Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1871-1872, 1871-08-15
OUR EEW EOgK LETTER.
<he pTew Republican Eowl about
Corruption In Rev York City,
The Republican rarty Response
BILE for Whatever Corruption Elk

The New York Times, and its kindred
echoes throughout the country are, ust now,
raising a great howl about corruption 10 The
New York city government. These papers
are very careful to make no mention of the
millions 6lched from the hard earnings Of
the people by the Grant administration, and
stolen from the peoples treasury by Grants
ofhcehoIiers. They make no mention OF
this, or of the State treasures made bank
rups by their csrpet-bsg and scsllawag
thieves 10 the South. In order TO clearly
understand this new howl, about corruption
in New York city matters, reference to
the past will be found interesting, and vii
show that whatever of corruption has exist
ed, the Republican party ia clearly response
bic for it.
1t is sixteen years since the Democratic
party has been in full possession Of the STATE
government OF New York Last year, for
the fret time in that period, the Democrat.
had the Governor, and bUsh houses OF the
Legislature. Daring oil that sixteen years
the Republican party governed the city OF
New York, through Commissioners author
izsd and appointed By Republican LegisiA-
lures. The people OF this cry we're permit
ted 10 choose their Mayor aud Aldermen,
IS irue-And 90 immense majority Of tn
people being Dem ocrsts, Of course the NAV
or and the Common CouHcil we're Dsmocrsl-
ic. But Republican Legislature had tax
h.
cll the power 10 assess taxes and the power
TO sudIt and pay bills. u assessments OF
property had TO Do confirmed by q Repubh.
oaa Legislature at AloSGvi Sil taxes were
levied BY Republican Legislature, and al!
bills for work done for the city had to be
audited by a Board authorized by
Republican Legislature. In 1857 Repub-
hcAn Legislature created q special Board OF
Supervisors tor this oity and county, com
posed OF Oue-hNif republicans and one-bau
Democrats, and III SIS q Repu bhcaI
Legislature made this scheme still worse b,
ensctIuR that each Supervisor should hoiO
office for SIX years. Instead Of the Who'll,
Board being elected each year, as at first
they we're divided INTO SIX classes, so thai
only two Supervisors would 60 out in any
year, and their Successors we're to be regu-
Early one Democrat and one Republican
keeping the Board always equally balanced
between the two political parties, and thus
subver,ing al party responsibility for the
rascAlIties It might perpetrRte. This grace
less child, begotten by q corrupt Republican
Legislature, proved worthy OF its parent.
The rogues on both sides kept each other ID
countenGncs and neither political party
being responsible for the Board, the only
rivalry was to see which would steal the
most. There may nave been one or two
honest men on each side, bot they were
poWeriess against the knsvish majority. IN
1870, as aoon as the Democrats we're in
majority ~ both branches of the Legislature,
Senator Vim. NJ. Tweed immediately intro
duced and secured the passage of an act
soolishing this by Bird Board of Supervisors
and placing the whole power of adding
and allowing bills in the hands of the Dem.
ocratS, where Il properly belonged, thus
placing the responsibility whore 1t should
be, and when all frauds would have been
prevented but for the unwArranted action OF
the Republican party. If there had been
any ehse',ve check on the old Board of Sup
ervisors the necessity for its abolit on would
nv 10 nave been 80 urgent and imperative.
"heh At mad audited bills the ComptrolIer
was compeheo to pay them. II ha r.C,.ad
the claimants would have applied for a 80
danua, As George Jones, the nro,,-. . uNn
the New York Times did, or have par ,esoI OF
ed a suit against the county, and the 80.
ur7 would have been depleted, not oul, =,
the amount of the bills, bat the costs. The
Law AboHahing the Board was therefore =
great mercy and relief TO the taxpayers. /
the Mayor and Comptroller had possessed
power to stop the payment Of bills which
the old Board OF Supervisors created, they
and not the Supervisors, would have beef
responsible, and there would have been n
such strong necessity of abolishing III
hybrid Board.
The Times has been for several days NAL
inc q great spurRe over the misdoinRs
the defuuct Board of Supervisors. As thu
boav has no mourners, as Mr.. Tweed bimse
pronossd the bill to abolish it, and ss no tW
legged thing in this city has ever propose
its resuscitation, the utility of exhibitin
the deformities of its corpse is not very q
parent. The very latest of all the bill
pArAded in the Times was for wOr
completed on the 29th of March, 1877