The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-03-08

'o-hlsnt were that the Senate Finance
Committee will report for the c~onsidera.
ton OF the Senate Gov. whitman's nomi-
nations of Travis II. Whitney aud
Charles y. hervey as members OF the
New York city Public Service Commits.
sion. They are expected to report also
the nominations Of Louis Wizard Of
Batavia. James NJ. Lynch OF Syracuse,
John Mitchell OF Mount Vernon. viii.
lam II. Ii. Rogers of Rochester and
Edward i. Lyon Of Brooklyn as mem.
bev Of the state Industrial Commits.
sion.
This mean that tho differences be.
tween the old guard Republican Sena-
tors and Gov. Whitman will be fought
out on the floor of the Senate. II Is also
taken to mean that all of the nomina.
lions eventually will he confirmed, with
= number OF Republican Senators alone
voting against confirmation.
The Senate committee listened to the
protest OF senators Thompson and Law
son against these nominations for over
three hours to-day. When the commit
tee adjourned 1t was the expectation
of Chairman Sage that .he committee
~ ''SNs tV~hKoitOW " Notts III WHICH
event the appointments VIC uld come up
for a vote in the Senate ON Thursday.
sage for Free Discussion.
These nominations present an impor.
tant problem said Chairman Sage to-
night. and 1t is my idea tina they
should be fully discussed In the open ON
the hoor OF the enate rather than be
Smothercd In committee"
Tn protests of Senator'S Thompson
and Lawson were heard in executive
session. First Senator Lawson as chair
man OF the subcommittee of the Tho.np-
son committee gave the details of the
subcommittee = findings regarding the
litigation TO test the validity OF the dual
subway contracts from the b. x. T.
standpoint. Then Senator Thompson in
general reviewed the objection he had
to appointing Whitney and Hervey.
Gov. Whitman has Just been quoted
to the eject that the administration OF
the Public Service Commission IN New
York city has been a public scandal
said Senate Thompson. II agree with
Gov. whitman. Mr.. Whitney has beer
a part of the commission since II was
established in 1907.
During this time the administration
of the commission has been "A scandal
" ~ bNs pttlt dbSDiuNflN tpflTOllfO
by the railroads by means OF secret, sub.
%terranean and subtle favors which have
been granted Ia the representatives OF
the railroads.. while equal privileges were
refused to individual complainants, al
because OF the y In which the sec.
retary's department had been admins.
tered.
Attacks Whitney's Work.
The complaint bureau of the commits.
sion has been In charge of Secretary
Whitney n the complaints show "a re-
ord of inattention from start to finish
Even answers to complaints were de.
layed. They were taken up and disposed
Of by Whitney and never got az far al
the commission
Il charge a scheme to complicate mat,
tiers before the commission 80 h thu
public would not understand what was
being done. Take the case OF Prior DE,
termina ions This term was used onl,
for the purpose Of misleading. No one
knows what IL means. IL Is supposed I,
cover a mathematical determination o.
what should lee charged to the city In thu
subway construction work for what wa.
expended by the railroads before tn,
contracts were signed.
".As "a matter OF fact II includes tn,
Shonts bonus and the bonuses to tn
lawyers. The prior determination argu
ment comprises twenty-nine closel,
printed pages. written In such a manner
AS to hide the fact that the bonuses wer,
included. The New York city Publ.
Service Commission has been run BY Sec
rotary Whitney, Counsel LIE Roy n. Hank
ness and Engineer L. L. Turner. The,
are the system. II is true the Commits
sioners have been removed hut the svs
fem remains. This cot.rle OF three ner
,ri,tad the comni.sionsr. IN knoy wha
~ a,ant.d ,h.,n 20 and tha,.S ali VI,
Cn,nmissionsr. do tnow ,ho,, ~. worL
WV
.r...u ~. ...,
"'
commissioner Strauss doesn't kno,
anything about the details OF tn
commission's work. Secretary Whitne.
Is most gracious and obliging when h
is around, but this little coterie Is fool
ing Commissioner Straus Just AS /
fooled the commissioners who were re
moved, and IL they are kept in offic
Commissioner Strau will never kno,
anything about the real work Of tn
commission.
"Mr. Hervey has been in the Comp
troller's Office for many years. n ha