New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-09-26
HINTS TO GRAFT HUNTERS
Citizens Union Queries Conduct
of Chairman E. A. Merritt, Jr.
ASKS LIGHT ON PARKER BILL
Five Amendments Under General
Orders Suggested as Material
for Investigation.

The Citizens Union IL following the city
Club on the trail Of the legislative graft
hunting committee. according to a state
ment issued yesterday by ]. o. Hammitt.
secretary of the union. The dates of the
correspondence included In the statement
from the Citizens Union show that they
started in 70 cooperate with the legts-
lative COMMITTEES even before the city Club.
but their first public announcement comes
Just few DAYS after the City Clubs public
statement
There is shade OF difference, too. in
the apparent attitude Of the two organiza-
tons The City Club states that il stands
for cooperation with the committee. al
though adding that they expect TO see
their cooperative efforts appreciated and
acted upon, but the Citizens Union, evil
IDENTIFY firing of the cooperative attitude.
put forth their statement more in the way
Of challenge TO the graft hunters to dig
up something that applies to the present.
Two letters form the bulk of the Citizens
Union broadside, the first Of which. ad-
dressed by Secretary Hammitt to NJ Linn
Bruce. counsel to the committee. on Az
gust q suggests that the committee could
accomplish much good by investigating the
process under which the general amend
ments IN the Public Service Commission
law. rejected by the Senate Judiciary Com
mittee. We're put through in general orders
on Nav 10 last. though stricken out the
next day.
In effect these amendments. SAYS the Cit
gems Union letter. would have permitted the
capitalization of franchises for which not
single dollar had been paid: would have
;,,+o in he
of so-cent gas for New York CITY and would
have made possible a street railway fran
chise in New York for a road charging
more than scent fare within the city.
On August Il Mr.. Hammitt. the secretary
Of the union received the following brief
reply from Judge Bruce:
Dear Sir: I beg to acknowledge receipt
of your communication of August Q. and
tSust you will pardon my delay in aCknowl-
edging its receipt. The matters to which
you refer will be brought to the attention
OF the committee for it's consideration.
Very truly yours. NJ LINN BRUCE
Mr.. Hammitt has not heard anything Of
his suggestions since that date. and he is
in the position of wanting to know
His letter TO Judge Bruce inclosed a state
ment made by Senator George A. Davis.
who presented the amendments TO the Sen
ate. and who, on learning from the Citizens
Union Of their contents, moved To strike
them out the next day.
In explaining his connection with the
amendments Senator Davis put the whole
matter up to AssembIyman Edwin A. Mer-
rift, ir., who, as majority leader of the As
seubly. had handed them 70 the Senator.
and who happens to he the chairman of the
legislative committee which the Citizens
nil ic 70 in,-ectieyate the activity
of Mr.. Merritt in this connection.
The Parker hill was the general bill
amending the Public Service Commissions
law on which these extra five amendments
were tackled and afterward removed.
while the Parker bill was i'm general
orders" said Senator Davis. Mt. Merritt
came to in the Senate chamber and
handed me memoranda of five amendments
TO the bill and stated that Senator Grady
would offer the amendments and that there
were no objections to them. When the bill
was reached in general orders. being de
sirous of advancing it to the order Of third
reading. and as Senator Grady absent
on account of illness. l handed up the
amendments for him.
According TO the statement made by the
Citizens Union in their letter to Judge
Bruce, Assemblyman Merritt said a that
time that ne had received the amendments
from one whom he understood to be a
friend of the bill. but he did not give the
name of the friend. and Assemblyman
Parker said on the same evening that 1t
was his opinion that no Assemblyman had
given the amendments to Mr.. Merritt.
The amendments were presented TO the
Senate says Mr.. Hammitt in his letter 70
Mr. Bruce, by Charles r Matthewson, of
New York and though rejected by the Sen
ate judiciary Committee, were afterward
presented in the Senate under the general
understanding that they were minor amend
ments TO correct the phraseology of the bill.