The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-02-14
Breach OF Public Faith.

When the unanimous voice OF the people in
sisted on altering the State Constitution. some
eight years ago, the bone and sinew of the
ment from contracting any debts which direct
or contingent, singly or in the aggregate should
at any time exceed one million OF dollars" 1t
was, we venture to say, this clause which pro
cured the adoption Of our present constitution
in the year 1916. The people were sick Of
populations and debts. They had seen them
selves plundered year after year by the harpes
at Albany, till they fairly groaued beneath the
burden of their debt. Million after million had
been raised, borrowed received and finally
vanished into thin air. De Witt Clinton's sound
economy had become obsolete and was forgot
ten; the magnificent scheme he had fostered in
the cradle was being executed in the very way
he had Spent his life in denouncing. In short,
politicians were saddled on the back of the
people, and rode reckless of expense or popular
cutlery.
Had the people Of this State been accustomed
to manage their own political affairs with scru-
pulous exactitude, the infction would have
been less grievous. As fast as the politicians at
tempted to plumber, the people might have in
terposed for their own protection. Unfortrl-
nately. men in New York have so much bust
ness Of their own to manage, and in general
care so little about politics or political parties,
that it required an unusual effort to coun-
teract the organized endeavors of the
spoismen. The merchant had to be taken
from his counting house, the farmer from
his plough, the mechanic from his tools;
all taught the real causes of the increas-
ing debt ban ging over their heads; and finally
led reluctantly to the polls. Those who have
mixed actively in political cauvasses or con-
tests know how difficult thing it is to induce
any fair proportion of the public to move in
matter of this kind
The exisency of 1916 was, however, no ordi-
nary one. Our whole prosperity was at stake.
1t was clear that il the spoilsmen were let alone.
a very few years would see the State plunged
over head and ears in debt The imminence of
the danger reused the community from its
lethargic attitude, and the new constitution
prohibiting the contraction of new debts-was
ratified by an overwhelming majority.
The politicians were defeated. Their prey
was wrested from their grasp. The people, re
lying confidently on the protection afforded by
the restraining clause again forgot that they had
Legislature, and returned every man to his
own business-tbe merchant to his counting
house, the farmer to his plough, the mechanic to
his tools. They were content to suffer po-
liticians to gorge themselves on the pckings
afforded by the ordinary collection and dis
bursement OF the revenue; feeling perfectly GER
tain that no new debt could be contracted, and
that the prosperity of the State enabled us to
afford q few hundred thousand year to the po-
litical pickpockets at Albany.
This was the last understanding had between
the people and the politicians Eight years
baye elapsed since then. They have not been
| lost time for the latter. Not coatent with the
ordinary spells of the day. they have contrived
to swell their perquisites by the addition of q
sum falling but little short of four millions and
half They have actually taken out of the
Golfers OF the State $i,336i79 since 1918, in
| the shape OF reductions of the tolls on the
canals, and shared the same with the forward
ers aud boat owners On the line of the canals
We were content TO let them rob us Of what they
could on the ordinary expenses Of government.
We never murmured at their plferinga in any
way. More than this. we saw them deliberate
ly reduce the canal tolls knowing the whole
time that the change could do no earthly good
to any one but themselves and The forwarders
their coniederates Still we held our peace