New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1872-09-21
GRANTS NAVY-YARDS.


This is made this canvass general hospital
for the cure of weak aud vacatng minds, who in
clped 20 sell principle for small amount of the people
money Upou their conversion TO the faith which rules
the they sent back 70 their homes batap
win praise of the great Hppocraes OF the public crib
Thus Il Is the General AMI strategis has converted
an important Government institution into veritabe
Iaison nWnieipqle dc SaaU, after the manner OF
Napoleon III The only fault in the smile is that the
ualconteuts deeoyed and battered into fidelity to
the ruling Administration. rather than arrested and
Starved into submission. The effect IL, however pre-
esciy tee same.
. wANroN rxprXDruRp or TIE PUBLIC MONEY.
Durn, the months Of March and April of this year the
pooa rulers OF this Yard began 10 discharge the en-
ploy6s with che declared object Of economizing the
Government money. Tae true reason however, Tor
Idane the Institution o. all who could be spared was 10
BE- ready upon the approach OF election day to MI up the
ranks with men who would vote right This dispersion
OF tho force was, as viewed from an Administration
standpoint very itIned, for II was discovered Few
weeks before the new appropriation was reaay that
there still remained in the fund OF the Bureau OF YARDS
and Docks balance OF $4,000 subject to tho order OF
the Kattery NayyYard. This sum, according to law,
should have reverted 20 the United States Treasury
Rather than allow this TO occur enough TO consume
the entire sum 10 one weeks time taken into the
Yardi
Large numbers OF men have been taken on since July
To- when the last appropriation was drawn, who are To-
day drawing hrstcliss pay though they never have
learned the trade at which they pretend 70 work. Two
young men Motion and Blanchard-the first loahng In
the capacity painter at IS day. the other pretding
10 be earpeutor for s. 2Glre fair examples although
they are OF several hundred sinecuris's who w
spon enough between and election time 10 en-
gaze the attention Of many better workmen Tor long
while 10 repair.
July IS, which time $50 men were employed
the payroll had been until the morning Of
the Maine election iU numbered 1900 workmen This
Wholesale public expense OF 1900 votes
for Grant needs comment
THE ADDITIONAL FORCE UNNECESSARY.
The work has sufficiently increased in the Navy
Yard 70 JUSTLY the recent great addition to the force
The new bridge connecting the recently purchased
island with the Yard is the only legitimate work doing
Rtyresons. am satisfied that not more than 80 men
can be probably employed 10 at the same time 1t is
Necessary, however that the great body OF workmen
now engaged should have some show Of employment.
The old Illinois, immense steam frig1te the construe-
ton OF which begun in 1861 is stu ON the stocks
She is rottug repaired. and having served as
the political trump card in time pas. Is made 20 sub
serve the interests OF Grants reelection in November
force Of 1,3J is employed ia tearing the huu
20 pieces. At the presentrle OF progress II VIII require
At least ten years to complete the lob Add 20 the orig
ina cost OF the vessel the wares Of these for that
Uno and to this the cost o. the ship to be but I'M
der the Same IL will all Be charged TO the ac-
count Of hOisthe cost OF her repairs and su0c'
auent construction as explained will nat fan short OF
tS,0OOCcO.
MONEY PROCURED WITHOUT PUBLICITY"
To bald new vessel OF requires specla oppro-
praiiou by act OF Congress. New work OF this kind
cannot be "trumped up" to suit the caprice of pOlit
clans because an act Congress is open TO criticism by
the people newspaper press who are little disposed
20 tolerate or encourage useless expenditure But a
ship may repaired to any extent. involving almost
any amount money, and still occasion few remarks
Tho ifOn-cad monitor Massachusetts is also ready for
repairs. She has now been the stocks in damp
shiphonso for years She is in a rotten condition. and
is not worth the repair necessary to make her sea-
worthy craft There really is not any work sufficient
10 employ ia tho extreme moro than fifty additional men.
LOVE FOR THE soLDIERl
Tho po-rotsu which il ascribed 10 the Administration
party by speakers does not exist in this Yard
Among the 1000 men lettering for Government pay
in This establishment there arc scarcely twelve who
served as soldiers in the war for the Union. The
wounded veterans who occupied positions here from the
close of the up TO 1885, have with very few excep
lions been discharged The thinning out OF soldiers was
duo TO The fact that q man who went through the war
acquired a sturdy Independence Of mind and principle
which made him poor tool and uncertain voter IN
The hands OF Administration wre-pulers These work
men di not leave Of their own viii in the majority OF
instances but absolutely discharged to make room
Cor others whose principles were in tine market. Inc
manner of getting rid OF unajtlhtug employees
as il was discovered tnat mechanic would not openly
c3tumit himself to an allegiance with the Grant dynasty
he became a marked man. HIS work. which had for
merry zen entire satisfaction became the object Of the
most severe and petty criticisms faults which did not
exist Ia reality complained Of the particular piece
of work upOn which lie was engaged was suddenly hur
ried toward omAetou, aud the quarterman-the imme
date oyarseer OF the wOrkman-bocame insoeut ana
vexatijus. Tic moral effect invariably such that
even good workman degenerated ia his own o1honas
well o. IN the eyes Of Others until he lost all interest IN
hfs work and for some tIilg natteutOn 20 duty was
discharged
ANrLGRANT uEN POSITIVELY EXCLUDED.
There Is positively no employment 10 DO secured by
Greeley in the Kittery Navy as every work
man rus undergo tho political inspection OF one OF the
s,orekeepers. myself al The polls on the morning
OF tie hi .ne election and tho manner in which the
votes G, tgo Kittery Navy Yard employees were cast
Every IaE, through fear Of dismissal Llid aside all
indcuc ence Of opinion aud quietly approached the
polls s.nlle Gle between number OF Grant poll
tican. who, on several occasions, asked the men If
they ere provided with ticket and eyed each as he
cast b. vote. Every employee, whether Grant or Gree
ley man. felt the spirit Of intimidation. The political
leaders Of the yard might well have cast tue entire
vote Of the worknep. Tho mere act Of dcposung
vote becomes great farce when others have decided
beforehand what ticket shall and who shall be
eected l have no hesitation in saying that the mere
fact OF dep0stlng antGrant ticket woulI be deemed
of itself suii ent ground Tor dismissal This outrage
ON the ballobox Is held in contempt by many Ad
ministrati0n supporters in the neighborhCOd, and
have heard many worthy citizens OF tine village
their emphatic dsapproval OF this feature OF the pres
eut mana cement
TIE PRICE OF INTEGRITY
As an evidence OF the impossibity of a mans re-
tanning at once his political rights and his place
IN the Kittery Yard, one instance ont Of many
may be given. A soldier named Roberts. who
had served for three years in the army and
had passed nine months in AndersOnvhe Prison, APP
piled not long since, for place in the NavyYard by
Ineaus OF which ne hoped 10 support his family. He