New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-06-25

Senator Murtagh's highway commission
reorganization bill will be the second i'm
portant measure to pass the lower house
next week There will be a perfunctory
fight nade against II by the Republicans,
but nobody seems TO have any notion that
its passage can be stopped. This bill. when
the Governor has signed IT. will abolish the
present highway commission and turn over
the work Of building good roads TO the
State Engineer, the Superintendent Of
Public Works and Superintendent of
Highways to be appointed by the Gov
ernor.
Local legislation will occupy the time of
the Assembly for the rest of the week. Oh.
yes-if the members can be held here the
income tax amendment may be taken up.
Most Of the Senates work will be the
ousting Of Republican ofiiceholders and the
creation of Jobs for good Democratic party
workers First will come the passage Of
bill abolishing the present Court of Claims
and substituting for it a Board OF Claims
similar TO the board which preceded the
present court. 1t will have three members,
at salaries Of $500 a year The judges of
the present court receive $1,000 year.
Some small economies In the employees of
the organization are scheduled also. There
has been much question about the consti-
tutionaIity of aboishing the Court of
Claims. but the Democrats finally have de-
cided that they can by legislation wipe II
out Of existence and substitute new ma
chinery after this fashion. Needless to
say, the three members of the proposed
Board of Claims will be Democrats.
To Wipe Out Canal Board.
Another job-grabbing bill will be the one
wiping out the Canal Board of Advisory
Engineers and permitting the State Engi-
neer. i'm place of these engineers, TO hire
special consulting engineers when and how
he pleases. While much opposition TO this
measure has come from the canal cities
and from organizations like the New York
Board Of Trade and Transportation, the
Produce Exchange and commercial boards
upstate it is slated for passage. The
economy proposition is the reason as
signed. Those interested in the canal work
predict that it will be very costly move
and one likely TO be fraught with grave
danger of future scandals, like the ones
which led to the formation of the Board Of
Advisory Engineers. Senator LOOMS. of
an amendment. reducing the board from
five members to three. The present plan.
though. is 10 wipe out the entire board.
Senator Wagner, temporary president,
also hopes to pass the bill restoring the
inheritance tax schedules 10 their old
rates and the Wagner conservation bill
next week The inheritance tax bill Will
occasion little debate. over the conserva-
ton BILL which proposes TO consolidate the
Forest. Fish and Game Department and
the State Water Supply Commission, ere
ating three bureaus in the conservation de
partment, 10 have charge of forestry mat
tiers, fish and game affairs and water stor-
age and supply questions, there VIII be a
long fight. This IS really the one piece OF
constructive legislation Of the Dix admin
istration. although It differs vastly from
the ideas which Governor Dix announced
on the subject al the beginning OF his ad-
ministration and at times since. IT VIII be
supplemented in all probability, by the
adoption Of a resolution for the study OF
questions of water storage by legislative
committee. to report next year.
ANY definite date for adjournment is as
far from selection as IL was a month ago
The legislative leaders talk cheerfully about
July s, but mean July 10, while some OF
them admit privately that July y VIII be
more likely TO be the day. They wait anX-
iouslv some word from Washington about
the Congress reapportionment bill, but
nothing definite comes. Meanwhile the
houses have quorum about two days a
week. and county leaders and charitable
Senators are paying the railroad fares and
ri -lsI ltglSlafO
10 have Them here when the boss needs