New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-02-04
REPUBLICANS VOTE
STATE GRAFT HUNT
Conference Adopts ResOlu-
ton for Assembly to
Pass To-day.
SPEAKER TO NAME
COMMITTEE OF 8
Hcnnessy To Be One Of First
Witncsses-W Whitman Wanted
for Counsel.
Lev Tclcsrsph 70 The rrIbun. J

Albany. Feb. 3.-The Assembly VIII
adopt resolution tomorrow providing
for state Vide investigation OF the High
WAYS Department and any other depart
meuts Of the state that public interest
requires" This plan was agreed upon oV
the Republicans i'm conference this ever
irG.
The investigating committee VIII DC
composed OF eight Assembly men-tVe nc
pubiicans. two Democrats and one fIo-
gresslve-who will lie appointed og
Speaker Sweet. The committee viii SIT IN
Albany. New York city and elsewhere IN
the state. john A. Hennessy VIII De one
Of the first witnesses called.
The anti-Barnes Republicans. who pre-
vented further delay in introducing the
resolution 10y a threat To coalesce win
the Progrcssivcs and independent Demo-
Gratis. are insisting that the investisatlon
start this week II was the anti Barnes
fac ton which forced upon Barness ioi-
lowers the provision which will make the
investigation a real one-if the committee
feels that public interest requires it To
investigate other departments besides the
Highways.
The Barnes programme. which was ue-
feated. merely provided for an investga-
ton of the Highways Department win
the sole purpose of Offering remedial lesis-
lation. Barnes wanted the Tammany SEN
ate to aid in the investigation.
Speaker Sweet said the question OF
counsel had not beer decided en-, but that
there was no doubt that the Assembly
could conduct its own investigation and
that the state would have to foot the DILL
The progressive Republicans want either
Whitman or his assistant, John hirhiahd
Clark. as counsel. Assemblyman Hot' OF
BROOKLYN offered a resolution to-day
favoring Frank Moss, who resigned last
week from Mr.. Whtman's staff
The resolution prescribes that as the
administration OF the Highways Depart
ment since the abolition of the Hughes
non-partlsan highway commission mas
been marked with insfflciency waste ana
corruption, with losses to the state III this
department thus far confined to the eA-
pendture OF the first s50,"p0o, an AS
sembly committee shall be appointed 10
make a thorough investigation 10 the
end that such remedial legislation may DC
enacted rs will prevent continuance OF
such waste and loss in the expenditure Oh
the second $50 100000
Assemblyrnan Ho-;cn. OF Erie, protested
against the adoption OF the resolution.
His criticism was N the ground that d
mere permission to make the Investigation
statewide would prove ineffective. He
| also pointed out that 1t was unreasonable
to expect such a committee to make any
investigate OF value within the Short
time allotted to it.
Senator Murtaugh. the Democratic lead
er OF the upper house, has introduced
resolution fixing March q as the time Ter
final adjournment. and says that he mas
his party back OF him In insisting on this
date. Should the programme be carried
out, the committee. under the terms OF
the resolution, would have bare month
in which to make the investigation.
Both the Democratic and Progressive
leaders are hostile TO the resolution IN
the sha Je adopted by the Republican con-
ference. so that 1t would require only a
small Republican detection TO defeat the
project or change it radically.