New-York tribune., 1908-04-07
| P. S. c.. MEASURE SPLIT
NAY BE EXTRA SESSION.
Telephone and Telegraph Control
Eliminated, Despite GoUernor.
rBy Telegraph to The Tribune ]

Albany. April s--The report of the Assembly
Committee on Electricity. Gas and Water sup
ply amending the Public Service Commission
bill, adopted last Friday and since then sur
rounded with the greatest mystery. was pre-
sented tonight by Assemblyman Yale, chair
man o. the committee. II wipes out OF the new
measure entirely those provisions designed TO
include telephone and telegraph companies in
the scope of the Public Service Commissions $
Jurisdiction. Mr.. Yale introduced new Dill
containing practically that material
Besides thus splitting the Page Wainwright
bill. the committees amendments wake many
technical changes in the present Public Service
Commission law. all Of which tend to lessen in
some degree the control over the corporations
by the commissions While some of these slight
changes have been recommended by the com
missions it is certain that all of them have not
been. Mr.. Yale admitted that the amendments
were the committees work, not the commits
sions' II seems probable that many of these
propositions will be opposed vigorously by one
or both Of the commissions as letting down
the bars
The general understanding is that the Page
Wainwright bill split thus that the de
partnent amendments might be passed hur
riedly, and the telephone and telegraph PROPOSE
ton. 70 which some opposition has developed,
sion undoubtedly would result in its defeat
Representatives of civic organizations here de-
clare that any hasty adoption of the depart
n1ent amendments would be fraught with great
danger TO the efficient work of the commits
sions. Governor Hughes is deeply interested in
the success of his recommendation that tele-
phone and telegraph companies be put under
control Of the commissions. If that be de
feated as seems likely, without much question
an extra session would be called to deal anew
with this subject.
Chairman Stevens of the upstate commission
said to- day that his commission was quite will
ing TO take Jurisdiction over telephone and tele-
graph companies if the Legislature saw fit to
adopt this recommendation of the Governors $
but that the commission would not be in shape
to handle the new work before October
Assemblyman Todd, member Of the committee
said that these extremely technical and volu-
minous amendments were before the committee
Friday for probably ten minutes
No member of the committee knew what the
amendments did, he said, "and it would have
taken US half day to find out, even if we had
had the opportunity. These are not the result
of discussion in our committee: I don't know
where they from and I don't know any
member of the committee who does When this
bill comes up the a0or. I intend to say tusr
what I'm saying about it, and then some
more. The purport Of some of the amendments
is TO restrict the rate-making or enforcing
i,ager of the commissions their ability to COM
pei railroad corporations to take precautions
insuring safety of passengers, and to wipe out
entirely the section permitting the commissions
TO charge fees for transcripts OF documents in
their possession. The adjustment Of this section
would permit corporations to tie up the clerical
forces of the commissions badly"