New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1867-05-04
honor TO VHOM HONOR.


ences operated effectively in the late legisla-
ture, defeating important measures demanded
by the public interest it is still true that there
were some members who proved faithful among
the faithless, and whose virtue, purity, and
public spirit shone all the brightera amid abound
| ing venaity and baseness. Among the bright
est and noblest stands the name OF Mr.. Speaker
Pitts of the House of Assembly. He Is young
man, with his political fortunes yet to be won.
| 1t would have been great point gained
| could the cOrruptiOnists have secured his
| influence on their side. He was, no doubt,
aware that, if lie had favored them, they
would have served him. But he scorned
| the suggestion. He took the chair with high
sense of the responsibilities resting upon him,
| and of the sacredness of the trust committed
| to his hands. He avOwed himself the unyield-
ing foe of partial and corrupt legislation; and,
though mised in the formation of some i'm
portant Committees, his record was without
stain to the close of the session. In the chair,
| he was digniied, fair, decided, and prompt,
permitting no advantage to the arts OF the
selfish and mercenary, and on the floor elo-
quenty and ably maintaining the principles of
| truth and right. and the broad interests OF pub
lie utility. Whatever may be said of others,
no one will accuse Mr.. Pitts of faithlessness to
the public welfare.
Among those who sought to influence legis-
| lation the past Winter was the Citizens Asso-
| citation; and here again we recognize principles
and spirit utterly unlike those which have
brought the third house, or the lobby, into de-
served contempt and reprobation. The Asso-
citation had no private OF selfish ends to sub
serve. II went to Albany with a well-digested
system of improvements for this City, in which
all the interests concerned had been consulted
and harmonized it went with the public good
rs It's only object; it laid before the Legisla-
ture the Investigations and reasonlngs which
| had cost many months OF earnest disnterested
! labor, and it asked the Legislature to enact
| laws in accordance with those views OF the
public necessities which all our commercial
men approved 1t took no money to buy IN
| fluence or votes. 1t made no promises OF
future reward. 1t stood on the merits
and immense Importance of the sub
| icct. Ii assumed that legislators would
study only the public welfare Other
men, interested in the continuance of old
| local abuses, took money, but not show OF
reason or right, to aid their cause, and they
defeated the Association. But we are much
mistaken if the Association does not stand
higher than ever in its manly stainless purity
| of motive and aim, in its dignified, high-minded
! reliance upon the right and the good, in its
advocacy of great public interests. And the
! fact that there are men in this city who could
afford TO nay many thousands of dollars to
continue our disgraceful wharves and piers,
will prove to the conviction of all men, that the
rings of this city are its worst enemies, fatten-
ing on It's miscries, and dreading all intelligent
and worthy improvements rs drying up their
unholy gains.
! We rejoice that we have a body of men who
seek legislation on high principles of public
utility, and who scorn to degrade themselves
10y Offering brides to Legislators to induce them
| to do right. The example thus presented will
! have its influence. And the fact that the cOrrup
tionists of this city always go with full money
bags TO prevent the Legislature from passing
| bills asked for by the Citizens Association and
| demanded 10y the public welfare, will produce
! It's proper effect in due time.
The friends of reform were justly grieved
last Winter ut the defeat of the bill for a
| Board of Public Works, asked for by the AssO-
| citation.
The failure of the Wharf and Pier bill
! through corruption is nothing less than great
public calamity. Ncw-York is the commercial
metropolis not only of the State but of the ma
| ton, receiving more than three-fourths OF the
| imports Of the whole country, and shipping
more than half of all our exports, and yet pos
sessng the most disgraceful and dapidated
system of wharf and pier accommodation,
| causing vast losses in the landing and transfer
of goods, and repelling instead of attracting
trade. Every pound of tea coffee, every
| bushel of grain, cost the consumer and pro-
ducer an added tax on account of the waste
and injury occasioned by defective wharf ac
commodat0ns. The whole State suffers loss.
! The canal interest is damaged greatly by the
same cause, and the canal revenues impaired to
q serious amount.
The Citizens Association proposed a system
of grand proportions, adapted to all interests,
and aifoIding the highest advantages to com
merce and trade, diminishing the toll and waste
of business, and adjoining the City with mag
nifccnt accommodations for the immediate
transfer of goods from ships to warehouses,
and from warehouses TO vessels, without eX-
posurc TO the weather or to thieves. The plan
was one of the most comprehensive and adj
miIable ever devised, and was the result of
careful and protracted inquiry and elaboration.
The merchants and shipping and canal inter
ests were cordial and eager in its advocacy.
The Senate passed the bill almost unanimously,
but bribery and corruption finally defeated it;
and in doing this taxed every farmer in the
State who has bushel OF wheat to export,
and every man who consumes pound of tea
or coffee. The demoralizng influence Of bought
legislation is to be added TO the account in
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