The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-01-30

WIG ouSiuoSo ~ mas perfected can % summed
up In two bills-the one authorizing the city
OF New York to raise the amount necessary
to meet her immediate financial necessities
without going to protest; the other to create
temporary Board of Audit and Apportion-
ment in New York on principle that is very
likely to meet the obstruction Of an Executive
veto. Few persons conversant with the ordi-
nary process of legislation shared in the delu-
sion OF the impracticable reformers who be-
ieved that the assembling of our representa-
tives at the State Capitol was to be the signal
for the immediate Inauguration Of millen-
mum OF official honesty and purity; yet every
one had right to suppose that Legislature
elected on direct reform issue, and in which
the republican party had secured three
fourths majority, would at least have set
earnestly at work upon some of those reform
atory measures that were advocated 80 loudly
and promised so literally by the republican
| organs before election. 1t is true that the
question of reform is so curlously embarrassed
by its professed champions that a legislator
might well be puzzled what course to pursue.
The political factions, eager to secure some
advantage for themselves out of the late won
duty of the apostles of official regeneration in
very different lights from their several stand
points. The Conklingites in this city can see
no virtue in any measure that does not root
out of official existence John Cochrane, Van
Mort, Hank Smith, Manierre and all who are
"a eli &o hi ~
Fenton; while the Fentonites are not satisfied
with any movement that is calculated to ad-
vance the interests or increase the power Of
the friends of Senator Conkling. The force Of
the majority is thus frittered away piecem cal,
for the squabbles of these spoils-hunting
cliques extend all over the State. In the
| matter of inquiries into past misdeeds the
| same divergence of opinions exists A
Fenton organ is virtuously indignant at the
discovery that the Clerk of the Senate has
received four thousand dollars from an Albany
printing firm as a sort of percentage for 'proof
reading" or some other service, and calls
loudly for an investigation into Senator James
Woods banking transactions with the "Boss, !"
both the Clerk and the Senator being what is
known as COnkling men. The COnkling
organs, per contra, are innocently ignorant
of any official misconduct on the part
Of these worthless, but are equally
persistent in demanding the investigation of
every Fenton partisan who has ever been sus-
pected of taking bride for his vote. 1t is
the old story over again; investigate,
expose and reform every party except our
own party, and every party man
except ourselves. The politicians can dis
cover no corruption among their own friends,
but are all the more sensitive to the failings
Of their opponents.
When the reform agitation was at fever
heat, the HERALD warned the people of New
York that the object of the political wire-pul
lers who had taken the management of the
movement in hand was rather to accomplish a
party purpose than to promote the public
good, and the result justified the prediction.
But for the action of the Grand Jury of the
| General Sessions there would not have been
| pretence, after the election, of bringing the
parties implicated in the city frauds to justice,
and the end of the turmoil would have been
the customary chickering's and bargainings for
the future division of the spoils. We now, in
like manner, place on record the further pre-
diction that the present State Legislature will
prove faithless to all its professions of reform,
and will be found at its close to have been as
venal as any of its predecessors. From the
FIRST moment Of its meeting the obby
has been as bold in its approaches
to members as it ever was when
the money of tie Tammany and Erie
Rings was poured almost openly into the
pockets of Senators and Assembymen. The
organization of the Assembly, it is true was
carried against the undisguised wishes of the
lobby by the vigorous efforts of the federal
holders and the influence of the Repub-
lican Central Committee; but as there are
wheels within wheels 80 there are rings
within rings, and it now turns out, through
the developments of the enormous printing
swindles and kindred jobs at Albany, that as
many lobby agencies were at work to secure
the result as were engaged in the fruitless
endeavor to defeat it. Ex-Speaker Alvord
beaten in the canvass for his old position, has
since proved his superior strength upon the
floor, and Speaker Smith has been left in
minority. 1t is not difficult to see how this
reversal has been brought about. There are
now two powers at work at the State Capitol,
the Erie Ring and the Canal Ring-the latter
one Of the most effective and dangerous CON-
binations ever perfected-to control the legis-
lation of the present session. The object Of
both is negative one-to prevent any hostile
legislation. Like the Confederates in the
days Of the rebellion, they both desire to
be let alone. The one holds in its
hands the property Of the stockholders