New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-05-13
BAD AMENDMENTS DEAD
Cut Out of Parker Measure al
Senator Davis's Request.
NO CHANCE OF PASSAGE
Legislators Not Anxious to
Handle Anything Sayoring OF
Being a Grab"
lbs Telegraph. to The Tribune


Albany Nav 12-At the request OF sen
ator Davis who presented them. the eInas-
culating amendments to the Parker Dill
amending generally the Public Service COM
missions law were wiped out of that meas
ure to-day II is virtually certain that they
will have no chance of passage. though Sell
ator Grady announced his intention 70 re-
introduce and fight for them. Legislators
declare the Consolidated Gas Company, az
whatever other corporation prepared them
will have had it's trouble for its pains As
semblyman Merritt still refuses 70 tell from
whom he received the amendments which
he handed to Senator Davis Nobody here
has any doubt about their authorship De
cause of the fact that they are, word for
word. almost identical with changes urged
by Charles F. MatheWson. who fought the
sO-cent gas law for the Consolidated
IF these amendments are wrong or
harmful. and really do not accomplish what
the people seem to think they do they will
be taken out of the BILL" said Mr.. Merritt.
IF they are not taken out of the Senate
they will be in the Assembly That IS all
L care to say about it If people want 20
believe that I knowingly would eEnascuiate
my own law, why they will have to go on
believing it." he said.
Friends of the leader OF the Assembly
say he has told them he received the
amendments from man ne considered
friend of the bill. and passed them along
to Senator Davis. owing 70 Senator Gradys
absence. He told them that this was the
first time in his long experience he had
done such messenger work. and evidently
he had been imposed on. The experience
would help him to avoid a similar mistake
= e
much ability and long experience, and the
idea that he could be imposed on about
anything regarding the bill he fathered ard
had passed is so novel il has proved very
attractive and interesting 70 the legislators
generally.
The fate of the changes which might re-
suit in the wiping out of the SD-cent gas
law and the scent fare proposition in
New York City and the 2-cent-a-nnile
fare on the New York Central was settled
by the mere announcement of their nature.
While there is a considerable amount Of.
bravado in the Legislature at present and
much talk among the legislators about
reaction" and the good old times" not
many individuals seem anxious TO handle
anything susceptible Of being called
grab bilT' or a corporation measure
Senator Davis lost no time in getting
from under He called up the Parker bill
to take out the changes 1T is my de-
sire he said. Ito eliminate the amend
ments offered by me yesterday. 1t is not
my purpose to interfere with the bill in
any way more than 10 take out these
amendments for which I decline TO stand
sponsor"
Senator Grady said it would be much
better not TO take up the bill then Il de
sire 20 offer the amendments which have
been criticised so harshly,'' he said. There
was mistake about the way they went
in There is not one of these amendments
but can be justified. want TO spend some
time on them az some future day. I want
the bill on the flies SO I can get these
amendments in later, and intend to DO
what l can to sustain them
The amendments were wiped out on a
formal vote. The bill in Its new form Will
be on the files, and Senator Grady when
it is taken up will re-offer these amend
ments and will endeavor. TO have them
adopted and the bill passed IN that form.
Representatives Of civic organizations
and of the Public Service commissions have
been on the watch for these changes for a
considerable time. They heard that the
Consolidated Gas Company intended 10 Try
TO wipe out the 60-cent gas law in this
roundabout fashion. The scheme, accord
ing TO their information, was that these
amendments were TO be made TO the Pub
lie Service commissions law. authorizing
the commission 10 raise as well as lower
rates. even where they were fixed by law.
Then a case would be brought before the
commission for decision as TO whether the
s0-cent rate was just. and if the commits
sion decided it was, there would be OPP
portunity for another legal fight. clear 20
the United States Supreme Court. They
believe the event justified their information
and subsequent actions. They will do
everything possible 10 prevent Senator
Grady from being successful in his attempt