New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-03-28
UTILITIES BILLHEARIN
IT'S SPIRIT NOT OPPOSED.
Railroads Suggest Ameudmeuts-
Shepard, Crayath and Other SpeaE,.

Albany. March 27.-Representatives OF most o>
the railroads OF the and the transit interests
OF New York City. argued against the Governors
Public Utilities bill to-day before the Senate
Judiciary Committee and the Assembly Rail-
roads Committee in Joint session For four
hours distinguished lawyers who favored tho
principles of railroad regulation advocate
amendment to the measure.
"They all said they didn't propose these
amendments to emasculate the bill, remarked
Senator Page after the hearing. Maybe they
were not butchers: but they would make mighty
good dentists. They'd draw every tooth ths
POOR bin has"
Protests against specific provisions OF the
bill from all sides. The street railroads
didn't like some sections Of the bill The trunk
lines didn't like most OF it. Even the Pullman
Company was represented TO argue that it wasn't
common carrier and ought not to be included
within the Jurisdiction of the proposed commits
sion; and the Brotherhood OF Locomotive En-
gineers had counsel 70 ask that the inteTchangs
Of passes between railroads be not stopped
RAILROADS AND TRACTION LINES HEARD
Only the railroads and traction lines got
hearing this time. but they united in condemn
ing vigorously the fact that judicial review Os
the commissions orders Is not permitted By
the bin. Against this the old objections @
unconstitutional and "c6nhscatory legislation
the stringent regulation Of stock issues and tho
prohibition Of holding companies. The lawyers
Of the railroads lamented that this would Inn
poverish the railroads, and eventually the state
and country which waxed as the railroads four
ished. The New York transit people declared
that under such conditions they might as well
cease all efforts for the salvation Of the people
Of New York, while they sure that II they
ceased their philanthropic work nobody else ever
public.
Worst OF all was the menace offered By the
fact that this commission. vested with such
great powers, should be subject TO appointment
by the Governor and removal by him at the
slightest caprice Such a condition seemed al
most unspeakable. they maintained. It inev-
itaby would bring IN politics and political corr
ruption' making the commissioners merely
parts Of political machine" It would destroy
Independence" Really the bill was more drastic
than the Interstate Commerce act. And even
Mayor Mcclellan for relief OF the evils in whose
territory this measure was drawn largely, joined
the chorus Of protest against IT, His was the
time honOred "hOme rule" plea. He felt that
New York city would be unjustly saddled with
the expense OF the commission for the metro
poltan district If the city authorities did not
have the appointing OF that commission Then,
in addition. he had several general doubts ahou-
the wisdom OF important sections Of the hil
and thought II was quite possible the measure
might not be constitutional anyhow.
COMMENTS By SENATOR PAGE
For bill handling a general subject Of the
irnportance Of this" commented Senator Page
AFTER the hearing was ended Il was surprised
al the weakness OF the case presented against
II. They all seemed to talk around the subject
and not get down TO specific points. OF course
tbev have presented a healthy bunch Of amend
ments for US TO consider. Some OF the sugses-
tions may be adopted-we dOn't consider the
measure perfect by any means. One OF the
things which amused was the way they All
advocated the Interstate Commerce act. and
then condemned several sections OF our hill
taken bodily from that law They all said they
did not want to emasculate the bill. but they
v,ould null every tooth 1t has. The thing that
seems to worry them especially is the judicial
review proposition. We thought we'd take
away the possibility OF few years delay IN
putting the commissions orders into effect
They can carry the cOnstitutionality OF the law
clear though the federal courts as 1t IS. buzz
there's no reason why a corporation should DO
able to obtain years OF delay over a question os{
facts. There wouldn't be much Of a bin if We
gave them what they want. Their amendments
would leave a commission which could 90 ss
we'll almost as the present Railroad Connnis-
sion II could do as the railroads told IT, anta
receive their cOmmendatiOn with much grace,
hut we can't see conditions that way"
ANOTHER HEARING NEXT WEEK
Another hearing wiz be held next Wednesday.s
All the opponents OF the measure ala not get a
chance 10 be heard to-day. while dozens who4
iourneyed from New York City to speak for is9
had their trouble for their pains. They wiz be-
here next week. Not since the Insurance. heard
ings last year has such thrOng Of lawyers IN
vaded the Capitol on any one measure. Edward
NJ. Shepard representing the Pennsylvania
headed the delegation for the steam railroads.
Joseph H ChOate will appear next week sori
the New York. New Haven & Hartford Albert
H Harris spoke for the New York Central Nnes.
Lewis E. Carr for the Delaware & Hudson.
Walker d. Hines for the Baltimore & Ohio and
the Adams Express Company. and William s.
Jenney for the Lackawanna- Paul d. Cravath
and De I.ancey NicoH represented the INTERIOR
h-NIetropOIitan Company. Charles T..
Nathewson was here for the lighting cOmpaniss,
but didn't speak
William NJ. WINS was scheduled 70 make the
principal address for the measure. James s.
Iehnaier representing the transit reform COM
mittee OF one hundred was 70 have general
charge Of the argument for the bin IN BEHALF OF
Manhattan organizations. Others who were
there for II were John A. Dutton. John f.
Durant and Charles w. Lefler representing the
Republican Club: o. C. Semple. Greenwich
Citizens Club julius Henry Cohen. Citizens
Union; Charles s Slower and Lewis Lands East
Side Civic Club; Henry Wright City Cluos ex-
Congressman Edward NJ Bassett Central CIti-
zens' Committee: League OF Forty-fve. Brook
Doh, .~r.4