New-York tribune., 1910-12-19
WAR ON GRAFT HUNTERS
City Club Denounces Committee
for Its Sins of Omission.
HAD IGNORED SUGGESTIONS
Letter Says Legislative Majority
Tried to Prevent Facts from
Coming to Light.

The City Club OF New York. in q letter
to Edwin A. Merritt jr. chairman of the
legislative investigating committee, which
was made public yesterday, put itself on
record as condemning the present investlga-
ton and the method in which the counsel
to the committee. NJ. Linn Bruce, exam
ined certain of the witnesses who were
active in promoting traction legislation.
More than that, the club denounced In the
letter the sins of omission by the commit
tee. prominent among which. the letter said.
was the failure to bring out from ex-Sen-
ator Jotham P. Aids. when he on the
witness stand, anything concerning his dou
bic employment as legislator and lawyer
for railroad and other corporations inter
ested in legislation which came before him
fn his capacity state Senator and as
legislator. and at the same time counsel
for the state in the matter of land pur
chases
'AS q general rule, member of the
Legislature SO circumstanced SIS was Sen
ator Aids could have given good, inde-
pendent judgment on appropriations for the
state purchases in which he was employed
nor on legislation affecting public service
corporations by which he was retained
the letter said, "and to determine to what
extent this practice has existed and still
exists, and to prevent its existence in the
future, is one of the things of great I'M
portance which the present legislative COM
n,ittee has not even touched upon to date.
We hope there is still time for it,
Through its executive committee, aided
by Edwin A Watson as counsel, the City
Club has been taking an active interest in
the work of the present legislative investi-
eating committee. The clubs aim at first
was cooperation with the investigators, and
TO that end the Aids matter. mentioned
above, which Mr.. Watson brought out in
connection with ex-senator Benn Congers
case was put before the counsel for the
present committee.
AS explained at that time to NJ Linn
Bruce, counsel for the committee the City
Clubs idea not to attack Aids fur
ther, but TO use the material afforded by
the discovery of his double connection with
the state and at the same time with power
full corporations a basis for recommend
ing legislation which would prohibit such
practices by Senators and Assemblynen in
the future
In the same way Robert s. Binkerd the
secretary of tie club with Mr.. Watson
acting under the direction of the executive
committee. presented to Mr.. Bruce and the
investigating committee a. number of other
matters which served as prominent exam
pies of certain legislative procedures which
needed amendment
Committee Ignored Advice.
Their endeavor to aid the committee was
evidently ignored, however. according to
this paragraph from Mr.. Binkerd's letter to
Mr.. Merritt:
Weeks ago your committee had on the
stand the fathers OF the most vicious trac-
ton legislation in bygone years We re-
Guested counsel to your committee to take
up some Of these bills, particularly that
series known the METROPOLITAN traction
grab bills in considerable detail In spite
OF this fact, however, scarcely a question
was directed to revealing what made It
possible for bills to be introduces and
passed without a single word of explana-
ton as to their purpose and with not even
a signed statement by the committees rec
ommending these bills as TO their reason
for such recommendation
Concerning the resolution under which
the investigating committee is acting Mr.
Binkerd's letter from the City Club said:
I'VE regret that your committee has Iabored
under the handicap of resolution appar-
emily designed, far as the ingenuity OF
q majority of the Legislature could design
it, to prevent facts from coming to light
and it suggested that the question of the
fire insurance end of the investigation
should not have been combined with the
work of the committee, whose chief object
was supposed 10 be the barring of corruption
with view TO naking it impossible in the
future.
The City Clubs letter went on to sug-
gest that every committee of both branches
of the Legislature should have a calendar,
available to the public; that every commit
tee be required to report, either favorably,
adversely or with amendment on each bill
referred to it, with written report of the
committees reasons for such favora BILE, ad-
verse or amended report: that every private
or special bill should be accompanied by
an affidavit or evidence showing the grounds
on which relief was sought from the Legis
lature; that the calendar Of each house
should be made up week in advance, and,
finally, the questioning suggestion:
is there a real necessity for the exist
arce of the Rules Committee in the AS
sembly?"
The letter pointed out that OF 1,lSo piifs
introduced in the state Senate in 1910 5S1,
or practically half were private, special or
notify local bills, and urged legislation or
even constitutional amendment which would
do AWAY with legislative consideration of
.,,e oreater part of such petty bills.
Committees Conduct q Scandal.
.For some years the conduct of at least
a.. Committee on Privileges and Elections
of tho Assembly has been something of a
scardal, Mr.. Binkerd wrote. and he added
that il had been the custom to bring IN
the renorts of that committee so late In the
session that It was almost joke
At the last session, in determining the
contests on the seats or Assembly men
Eriend and Brennan. this committee spent,
a~c,usive of the services Of regular leg1s-
,,+iva enployes the sum of 1854 40, ac-
cordine to Mr. Biukerd. which sum was
,,,d. IN of hotel bills in New York City,
I'D NJ carfare to New York and back, at
tho and of almost every Legislative week
..Moreover the of Assemblyman
Brennan was apparently prejudged from
tho start" he asserted, 'as he was made
poenber of the committee which sat upon
his own contest
The investigating committee Will meet
this morning, and will probably END us
,,,b,ic sessions this week Fire insurance
matter. will engage its attention for the
most OF the week. it is said, with one day
given over to the exa minauon OF City
bsmberiain Charles II. Hyde and AIger-
NON Daingerfield. in connection with the
croft nrobe of the racing interests.