New-York tribune., 1908-02-17
OF WORK ON HILL
KELSEY Case and Racetrack and
Banking Hearings Come Up.
fBy telegraph TO The Tribune. ]

| [By Telegraph 20 The TT13une
Albany Feb. 1s-For the first time this session
| the Legislature will settle down tomorrow night
| for a week of real work With the Kelsey case
before the Senate, hearings on the anti-racetrach
gambling bills and the first of the banking leSlsla-
| ton before both houses and debate on the Cohes
| Island scent fare bill scheduled in the Assembly
| both houses will be kept busy enough to demand
| the presence here of most OF their members the
| entire week.
Indications are that this activity will be merely a
temporary squirt OF energy. The Kelsey affair Is IN
its first stages, and action taken this week can De
| only the beginning of procedure which. however
| fastened must inevitably be long drawn out ar
| rangement. Ant-gamblng legislation. having had
airing. will be put back to it's comfortable SUM
| Der committees. The banking legislation it
SELF whose necessity there is no disagreement
| of opinion. will have to be thrashed out for a re"
weeks yet before it is in shape for passage
Probably Senator Raines and few of his more
influential colleagues will meet tomorrow night or
Tuesday to settle the procedure of the Kelsey case
| Whether it shall be heard before the Judiciary
Committee and then referred to the Senate or heard
first by the Senate, sitting I'm trial, has not been
decided. Neither has the question whether Super
intendent Kelsey shall be allowed to have counsel
If the side of the is to be unrepresented
| by counsel Governor Hughes's supporters in the
Senate intend to raise this question, though how 1t
be settled short of ruling that Kelsey may not
be represented by counsel none OF them know.
Governor Hughes's attitude is that, having sent
is through with the case. and his friends feel GER
tain he will not consent to have counsel represent
ing him interrogate the insurance department Off
ciaL Without doubt a resolution will be presented
asking the Judiciary Committee to consider and
report plan of procedure. The plan will be that
one determined on by Senator Raines and the Sem
ate leaders.
On the details of that plan depends practically all
the future routine of the upper branch of the
Legislature. time to be consumed by a
friaI of he inta 10
| possible, practically nothing else can be accom-
plished for several weeks Even II the Judiciary
Committee again has to hear the testimony and
hurries through the task little else of moment is
likely TO be done until the Kelsey is ended
Some observers here say they see sinister signs
OF combination of opposition to the removal of
Superintendent Kelsey with political opposition TO
the Governor and antagonism the passage of the
anti-racetrack gambling legislation Early in the
Kelsey battle last year indications of pooling of
interests In the Kelsey and the public service
fight Were apparent and later Hughes supporters
openly charged that big public service companies
railroads and insurance companies bending
their efforts to defeat Governor Hughes both
issues. 1t is still early for the Governors ad-
versaries tc have anything more definite than some
what hazy plans based a hot desire TO kill off
Mr.. Hughes's pet reform schemes but nobody
who knows the bitterness of feeling the Kelsey
IN quarters, and the efforts of every kind
to racetratk gambling. doubts that those plans
will be worked out carefully and followed if there
is ghoSt OIL q cnance Tor success
The Governors friends have an abiding faith that
the public sentiment which pushed to passage the
public utilities bill last year will help pass
gambling bills and force the Senate to remove Su-
perntendent Kelsey. Speaking of the aid given by
certain leaders in the crisis last year, the po-
litical support being given to the Governor by
many politicians. man close to him said. tonight:
HAS IT occurred to you just why these men are
for the Governor? Not because they like him; in
most cases the Governor represents the antithesis
of their choice, personal and political. Not be-
cause they agree with him; not because they hope
TO get anything him. either: but because they
know he's right. More than that they know the
people of this state know he's right, and with
him. There's his strength. politically and far
as getting his legislation passed is concerned: he's
straight and right, and the people know II. The
politicians have to toe the mark if they want to
stay in the political game. for their people will
surely punish them if they desert the Governor"
The ant-gambling bills will have their first hear
ing before the Senate and Assembly Codes
mittees Wednesday. The charmen of both
committees have been beseged with letters and
many appearances both sides of the question
have been noted After the hearing the bills will
go back to committees. and probably other hear
ngs will be held No very definite plan OF pro-
cedure as to this legislation has been adopted 1t
is possible that the Senate Codes Committee NAV
report ii. The general belief is that never will
get out of the Assembly committee unless a mo-
ton is carried TO discharge the committee from
its further consideration. Its passage in the Sem
ate seems probable. Its passage in the Assembly
still is debatabe problem. and depends largely
on politics.. the Kelsey and the extent to
which The Jockey Club and other racing associa-
tions ana horsebreeders and gamblers care to 20
In fighting ii.
Superintendent Clark Wiliams's bills regulating
the to be maintained by banks and trust
companies Will have their first hearing before the
Joint committees on banks D. m. on Tuesday
They tentative bills. designed to awaken
discussion Many amendments will be made before
they put forth for passage.
On Tuesday the Wagner Coney Island five cent
fare bill will up for discussion in the As
sembly as a special order on second and third
reading Assemblyman Wainwright chairman of
the Committee Railroads. will oppose It. AS
semblyman Merritt, majority leader, introducer of
the public service bill in the lower house last year
also will argue that this question should be left
10 the Public Service Commission. There is rather
a general feeling that the Assembly will try
acquire some amount of political credit with un-
thinking voters by passing the measure. In that
case. if the Senate follows suit most persons here
believe that Governor Hughes will veto il. as he
vetoed the two fare bill. the ground that
the Legislature had rot considered properly the
justice of establishing such a rate arbitrarily.