New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-02-23
SENATE FOR Light
W4NTS VIDE INQUIRY
Investigation Of Charges IN IL
bang Made for Years Fdc0red.
icy Telesra, b 10 The 7,rlbuae

BY feleSra, TO The Tribune.
Albany, Feb. 22.-No such choking Oh
or n general investigation Of legislative
corruption as Speaker Wadsworth under
took in tie Assembly last night will DC
tried by the Senate leaders. Abundap :,
assurance was given OF that tonight =
Senator Davis. OF Buffalo. who is NV
acting as President pro tempore.
Il the continuation OF the Aids bribery
investigation does not bring out mate.lal
enough TO satisfy the most ardent seeker
of Investigations. some resolution similar 70
the Wainwright or Newcomb resolution
VIII te reported 10 the Senate for de-
bate Undoubtedly it will - passed. ana
Speaker Wadsworth and his followers
in the Assembly then viii have to take inc
responsibility for further action.
The Senate Finance Committee heio "
meeting to-day. but did not consloe
either tie Wainwright resolution or Sei'N w.
Newcomb's. presented last night. seha'o'
Wainwright made a request tina, hl7 ~
acted upon, but this was not done
Senator Nainwright's request came >"
late that the committee could not 'dhe
I'D a this meeting. said Senator mn
chairman OF the Finance Committee
seems somewhat Of q question now "o's"
il. whether any resolution VIII pe
sary@ so much material is belns III Jug
out in our presen. investigation that II II
continues hardly anything VIII ne ielt "
investigate. Our committee. OF course WIZ
take up the two resolutions now before 1t
and give them proper consideration. pu'
that in all proba biity will come Wheh the
Aids case is disposed of.
SENATOR'S IMPRESSED.
The attitude of the Senate leaders toward
the disclosures in the Aids case is dis
tinctly different from that held by the men
responsible for the conduct of affairs III the
lower house. To the Senators IT seems a
very grave matter, and one Of sufncienu?
vital interest 10 the people of the state 10
be probed TO the very bottom SAID Sena-
tor Davis tonight to the Tribune CORE
spondent:
The evidence that has been given IN TINS
investigation up TO date tends TO show that
there was distribution OF money for the
purpose Of defeating legislation that Is
considered good by every one except those
interested in the construction of bridges.
IF any further facts or information can
be obtained by this investigation connecting
in any way the names OF corporations or
live men with those acts 1T is expected
that those names will appear before TINS
investigation closes.
I'm case of the death Of either Senator
Aids or Senator Conger or both at TINS
time this investigation still would be con-
tinued as long as there is a question LETT 10
ask
Several phases of the situa ton which
have developed in the last two OF three days
OF the inquiry will have TO be probed thor
oughly either before the Aids case is ended
or in the proposed general inquiry. These
are:
Whether the $4,000 said to have been
given to Jean Burnett was distributed TO
any other legislators.
WHO the man was who made the alleged
demand for $4,000 from the bridge COM
panies in 1905.
publican state machine in this legislative
manipulation of the highway bills
The precise connection OF other men
named by Senator Conger-both legislators
ard bridge company people-with these
highway measures
II will De perfectly easy to take UP most
Of these matters because numerous men
now living can be called on to testify. II
Frederick ". Sage, whose name was men
toned to-day. is summoned 10 testify and
gives information approaching in value the
information furnished by Senator Conger,
in the opinion Of many here a general in
VeSti2a ton on which the Assembly must
be represented to protect its own interests
will be Inevitable.
WANT LIGHT TURNED ON.
The argument is advanced by the people
who contend that a general investigation
by committee empowered to look into
alleged corrupt practices in other years
will be necessary: that the continuation of
the Aids case even IN its broadest aspect
can shed light only on what happened to
one business which was affected by legis-
lation.
In other words. they recall Senator Con-
gers comment that what happened to the
bridge interests was only q flea bite to
what happened 10 other interests. Some
of these men are determined to get to the
bottom Of al the allegations Of corruption
which have been going the rounds for many
Years They say that if the legislative and
general political system was so rotten that
wholesale corruption was possible there
should be an exposure OF that fact.
1t is probab BILE that as one result of the
Aids case legislation will be presented
taking the crime OF bribery out of the list
Of crimes punishment for which becomes
impos.ible under the statute of limitation,
after the lapse of period of years