New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-02-26
REPORT
TO CALL BOARD
INEFFICIENT
Committee Is Ready to
Show Commissions
Neglect of Duty.
LETTER TO WHITMAN
WILL TELL FAULTS
F. w. Whitridge SCOTS at Board
Mitchell Favors City Con-
troll in Tube Work.

Governor Whitman will be informed
by the legislative committee investi-
eating the Public Service Commission
that, in its opinion, the commissioners
have been inefficient and negligent in
so far as the regulatory side of their
duties is concerned. That seemed to be
the impression following an executive
session last night.
None Of the members Of the commit
tee, it is understood, was inclined to
dispute the statement that such a con-
dition of affairs existed. Unless a
change of opinion comes overnight, and
if the tenor Of letter that Chairman
Thompson and William Hayward, coun-
sci, were authorized to prepare, suits
the comm itteemen at another executive
session this noon, the communication
will be forwarded 70 the Governor at
once.
As TO whether the members Of the
commission have been efficient and do
in, their full duty on the construction
side of the work the committee is loath
to express an opinion. They are minded
to say to the Governor that the record
speaks for itself.
Senator Foley, chairman of the Tam
many Hall law committee, took the
position that as TO both sides of the
commission the Governor should be
asked to take the record and judge for
himself.
Whitman Asks Facts.
The letter to the Governor will be in
response to one ne sent Senator
Thompson yesterday, which is said to
represent a compromise between the
two men. According to report the Gov
ernor wished a complete report on this
commission before the committee took
up the investigation Of the upstate
board next week. Senator Thompson
said it could not be done. But he has
promised a statement in reply to this
communication from the Governor:
If your committee has ascertained
from its inquiry thus far conducted
whether the Public Service Commits
sioners of the First District have
been efficient and have performed
their full duty, or have been ineiii-
cient and have neglected their duty,
either separately or as a body, as
shown by their official actions, | re-
quest that you communicate to me
your conclusions.
Immediately after reading this letter
into the record, Senator Thompson
asked that copies be sent to the COM
missi0fers, with the word that the
committee would be glad to receive
anything they had to say before the
executive meeting to pass on their
cases. Chairman Mccall sent for the
commission records tending TO show the
vast amount of regulatory routine it
had to handle Commissioner Cram, in
a four page letter, explained that on
some of the occasions he was credited
with riding in car of the Public Ser
vice Commission he had as companion
one of its inspectors on duty.
In brief note Commissioner Malt
bic said he believed the record of the
hearings would give no adequate idea
of the vast amount Of good construc-
tive work accomplished by the commits
sion. lie knew in his own case, he said,
that trivial matters had been used to
criticise him. and that the record
would now show what he had done Of
an affirmative nature.
Decision Expected To-day.
After ar executive session Senator
Thompson said the committee had
reached no decision, but expected to
at the meeting this noon. lie denied
there had been any Disagreement be-
tween the members of the committee.
1t is understood the Governor is
anxious to have some conclusions from
the committee as to the efficiency of
the present commissioners, so that
charges may be prepared against such
as have been shown to be inefficient.
Continued on page 3. column 3
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