The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-08-16
LEWIS SAYS HEARST
HAS WHITMAN VETO
Attorney-General Credits Edi-
tor With Killing Of Water
power Bill.
AFFECTS COAL SHORTAGE
Governors Rival Accuses Him
Of Framing Measure and
Then Sidetracking It.

Attorney General Merton e. Lewis is
sued two statements attacking Gov.
whitman yesterday. One dealt with his
act as Governor In vetoing the so-called
water power bill last winter. In spite OF
the fact that he had assisted in framing
It and had It passed under an emergency
message. The second dealt with specu-
lation a. to what Gov. whitman would
have done had he been President since
tho war began. In both the Attorney
General credited william Randolph
Hearst with having much influence with
the Governor.
Regarding the water power bill the
Attorney-General said:
"a $4,000 horsepower development
created by the State in the Improvement
Of the barge canal in the city Of Oswego
In to-day going to waste because OF
Gov whitman's subserviencey to the
principles of Mr.. Hearst. Under the law.
the canal board Is forbidden to make
any disposition of this power except BY
specific enactment.
"A bill prepared under the direction
Of the state Engineer. the Superintend-
emit Of Public Works and the Attorney
General and approved by the canal board
was introduced and passed. providing
for lease of this water power by the
State, and IL approved by the Governor
would have made this vast Aggregation
Of energy available n q substitute Tor
coal and would have resulted In the pay
ment to the State of a largo sum OF
money.
The Governor vetoed the bill. He
vetoed It upon the ground that the bill
made no provision for tho acquisition OF
the power by the city OF Oswego. He
vetoed II because an ascemblage OF ad-
vocates Of municipal ownership, OF whom
Mr.. Hearst Is. in this State at least, the
chief. opposed the bill upon the specific
ground that It was in violation Of the
municipal ownership policy.
Next winter when the operations of
Industrial plants are likely to be sds-
pended by reason OF the shortage OF
coal when thousands OF families will be
suffering with the temperature at sero
or below and deliveries OF coal are likely
to be prevented by reason Of weather
conditions, this water power will not be
capable Of use"
After specializing at some length on
what attitude tie Governor might have
taken as President on the great CUES
tions that have come before the Federal
Administration for settlement in connec-
ton with the war. Attorney-General
Lewis continued:
I'm the light OF his relations with Mr..
Hearst, with the subserviency to Mr..
Hearst which has been apparent during
his term as Governor, with the ambition
Of the Governor to maintain himself IN
once and with the knowledge on his
part that Mr.. Hearst's numerous papers
will be helpful to him In the effort to
maintain himself, does any one suppose
that Mr.. Hearst's influence will not be
exerted upon Mr.. Whitman against the
cause OF the Allies. and does any one
apppose that Mr. Whitman a. fRRut
Dent would not yield to that inf!uenc67"
Gov. Whitman having adopted q pol
icy Of silence It Is left to william H.
Anderson, superintendent of the Anti
Saloon League, to throw hot shot at the
Attorney General. He charged the lat
ter yesterday with changing his mind
and favosing a referendum on prohibit
ticn because William Barnes OF Albany
had abandoned the State prohibition
amendment panacea in favor Of q ref
erendum on the Federal amendment.
Writing to Mrs. A. L. Livermore, vice.
chairman Of the Whitman primary cam
paign committee, Miss Nellie Swartz
secretary of the Consumers League OF
the City OF New York. said yesterday
that the record Of Gov. Whitman in re.
gard to labor legislation for women and
girls was/excellent. He Aas vetoed the
bad bills" she said, land signed the
good ones. and has clearly placed him.
self on record by his actions as serving
the interests OF the State in the pro.
lection OF our industrial workers."