New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1908-10-23
OPPOSITION THAT DOES NOT OPPOSE.

OPPOSITION THAT DOES MOI oFfVrE'
Mr. CHAMBERS answer shows the strength OF
Governor Hughess position. After dousihS
for n fortnight and protesting that the people
ought 10 tske a "Chanler of Duchess county
on faith he has finally been forced TO come out
in the open and say that ne is not in faVor Of
the repeal of the HaTt-Aghew laws ana uldI
if elected le viii enforce them ana ilat ne
favors the regulation of the public service cor
porations by state authority. Thus he virtually
confesses that Governor Hughes is right in re-
gard 10 these chief measures of his adnnlnistfa-
ton the only fault he has 10 find with the
public service legislation being as TO It's dc
tails.
The Governor was right in his fight for the
anti-gambing acts and the moral sentiment oil
the state backs him UP so strongly mat ule
Democratic candidate dare not pledge himseh
10 anv other course than TO support ana enforce
them. If Governor Hughes is marrow. as
Mr. Cbanler has intimated Mr. CHAMBER Is
eauaIlv narrow If Governor Hughes has inter
fered with a personal liberty Mr.. Chanler
nladges himself to continue the restriction OF
that liberty.
As for the Public Service legislation. Mr.
Chanler after great many shifts and turns
has tried 10 save himself some point OF opPosl-
ZION TO the Governor and has decided thaI he
can safely take the position that the conllnlS-
sions ought 10 he elected instead of appointed
This is an abandonment of the position taken
in The Democratic platform. which denounced
government hy commission" and declared thar
the powers Of the commissions should he re-
stored 10 The constitutional officers meaning
IL ANYTHING. in the case of the Public Service
commissioners 10 the Legislature Now Mr..
Chanler expressly approves government by
commission but he would have the commis-
sionerS elected,
Mr. Hughes has not vet definitely pressed his
adversary TO disclose where he stands upon the
other leading issue of the, campaign-bossism
and its cure. direct nominations. Perhaps the
Governor will spare him If he shouldn't Mr.
Chanler would doubtless have to admit that
there too he agreed with the Governor ana
probably he would do so quickly. for his expert
encp with questions must have taught nm
lesson. In that case the opposition viii have
confessed that il does not oppose Mr.. Hughes
in anything ri all of practical Importance; that
il can find no fault with his policies enacted
or prospective and that il merely offers MT.
Chanier on the strength Of the record which
he has lust made as candidate and in the
belief that the state will prefer weak man 70
strong man as its Governor.
As 70 the issue that Mr.. Ch8nler presents re-
Carding the Public Service commissions, it IS
too fantastic 10 discuss. II was settled, more
over and forever when the hliiS "tiF
before the Legislature Senators Grady AMI
McCarren presented the case then for elective
commissions without succeeding in convincing
the Legislature or enlisting any public support
for their idea. So much for the merits OF MI
CHAMBERS issue. But the fact that Mr.. Chahler
does propose tinkering with the Public Service
Commission legislation raises practical consid-
crati0uS of importance which can hardly help
his candidacy. Any attempt 10 amend the Pubic
Service act in the way that Mr.. Chanler advo-
Gates would he made. by the forces which con
trcl the Democratic party, an occasion for
drawing its teeth" Mr.. Corners, whose power
con,panv is involved with the upstate commits
sion: Mr. Murphy, who is the political agent or
Thomas F. Ryan. and Senator McCarren, who
has always frankly opposed public regulation.
would see to if that in making the conlnns-
sioners elective they should also be made power
less 10 interfere seriously with their interests
Would the public he willing to give LegiSia-
tJre controlled by these men license to alter
Tie Public Service laws. trusting merely to such
= man as Mr. Chanler has shown himself to
bp 10 protect it's interests III the changes: