New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-03-18
THE WEEK In ALBANY.
CRITICAL TINE At HAND.
Kelscy Hearing To Be Continued
Thursday Other Business.
rBy Telegraph to The Tribune. ]

fBy Telegraph o The Tribune
Albany March I7.-With the Kelsey case prac-
,caIlv deadloclled through the delay obtained by
b'g counsel n situation is impending in the Iegs-
leture which through the combination Of opposition
% the removal Of Superintendent Kelsey and the
massage Of the Public Utilities bill is threatening
rravely Governor Hughes's reform policy. The
crisis of tho legislative session and the crisis IN the
working our OF the Governors plans are at hand
The result probably VIII be known with fair GER
tanty- surely will he indicated with precision-by
the turn Of events in the Senate this week and
next.
Hearings before the Senate Judiciary Committee
on the Governors recommendation that Superin-
tendent Kelsey be removed as head OF the Insurance
Department viii lie resumed on THURSDAY ~
present. while the general situation IN the public
mind has not changed much. Superintendent KEEL
seys lawyers have won tactical advantages from
the Governors friends In the judiciary Committee
and this is bound to have reflex effect on the
whole Senate the arbiter OF Superintendent KEEL
seys fate. The general public still retains the I'm
preston carried by Governor 'Hughes's message
that the insurance Official is on trial for failure ITO
perform obvious duties or the first Importance
and no indication is found here anywhere outside
the legislative circle thar he has made any progress
toward disproof Of the Governors statements.
His lawyers. though evidently consider sins Of
omission as lightly he disregarded Fighting
with clever knowledge of the workings Of the
legislative mind they have rung the changes on the
mass Of detail work accomplished in his depart
nent. and the admitted personal honesty Of Su-
perntendent Kelsey until they have gained per
mission 70 clog the course Of the case by question
and answer examination Of the Superintendent him
self Following this viii come efforts 10 present
ether witnesses and 10 file before the committee
hundreds Of documents and extracts from records
al meaning continued delay.
PAGE AND ARMSTRONG STAND BY HUGHES
The significant feature OF all this is that the
men now taking the prominent part in support Of
Superintendent Kelsey are not his closest personal
friends. out the generally described here as
'anti-iughes' Senators; the men who I'm the
last ditch when public opinion has manifested
itself IN unmistakable terms. may not vote against
the Public Utilities bill; but the men who in the
moan time Will every endeavor 10 kin that
important measure or emesculate il. Apparently
the judiciary Committee, which includes few Of
these men in its membership has yielded
pleiely their influence. leaving Senator Page
and Senator Armstrong alone 10 bear the Gov
ernors standard IN the Kelsey fight. That Super
intendent Kelsey. known the shining example
OF uprightress in the old regime" should be
relying these for r continuance of his
official career shows more poiniedy than ever the
danger which the Governors friends have feared
for his suggestions when they took the shape OF
legislation Some Of Superintendent Kelsey's friends
fee keenly the humiliation Of POSSIBLY being classed
with these men in opposition 10 the Governor. be-
cause II may seem necessary 10 them 10 vote for
Superintendent Kelsey.
Examination OF the Superintendent doubtless will
take up an Of The time Of the committee on Thurs
day and Friday Of this week. thus putting of
Ill week the question Of the admission Of other
Witnesses. II the committee permits that the case
easily could be kept going until the end of the
sion. and the moral effect Of this stand-of Of the
Governors VIII would be bad indeed. for his Pub
lfc Utilities hnl On The last vote taken in the
committee. Senators Armstrong and Page alone
stood for the Governor. Since then they have had
frequent conferences with him. mapping out action
in the continuance Of the case. Kelsey's lawyers
know that the Governor has Il IN his power. b. a
statement 10 the public his promised appeal 10
the people'-to put end all their dilatory tao
tics and practically force the removal Of Kelsey.
But they arc counting heavily on his unwillngness
10 take this step, arguing that for him 10 90 so
would be a virtual confession OF defeat UP TO that
time and would have had effect on his other
plans.
HEARING OK BINGHAM BILL
on Tuesday the Senate Cities Committee viii
hold hearing TIE Bingham Police ill. Com
missioner Bingham and representatives Of the Com
nittee Of Fifty are expected here speak for the
measure. So far as Is known now. there viii be no
opposition a; ire hearing save such may come
from Senator Grady and the other Democratic
members Of the committee. 30 member Of the
committee has heard from Of the inspectors as
70 a representation then: and the opinion here is
thar the. had enough OF hearings when Commits
Fiene~ Bingham Erflled Walsh and Hussey before
the Assembly committee they had hoped 10 impress.
II tfov 80 not come. their agents are likely 20 be
on the ground Hard work IS being done % Kill
the police hin n the Senate, though 8; stands a
better Glance q passing this year than ever be
fore. The possibility 81 votes being Traded" On
This biz and the Kelsey removal il being dis
GUESSED with interest here. for the fate Of the
ure rests on the Republicans Senator Page.
sponsor for the measure in the upper house, viii
try 60 bring Il out Of the committee at the e2ecu-
tlVe meeting following the hearing.
Two important hearings scheduled before the
Assembly Judiciary Committee Tuesday-the
Prentice Massachusetts ballet bin and the Merritt
water storage Constitutional amendment. Delega-
tious from the Election Laws Improvement As
soriatou which drafted the Prentice bill and other
organizations viii appear 70 advocate its passage
Willie The measure meets the suggestions made by
Governor Hughes in his message 10 the Legislat IRE
Il has no; been received with any marked enthusi-
ASIA here. Other sO-called ballot reform measures
hive been noticed ny the committees from time IA
time, bui this is the first action taken on this bill
PROPOSED AMENDMENT TO BE DISCUSSED
The proposed constitutional amendment v-hic.i
Vl be discussed before the Assembly Judiciary
Committee On Tuesday also viii come before the
Senate and Assembly committees a joint hear
ing Wednesday. Senator OMEN and Assembly-
Merritt ard many people from the Adiron-
dack region viii SET forth the advantages 20 D..
gained from water storage. The Association, for
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