southwest. He succeeds in the assembly Assemblyman Brereton, who Brereton, who announced sometime ago that he will be a candidate in the Republican Charles D. Donohue, the new Democrat floor leader, is from the fifth district, New York county. He is a lawyer and was first elected to the assembly in 1912 and has served therefore during 191314-15-16-17, this being his sixth year. All of the forty-three Democratic members in the assembly are from New York city except six. No bills were introduced in the assembly at the first session, January 2. In the senate, however, twelve were presented and reported to various committees. The one which will probably cause the most discussion of this number is that introduced by Senator Wagner amending the general city law authorizing any city in the State to acquire and operate the public utilities. This bill is especially intended for New York city, but will apply to any city in the State. Senator Wagner says that if there is objection to it from the other cities. he will change the bill and make it apply to New York city only. Senator Thompson has re-introduced his bill abolishing the present public service commissions and establishing a single commission of seven members, the chief commissioner of which is to be elected by the people, the other six to be appointed by the Governor. The commission would be divided into a hearing division and a regulatory division. Senator Thompson says there is more need than ever before for this change in the law. He announced at the opening session that he will be for municipal ownership of public utilities unless the public service commissions are re-organized. At the opening session of the senate there was a lively debate over the proposed investigation of campaign funds in the recent New York city election. Resolutions for this purpose were introduced by Senator Lawson of Brooklyn and Senator George F. Thompson. Senator Wagner wants the investigation to go beyond the accounts filed with the Secretary of State, district said he was opposed to any investigation unless it were shown that the facts could not be brought to the surface by the proper authorities in New York city. He contended that the district attorney could do all of the necessary investigating and bring the culprits to justice. He declared that he had been told $40,000 had been ex pended in Troy at the contending that not all the moneys collected and expended were shown in that accounting. Senator George B. Wellington of the Troy He recent election for Senator William H. Hill of Binghamton and Assemblyman Walter S. McNab of Schenectady have introduced the resolution for ratification of the federal prohibition amendment. They have also introduced the emergency prohibition bill which would forbid the manufacture and sale of liquor during the war. The Anti-Saloon league predicts that both of these resolutions will be passed by the legislature although there will be a stiff fight in both branches. Senator Hill was the author of the city local option bill passed at the last session of the legislature. He is regarded as one of the anti-liquor leaders in the State. Assemblyman McNab has been in the assembly three years. This year Schenectady county for the first time in many years has two members of the assembly. The other assemblyman is A. E. Davies, a Schenectady lawyer. One of the new members of the assembly, Nicholas V. V. Franchot, is related to the former superintendent of public works of the same name, under Governor Frank W. Higgins. Mr. Franchot is en gaged in the insurance business at Niagara Falls. Of the twenty-three assemblymen from New York county, always the stronghold of Tammany, only eleven this year are Democrats - less than half. Eight are Republicans and four Socialists. Queens county sends a solid delegation of six Democrats. Kings county elected thirteen Democrats out of a total of twenty-three, achieving the unusual result in sending more Democrats to the assembly than New York county. Seven of these twenty-three are Republicans and three are Socialists. Assemblyman John G. Malone of Albany county as chairman of cities committee will have considerable important legislation before him. The municipalities will ask a good deal from the State legislature this year. Broome is one of the counties this year which has two assemblymen, instead of one, under the new apportionment. Forman E. Whitcomb is the second member. He is an employee of the Endicott-Johnson company, the big shoe manufacturers. Governor Whitman's message, read to the legislature January 2, advises that as little change as possible be made in the laws this year. "I am apprehensive lest in the name of patriotism some unnecessary and unwise legislation may be enacted, and I, therefore, urge upon you the greatest care in considering proposed legislation." This paragraph with other parts of the message is taken to mean that the Governor will oppose the municipal ownership bill introduced by Senator Robert F. Wagner. The Governor also indicates his opposition to State development of water power or going into the business of producing electric power as was strongly favored |