The sun., 1919-02-06
SEE 1 MAN CONTROL
OYER SUBWAY WORK
Republican Legislators Not
Averse to Governor Nam
ing Commissioner.
FOLEY BILL Is FAVORED
Plan to Put Work Outside Ny.
City Under Upstate Board.
Also Approved.


ALBANY, Feb. b.--Although Repuo-
leans in the Senate and Assembly are
expected to have a party conference be-
fore they take nnal action on Public
Service Commission matters, It was said
tonight that the ultimate result will be
the passage OF bill giving Gov. Smith
power to name a single rapid transit
commissioner to supervise completion OF
New York subways and another bill
which will put all other Public Service
jurisdiction of the present upstate
commission.
This plan has not been agreed to. but
T. Is gradually gaining approval The
Republicans have found there is nothing
from the partisan point of view to the
argument against passing n bill creating
q rapid transit commission, to be named
by Gov. Smith, because the Governor al
ready has II in his power to throw con-
troll OF the New York city commission
into the hands OF the Democrats. He
has two vacancies to fill. and since the
first OF the year he has had in his pos
session the resignation of Commissioner
-.
can act on it at any time.
Hearings Declared Closed.
The hearings on proposed Public Ser
vice Commission reorganization bills did
not bring forth much popular comment.
20 Senator George F. Thompson, CHAIR
man OF the Senate Public Service Com
mittee. declared the hearings closed. The
bills under consideration were the Foley
bills. recommended by Gov. Smith
creating a single Repid Transit Commits
sion and substituting for the New York
five man commission a single commits
sioner with four deputies. and the bill
introduced by Senator Thompson follow
:ng the legislative probe OF the Public
Service Commission consolidating the
two commissions into a single commits
sion CT seven members.
At q hearing to-day Walter Arndt
representing the Citizens Union. opposed
the Foley bill for single Public Service
Commission with four deputies. He said
conditions in New York under the pres
ent commission have not been wholly
satisfactory" Henry Updyke of the
Broadway Association said that II re-
sponsibllity were centred on one man
conditions would improve. lie approved
the Foley bill.
Bills to Come Up Next Week.
Senator Thompson has had onefor two
long conferences with Senator j. Henry
Walters, Republican leader of the SEN
ste, regarding public service legislation.
He said to-day that some bills would be
formulated and reported by his COM
nittce for consideration By the Senate
next week.
Speaker Thaddeus c. Sweet OF the
Assembly also said he has been giving
serious consideration to public servies
matters. as he believes that. WHAT ever
the Legislature does this year u must
bring results to remedy q condition that
Is admittedly bad.
while I have not definitely made ur
my mind" said the Speaker. cit seems
20 me the proper solution would be to
take from the present New York COM
mission it's power over subway construc-
ton and put the work in charge OF a
single commissioner. as has been sug-
Gested.
Instead OF recognizing what IL left
OF the New York comm sson, however
] believe the proper thing to do would
be TO concentrate in the present Second
district or upstate commission all au
thorty over public utilities, leaving II n.
q five man commission and giving Il
r1lapfV M holm n q work