The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-03-04

Myer should have telegraphic weather reports
from the West Indies, to insure similar success
always, and to enable him to warn the Gulf
ports, which are most exposed, because first
overtaken. No department of the govern
ment has done more for the honor of science
and the good Of the people, according to its
means, than the Weather Bureau; and the
whole nation will be disappointed if Congress
does not provide for it most literally and put
it upon the best possible footing
The Legislative Committees and the Erie
Railroad BilIs-The Responsibilities Of the
Republican Leaders.
Another week has been wasted by the COM
mittees of the Senate and Assembly in hearing
arguments on the bills relating to the Erie
Railroad direction, and it is given out that
further discussions are to take place during
the present week. The republican reform
Legislature is thus doing the work of the Erie
Ring with fidelity and efficiency. Whatever
may be the final action of the committees on
the repeal of the Classification act and
the fair election of directors, whether they
report Senator O'Brien's bill in its original
shape, or mutlate it in the secret service Of
the ''Ring," or boldly report against it, the
present extra ordinary and unnecessary delay
is the very thing the Erie lobbyists desire,
and for which they would be willing to pay
liberal amount of the stockhold-
ers' money. Unless the committees of
both houses bring their labors upon
these measures to a close this week they
will find it difficult to persuade the people that
they are any better than their predecessors
of the infamous Legislature of 1869. The
pretence that any further legal arguments are
needed to enable them to understand the plain
provisions of Senator O'Brien's bill or to make
up their minds upon its merits, is, in the
language of New York politicians, ''too thin. :"
Before the last election, which swept the
State in the cause Of reform and sent the pres
ent large republican majority to Albany, no
candidate on that side of the House would
have hestated moment to declare his con-
viction of the vicious character of the Erie
management and to avow his determination to
overthrow the men who, by their recklessness,
unscrupulousness and lawlessness, have
brought reproach upon the nation. tits as abb
surd and inconsistent to require arguments as
to the justice of restoring their rights to the
Erie stockholders and of Overthrowing
the men who have violently seized and con-
fiscated their property, as it would be to listen
to the pleadings of counsel as to the justice of
attempting to restore to New York the money
stolen by the Tammany Ring and OF over
throwing the men who plundered the city
treasury.
1t is rumored that the tactics of the Erie
lobby are to enlist the prominent
leaders of the republican factions in
their service on the promise of aid,
pecuniary and otherwise, in carrying out their
personal schemes. 1t has long been sus-
pected that the Fenton interests have been
identified more or less with the Erie manage
ment, and many attribute the Senator's sue
cess in his last contest to that influence. 1t
is certain that many members of the
Fenton men are either openly or Sec
reilly playing the game of the Erie Ring.
Now II will not do for Senator Fenton to be
preaching civil service reform in Washington
while his political adherents at Albany are
voting and working in the service of noto-
rious lobby. Already some Of his nearest
friends in the Legislature are looked upon
with suspicion, and should they be found,
directly or indirectly, openly or covertly,
supporting the Erie Ring, the suspicion
will ripen into certainty and the peo-
pie of the State, who have taken to
heart the cause of Legislative reform,
will remember it against them in the future.
The republican factions are now pretty evenly
balanced in this State, although the weight OF
federal patronage has hitherto turned the
scales in favor of the Conkliug wing but let
either side become, through its representative
men, associated with the corruptiOns of Erie,
and it will be swept away before the indigna-
ton of the people. Our Senators at
Washington should keep sharp look
out for their friends at Albany,
and should insist that the interests
of the party shall not be bartered away for
money; for it is just as certain that Senator
OBrien's bill cannot be defeated this session.
except by the use of money, as it is that the
Classification act. was passed by bribery
and corruption in 1869. The republican
leaders should remember, too, that there
can now be no divided responsibility
for legislative action. The republicans have
the whole power in both houses, and if they
use it to sell out the cause of reform they
will have to answer for their venaity to the
same power that last November destroyed
Tammany and swept the democracy tempo