond the two changes made tmpera-
tive by the decision OF the Court Of Appeals
Between them and the Governor. II they pass
bin embodylng these ideas apparently, dead
lock will arise.
Senator Ralnes said tonight that he would
announce the committee tomorrow No meas
ures in the reapportionment matter have been
taken in the Assembly; II Is understood that the
apportionment OF Assemblymen to the counties
made last year will be re-enacted. The court
made no comment on the Assembly apportion-
ment.
PASSAGE MATTER OF FORM.
Opposition to the utilities bill to-day was con-
fined to amendments offered perfunctorily by
the Democrats and some criticism OF the meas
ure's provisions by Assemblyman Prentice
along the lines OF his opposition IN the Repub-
lican caucus. The caucus action OF the Repub-
licans on Monday night. aided by the caucus
action OF the Democrats themselves. made the
passage Of the bin entirely matter Of form.
More spirit was put into the Democratic de-
nunciation of Assemblyman Cuvillier. who
bolted the minority caucus this morning. under
the guidance of Senator McCarren. and Repuo-
lican comment on the unnecessary action OF
the Republican State Committee in demanding
the passage of the utilities bill than there was
into arguments for against the bill itself.
More than a dozen amendments were offered
by Democrats most of them prepared by AS
semblyman Wagner and sanctioned by the final
caucus before tho Assembly session. Then
Cuvillier. the lone Mcclellan man. who has been
Iahoring under the guiding influence of Senator
81 6Vh his
own amendment demanding the broad court re-
view and including telephone and telegraph
companies within the scope OF the utilities bill.
Incidentally Senator McCarren dts
gusted when he heard that the Democrats had
all voted for the bill We'll. III not vote for
it," he declared with some heat. III 1 am the
only man In the Senate who will not"
This second caucus to-day due largely to
McCarren's efforts. He was mucn disgruntled
after the caucus yesterday TO learn that the
minority Assemblymen had agreed TO support
the bill after the amendments were lost, but
though there was much disturbance in the meet
ing this morning he could not effect a change in
the result.
When the bill was taken up for debate the
Democrats began 10 hurl In their Cut-and- dried
amendments Assemblyman Wagner said he
was in favor of the bill, but thought the COM
missions should be elected by the people. as 1t
was placing too much power in the hands OF the
Governor to give him the right to appoint them.
"AT Smith wanted the commission for New
York city appointed by the Mayor OF the city.
He said otherwise there would Of necessity be a
conflict of authority between the commission
and the Board of Estimate and Apportionment.
and this would result in the government of the
city by commission appointed in Albany
DoBBs FAvoRs COURT REVIEW.
Assemblyman Dobbs spoke In favor of a court
rovievv. AssembIyman Stern offered an amend
ment that would exclude municipalities from
the provisions OF the bill to operation OF
lighting companies; Assemblynan Stratton oe-
sired an amendment TO prohibit holding COM
panies from owning stock in public service
corporation. and Assemblyman Keller wanted
the Attorney General 10 do the legal work for
the commission He said If that amendment
were adopted heavy expense would be saved
the state Other amendments were offered by
Continued second page.