New-York tribune., 1910-01-20
[By Telegraph TO The Tribune ]

Albany, Jan. 19.-With both parties 10
the AIlds-Conger bribery controversy de-
manding the fullest and most complete
investigation of the entire case. there is
much discussion at present among Sena-
tors as TO what procedure shall be
adopted in making that inquiry The
question may be thrashed out in the
Senate session tomorrow II may be
that caucus of Republican Senator's
Will be necessary to decide whether
committee or the full Senate shall hear
evidence and conduct the case
Friends of Senator Aids maintain
that the affair should be followed
through by the Senate sitting as COM
nlittee of the whole, deeming that pro-
cedure fair TO both men. and more likely
to be method thorough and public in
every detail Some of the Senators who
refused TO vote for Senator Aids as
majority leader say that this method
would be cumbersome and rounda bout
and might result in producing conditions
less desirable than would the conduct Of
the inquiry by a special committee
All precedents are for the handling of
the inquiry by a legislative committee.
In the Sessions-Bradley case, in 1881.
when Assemblyman Bradley charged
Senator Sessions with having given him
$1,000 on an implied agreement TO vote
for Chauncey NJ. Depew for Senator the
Assembly Judiciary Committee heard
the evidence. This case was a plan" on
the part OF Bradley TO draw on Ses-
sions. The legislative committee Ses-
siOns having been indicted by the AL
bany County Grand Jury. meanwhile de-
cided TO leave action to the criminal au-
thorities.
CASE A UNIQUE ONE.
Likewise. in 1895. the Raines-Cogge-
shalI-"New York Press case, where the
Senators were accused of accepting a
bribe in connection with certain insur-
ance matters, the Senate Judiciary Com
mittee heard the evidence but there is
no case in the history of the state pre-
cisely like the Allds-Conger affair. So
far as anybody here has been able to
discover. because both men are now
members of the upper house of the
Legislature. They were colleagues in
the lower house when the offence is al
legged 10 have been perpetrated. and the
statute of limitations having inter
vened no criminal action would be pos
sibIe in any event.
Many here consider it probable that
the committee plan finally will be
adopted, as the Senate sitting in com
mittee OF the whole would be likely TO
need a counsel or prosecutor, would
have to devise some practical procedure
for summoning and examining wit
nesses. and under the circumstances
hardly could transact any other busi-
ness until this case was disposed of
Yet this scheme has it's advocates. SEN
ator Cobb. friend of Senator Aids.
advocated il strongly to-day
II favor an open inquiry by the Sen
ate" said he. Some Senators. l know.
favor a committee investigation, but |
say we ought TO have this as open and
pubhc as possible. and all that will be
accomplished by the Senate investiga-
tion. while some people might profess
10 believe that any committee appointed
was packed. II is self-evident that this
must be a. thorough, unprejudiced and
sweeping inquiry. no matter where the
trail leads, no matter who may be hit
If any business of this sort has been
done by members of the Senate or others
they must be thrown out and the dig
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