New-York tribune., 1909-04-19
roR RPORATI0NS FIGHT
AGAINST REGULATION
-pITC .SERFICE COWWIS-
qON LAWS THREATENED'
genealogical Moment Seized on for
,ro-,e,ncnt-No Definite MOre
uble GorcrHor Retains Office.

--s,or-anh 70 The Tribune-l
Anri1 1S.-Taking advantage ol P''i'
A-.;1i+z- toward Governor Hughes ana a re-
ca - feeling on the part OF many prominent
sctiohai' 40 of the big public service cor
fgRa n the state have Joined in an attempt
F'ralo-ee e.-.rer state supervision and regulation
heir affairs. in this they, nave S"0oeeueu
n 'is,- .sir expectations thanks TO the peculiar
ffyoh. situation. and the probability now
fss0, ,a that bv the time of final adjourn
seenlS .t,o legislature of 1909 they will have
n7l. -lief,ed far more than they set out to do
this year .-,...,-, ,,,- ,r,,-
the rorporations their efforts are not
so5 "a sion with preventing any new legis-
- Information coming from excellent au-
= declares that next year. or more prob
=, +ba year following. when corporations and
,;csl bosses alike expect TO have Governor
,,--bas ~out Of the way" skilful attempts will
ne 10 break down the existing Public Ser
- commissions law IN some OF its most vital
..,,r-es Just 50 certain insurance interests
ox sre planning a Ions distance campaign 70
tsrs the most Objectionable features of the
r-zbes insurance reform laws modified by de-
-ress with a pretty complete emasculation of
~; code as the ultimate achievement
Already this concerted attack Of the corpora
-i1ns has resulted in the death OF the plan to
ryf the telephone and telegraph companies un-
5sr The jurisdiction OF the Public Service COM
rssions and in the weakening Of the amend
-snts 10 the Public Service commissions law
submitted hy the TWO commissions to stop lIp a
lev holes through which the railroad traction
and lighting companies were escaping their at
iempts TO regulate business in the interest of
oral
En those amendments this year leaving on the
salute books only the original law They hone
ass to Kill the Travls-Lee constitutional amend
nent designed to furnish funds for new sub-
ways in New York City. and the amendments to
the rapid transit law submitted BY the COM
mission for the lst District. providing for as
ssssment subways and furnishing more at
ractlre terms than the present law TO private
capital for subway building.
OLD FACES REAPPEAR
Reports Of a revival of the good old times,
nave oeen "lng-ng around the Capitol corridors
GIG me heiei lobbies for couple of weeks
heie ana there face familiar in the davs when
me biacA horse cavalry charged detiantlv
around The legislative haunts has been seen and
sene oi The oldtimers have begun Ia renew. old
ac9ualntances and cultivate new ones Half
5'Aihs aiiusions TO the man with the dough"
sfe frequent IN the legislative gossip. All this
Aaf Mean something or nothing: il seems AZ
Aasl worthy Of remark in the existing situation
ahat IS more worthy Of detailed comment and
s-nton, since il IS spread bodily on the rac
rs II the corporations campaign is scf,eIara
Ion Of the most crude and barefaced sort-as
9sn as any ever INDUCED in by LemueI F
g1gg when he vas handling the New York
ira ion cr-r
ag railroads Of the state have had officials and
employees at work collecting and having sent to
sesiators petitions letters and kilograms from
nTehsnts. manufacturers and their employees
aEloring 'anti-corporation" legislation. and
Usns speedy adjournment to give business
Chance" Special trains we're sent out by
ale Of the railroads. stopping at all the irnpor-
R1t stations along their lines, while officials
aAd clerks visited factories and stores. solicit
Hg and recording the signatures Of business
afn and laboTers alike TO set forms Of petitions
FRh the demand. Let us alone" The moral
s-eson" which d railroad is able 10 bring into
asi 10 obtain signatures in a situation Ike
aai Is obvious one incident in the campaign
ElgIicai OF most Of It: The Erie Railroad sent
is special train with high officials aboard.
soag the southern tier of counties where bust
ASs men and business life alike depend ire
1saoousy the Erie. and where any spirit
aostility on the part of its officials toward a
9An or an individual would be felt almost To a
Aal degree a: Horncil the Erie maintains
Na'7s In those shops about seven hundred sig
-al1es 10 Z stock petition were obtained and
Gag sent 10 the Senator representing that dis
tdu
PLEA WAS LET Is ALONE"
The Railway Business Association. with q ros-
Sf q some of the biggest mercantile and man
maturing concerns in the United States made
powerful argument against the strengthen
Is amendments % the Public Service commits
solS lsT last week, although the two officials
y mat organization who spoke here did not dis
-ss on Us merits one line of the proposed legis
alol- Their plea simply was Let us alone"
'A-1llly blended with allusions to the vast
'+'ie aAd influence of the organization and the
-1nlhers Of men dependent on it.
= member OF the organization in Buffalo was
sAeu oy d friend why he had joined il and was
ls part in such a reactionary movement,
e.eH MS Principles had always seemed 10 favor
'.@l the legislation represented
6h! tine IN the last year when ! have gone
N railroads Office to sell bill OF goods.
.s Manufacturer replied. "the answer has
We cannot buy your goods our bust
mas gone 70 pieces. The Public Service
iqission and laws like that which created
ere killing as What am 1 to do: I'm in
-1N'isss 70 SCI! goods. and I have To take my
Sha %ith The railroads.
N"oes Il high priced corporation lawyers
- hocEed 10 the Capitol in the last week or
!" ia numbers ana prominence far exceeding
sNAhg ef the sort Witnessed here in almost
@zeade. These legal acceerators have be
Sc committees and individual legislators
u HEIR arguments against further attempts