The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1871-07-23
$1o8.479 go


During that period the city government was de.
Tended by the Times pleasantly as 1t Is now ito
use mid w0rd) unpleasantly attacked; indeed,
while papers like the HERALD World. sun, tribune,
Express, commercial, Post &c. DC. (who also per.
formed Corporation publication, but at their own
usual prices to advitisers, would sometimes boldly
crltcise the municipal dolngs. the Times was con
During the summer of 1870 the city authorities
withdrew advertising from the Times. Immediately
its tone towards them changed. The men whom 1t
had eXtolled and the municipal system 1t had re-
ioiced over only few months before began to be
editorial or "min0r topic" or anonymous commu-
ncation has appeared heaping charge upon charge
officials, and at times descending to personalities
upon such private unofficial gentlemen as Messrs.
Cooper Taylor Astor. Roberts, &C., whom IT alleged
Like an angry husband In q divorce suit seeking
venge@lce us.Gl wife whom ne knows to be, nom
her position, quite p0weress to parry his venom,
the Times has not scruped to employ IN It's nunt
much keynote evidence, many disappointed claim
ants ana several dishonest servants.
The Times knew that the officials had no news.
paper at their back; aud the latter knew that at
columns was ike a child fighting beehive-for
every pee that was killed the very promised honey
would supply hundred fresh stings.
Recently the Times has found clerk who was dis
charged from the COmptrOiers Office for dishonesty,
and who claiming afterwards to have keyhole IN.
formation TO SELL was politely shown the door and
mentally kicked out bv ct least three several Of
tclals. He found, however, ready purchase money
IN the ~, TsS once ana IN IRON mat tainted source
Times says have been divided between the Mayor
and the Comptroller 1t is enough for the friends
any claims unless these have been first audited by
either the Board Of sapervisrs Or form Boards OF
A%d and tso se and CT I
the charges OF the Times Of Friday in the language
OF the old answer in chancery and say they are as
false In substance as they are scandalous In form.
There was however, one claim never audited or
paid, IN which the Times is more deeply interested
than it IS in alleged frauds against the city. Just
sum OF $l3,7e4 SO. Being doubted, 1t was put into
@ g IT,
umns. But IN perhaps an impohtic, yet in proper
official method, ne assumed the personal responsl-
biity OF directing the Counsel to the Corporation to
VINO mad been twenty yearold friend Of the living
associate with the deceased partner, and one OF the
latter's pall.bearers; he who had been once re-
who had penned at the request OF its EDITORS
through long series OF years literary criticisms and
editorial paragraphs ne who J., nad a. received pleasant
tory or published volumes-he this once-bepraised
Mayor began, after his legal act to grow Tally into
a monster. Each days editorial added something
to his hideous proportions. He became, after his
legal interference, man OF low associations; his
humor was now puerile; his wit was now feeble;
his style was now inelegant and ungrammatical,
and even the dramatic efferve5cences OF his pen
that had been time and again fusomely praised IN
the Times were raked over, in order to furnish
sparkle for the Times rdcule OF the individual who
filled the ONCE.
joke becomes the suggestion OF the Tribune (whO
has anirnus) that the city officials should bring
libel suit against the Times II the latter paper has
criminal charges let them be put into the form OF
aidavits and presented TO any criminal magistrate
But even without exposure OF the anltnus the OIL
Gals not TO be caught In the trap OF aiding the
Ytes TO make sensation in order to sell lts copies
to the public IN like manner as it has tried to sell its
''pubc virtue" to the city authorities Or with SUBJ
Orned statements against them, to sell its sub
scribers Moreover, the public men who In this age
cannot live down attacks without resortng to the
mus,y weapon OF libel suit too chicken-hearted
10 serve the people.
But let us add an important postscript as to
audited claims The audit system Is a bad one. 1t
has always been forced from Albany upon the local
authorities. But George Jones OF the Times is re-
sponsibe for the operation OF this bad system. The
ton of which directed the. Comptroller to
settle claims, and It was before Governor
Eenon FOR action He OF the
mad been inserted by the power of lobby jon.
berry. Governor FentOn, however. agreed, rather
than that so important a measure should fail, and
nasmuch as the Legislature had adjourned. to sign
the tax levy provided the Comptroller would pledge
himself not to exercise the claim settlement power
The pledge was cheerfully given. But the Times
had a claim which could come under the section,
and Mr. Jones. contending that the pledge was
illegal, successfully invoked the manuamus power
of the Court upon the letter OF the statute IN favor
of his own claim, and thereby gave precedent 10
and respOnsioly invited q score OF claimants as
hungry himself. His action has cost the city hun
dreds OF thousands Of dollars, and in fact by his
own selfish greed, Mr.. Jones becomes himself that
raider on the public treasury whom he 50 trucu
lently den0unces
After these expositions our contemporaries can
understanding will serve the cause Of true public
spirit, and not OF Its malicious assumption, by re-
publishing our article. And, above all, dare the
Times copy and answer 1t; or Will II, as usual c Jpy
without AuSWerInQ2