The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-03-23
WHITMAN TO FORCE
CAUCUS ON TAX BILL
Measure. Fought by Comptrol-
lcr. Causes Split in
Assembly.
BOTH SIDES LINING IP

ALsANy. March 90. Go,. Whitman
began u systematic canvass of the Re-
publican Assembly men to-day in an Ct
fort to pledgc sufficient votes to have
that house pass his bill creating u state
tax department to replace the present
TaN Commission. controlled Nv Demo-
Gratis.
Indications are that when the bill
comes up for consideration in the Assem-
bly, tomorrow action on 1t will b. post
poned until next week to give the Gov
crnor aud House leaders An opportunity
to work on the Asscmblymcn known TO
oppose Il.
4 caucus probably will hc called 10
get the Asscmblymcn pledged to the tax
pill. Friends OF Comptroller Travis,
who Is fighting efforts Of the Governor
to get the hill passed. declare that \ ma
iority OF the Republican Asscmblymcn
is opposed To the bill. There are nine
ty-nine Republican Assemblymen. so II
a vote were taken tomorrow the meas
ure would be beaten by a two TO one
vote.
Tho Governor had a long conference
to-day with Speaker Sweet and told him
that he wanted u caucus on the measure
to save his bill.
"rve got to have this bill and I'm go
ing to nave II passed. rs said to have
been the gist Of tho Governors dcclara-
tions to the speaker.
Republican Leader Hinnsu. Assembly
men Mater and Wheeler and other iufiu-
entail ~Assemblymen who arc lined up
with the Governor expect To- put in -
busy week digging m votes IN favor of
the bill. Just ds soon as they have a
majority Of the Republicans pledged \
caucus will be called. and then the hght
will h. settled behind closed doors.
II - not believed that Comptroller
travis will try TO keep the Kings county
ACKNOWLEDGMENT. nov supporting him. from
tho caucus bur that rather he Will have
them 90 10 the caucus 10 put up = rcd
hot Aght and try to control tho action
Of the caucus. Tho Conptroller is not
opposed To the creation OF tho new do
hut no docs not Hike the proyi-
sion Of the hill which takes power from
the corporation tax bureau 90 his ONCE
Democrats under tho leadership Of
Assemhlyman Smith Of New York. the
minority leader. are eSpe tod 10 stand
firmly against tho tax bill. in an effort
"a keen the present Democratic commits
sioners in office. Their votes with the
votes OF the Republicans that the Comp
roller has pledged against the tax hill
would he more than enough to defeat
that measure.
The Governor and his trends decla 80
that most OF the opposition 10 tho hill
II not because ~ the stand taken by tho
Comptroller, hu: rises from the fact
THAT the upstate Republicans have not
read the latest amendments which have
removed objectionable features regard
,ng supervision Of local assessments by
tho new hoard.
Much upstate objection rose from the
fact that II was reported some time ago
thai tho Governor expected to name AT
least two OF tho three new tax commis-
sioners from Now York city. The up
State m.n were incensed - tins, but
now the Governors friends are passing
out the authentic information that only
one member will he named from New
York city. presumably ex-senator Mar
tin SAKE, and that the majority OF the
board. two members, will ~ named from
up state. when this is understood the
Governor hopes that much Of the opposi-
ton will be Quelled.