Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1871-08-02
Democratic Economy.

mere Il very SuDiilhlty Vi duu"Oi-
ty in the way the Democratic ring
which misgoverns New York defrauds
the taxpayers of that city. Its trans
actions evince not only an utter disre-
gard of that homely, old-fashioned vir-
tue known as honesty, but total
rccklessness of consequences and of an
outraged public sentiment. Long i'm
munity from punishment, due to the
numerical strength and corrupt condi-
ton of the party which maintains them
in power, has emboldened and harden
ed set of officials never conspicuous
for integrity, and with hands thrust
deep into the public treasury they now
fearlessly pluck out millions when once
they were content with thousands or
hundreds.
This wholesale robbery practiced by
the Democratic government of New
York city, is being clearly shown up
by the n Y. Times, which is pushing
the work of exposure with commenda-
bic zeal. Though Controller Connolly
has refused compliance with the law
requiring reports to be made at stated
times of the city's finances, the Times
has managed to obtain transcripts from
the records, and is giving publicity to
swindlc5 and downright thefts of the
most Outrageous character, in which not
only the Controller himself and Mayor
Hall, but other members of the notO-
rious Tammany Ring are charged with
participation. Among the items of
plunder mentioned in recent article
is $500 charged to the city for the
rent Of ten lofts ostcnsibly occupied
for armory purposes, bat actually not
usea at all; 100000 year addition
al being charged for the rent of the
armorics really occupied. For keeping
ten armories in repair nine months the
following preposterous sums are charg-
ed:
A. J. Garvey, for plastering. sl97, $50 "a
J. II. keyser, for plumbing, 142, 32S II
j. Ii. lngersoll, for chairs l70,729 60
q. S. Miller, for carpenter work, 534, ,064 81
Amounting to $94l ,453 Sc
A. j. Garvey, for plastering
and other repairs 10 Court
Houses. in 10 days in Decem-
Der, 1869: 269, ,627 81
Total, $l,2l4,0Sl SO
1t is not necessary to extend the
list. These charges are no higher than
an average of the whole, and together
comprise less than onc-fourth of
those made for work performed in the
single month of December, 1869. De-
ccmbcr must hereafter be set down as
a remarkably good month for plaster
ing, even in the cold climate of New
York, no matter what the previous
opinions of housebuilders may have
been; and Andrew J. Garvey is cer-
tainly one of the luckiest of plasterers
if he really retained all the earnings
accredited to him for those thirty-one
days.
Is any Democrat sufficiently idiotic
to believe that the one-hundredth part
of these sums were actually paid to
the parties named, and that the work
actually done and articles furnished
were really worth even one-half that
small fraction? OF course not. The
other ninety-nine hundredths represent
the profits, or rather the stealtngs of
the ring. And yet these are only
some of the crumbs.
The whole loaves and fishes devour-
ed by these cormorants at the expense
of the taxpayers amount, in many ca
ses, according to the Times, to millions
upon millions of dollars. But why
waste words in further illustrating the
preposterous nature of the robberies
perpetrated upon the people Of New
York city by the Democracy who gov
ern it?
Is it worth while to make an appli-
cation of such manifest lesson? We
think not yet, we presume there are
thousands of voters throughout the
country who are so gullible as to be-
lieye that the Democratic party, no
matter how damaging its record, is
somehow noted for purity and economy
Let such be undeceived. The pecula
tions in New York city are but sam
/ pie of the rascality of the Democratic
leaders and should those leaders ever
get a hold on the national government
their plunderings would have no end
Then, the only safety for the people
/ Il e 1. l.