New-York tribune., 1910-04-22
Wadsworth Subdues O'Connor.

Only one incident prevented the Assem-
bly's adoption of the resolution for an in
vestigation from being the most routine
kind Of a proceeding. This was the attempt
Of Assemblyman OConnor. n wild eyed
radical, 10 amend it to permit the investi-
cation OF the work Of the Armstrong life
insurance investigation committee to which
Governor Hughes was counsel Mr.. O'Con-
nor said he wanted to investigate scan
dalous omissions" Of that body with re-
spect TO its handling of the industrial in
sursnce field. The Speaker told him II was
impossible 10 amend a committee report
He undertook TO argue with the Speaker
on that ruling. but the Speaker told him
that ruling ended the matter, and empha-
sized his decision with repeated pounding
Of his gavel until the Assembly chamber
rang. OConnor subsided temporarily.
IL is pretty definitely settled that the
committee which will be named under this
resolution will he OF the young, progressive
element of Republicans. This will be espe-
cially true as to the Senate contingent
From legislator having unusual oppor-
tunities for information on this matter It
was learned to-day that almost certainly
the two Republican Senators would be
chosen from the following list: Cobb. Hin
crat probably will be Schulz or Wagner. Of
New York, or Bayne. of Staten Island All
these Senators are notably clean and pro-
gressive, while not rattleheaded or sensa-
tion seekers.
Assemhlymen Mentioned for Committee.
Gossip among the Assenblymen indicates
that Merritt. Parker, Conklin, Lee Walters,
Yale and McInerney are among the Repub-
lican eligibles. while Chanler Foley. A Z
Smith and Shortt are mentioned as likely
10 furnish the Democratic material. The ap-
pointments TO this committee probably will
be announced within few days of the
I final passage Of the resolution. The com
mittee itself may begin work a short time
after the adjournment OF the Legislature.
Adjournment should not be moro than
| two or three weeks away II the Legis-
lature continues the progress IL has been
making this week. The telephone and teIs-
graph bill was put into its final shape to-
day so far as the Assembly is concerned.
/ II will be reported Tuesday and gent over
4 to the Senate, unless something distinctly
/ not on the programme intervcues, before
/ the end OF the week
Representatives OF the legislative COM
/ mitteo which investigated the question of
state supervision of telephone and telegraph
! lines held consultation to-day with rep
I resentatives Of the Public Service Commits
! sion. I'd District. and the wire companies
/ Assemblyman James S. Parker presided
! Judge Hale, counsel of the commission.
represented that body, while Union y.
! Bethel appeared for the Bell telephone in
! terests, and B. u. HubJell. Of Buffalo, and
4 his attorney for the Independent telephone
1 interests The independents fought hard
! gainst the bill as il then stood coutendin,
I that IL was very unjust 10 them The bill
gave the Public Service Commission power
over franchises and extensions of systems.
! as well as over service charges, standards
of service and issuance Of securities. The
/ independents wanted to be able TO connect
I their lines without applying 20 the coinmis-
sior for permission 20 do SO. Finally the
subcommittee agreed TO amend the bill 20
4 permit the independent companies 10 con
meet dead ends" without application to
! the commission for permission If those
dead ends" were not more than fifty miles
apart. Also il was decided finally 10 per-
nit the holding Of stock in ono company
4 by another, with the permission OF the
! commission.