New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-04-04
G1S.


There probably never was 80 mean and con-
temptible political fight made against q man
a. that which tho Murphy Ring Is making
against Controller Green. This official ~ Con-
troller of tho Department of Parks was an
obstruction TO the Tweed Ring in 188o-7Oj but
that conspiracy was shrewd enough 10 Duliu
around bm,-discreet enough to aVoid MN ny
strategy. The blunderers Of the new King
make direct assaults upon him, and endeaVor W
destroy him by detraCtion. Tho last attempt
10 dscredit him in tho eyes OF the public Ii 30
extraordinary and desperate O resort thst "
deserves to be exposed.
The Gas Companies Of this city under tho
Tweed Ring were an arbitrary power debating
their own terms TO tho city, and having their
arrogant and fraudulent claims paid by con-
federates in the Public Works and City Treas
ury Controller Green, soon after taking pos
session, established conclusvely by minute in
yestgation that tho Gas Companies were de-
frauding the city, with the oonnivance OF the
Department of Public Works; and he. there
FORE very properly summarily reduced tho
rates for public lamps to figures something
like those paid by private consumers. In 1871
Connolly paid $50 per lamp per annum; In
1872 Green insisted that $50 was fair price,
and some of the companies accepted this rate.
In other words, tho honest Controller insisted
that the large-cOnsuming city was entitled to
be supplied az cbeaply as the small customers
who were private individuals, and that it was
not corporation to be plucked as the dis
honest Connolly had robbed it, Relieved Of
the blackmail which they had formerly paid.
the reduction would have been q matter Of
indifference to the Gas Companies, had they
not been forced by the new Ring
into an attitude Of hostility to Con-
troller Green for the purpOso of making him
unpopular This is the method employed
to bring this about The Commissioner
of Public Works, George NJ. Van Mort
delays the transmission of the proper bills OF
the Gas Companies to tho CONTROLLER The
companies grow clam0r0us for their pay and
besege the Controller. Still the bills unfor-
warded are, of course, unpaid; and 10! it 10
asserted that tho companies threaten to turn
off the gas and leave tho city in darkness.
If it were not q ridiculous statement made
for a palpable purpose, it would be start
ling announcement 1t is 80 shallow that all
persons of any perception recognize that it is
intended to make the Controller unpopular by
arousing public feeling against him on false
pretenses.
The simple truth about this matter is this
and we state it for the benefit of the citizens
whose taxes pay the enormous bills of the Gas
Companies. No bills are unpaid at all. The
only gas bill for lighting the street lamps
which has ever reached Controller Green from
| Commissioner Van Mort for the year 1872 Is
| ~. a thaf ha
been paid. 1t was officially notified to
the Gas Companies by Controller Green
more than year ago that their regularly certi-
fed bills would be paid promptly every month
at fair prices. Their bills have not been so re-
ceived, and therefore have not been paid.
The Park Department has settled the bills for
the gas consumed by the lamps of the Public
Parks at the reduced rates. only the Commits
| sioner of Public Works makes a show of re-
sistance for the shallow political purpose of
disaffecting the public mind against Controller
| Green by making it appear that his refusal to
pay the bills of the Gas Companies is TO leave
the public streets in darkness.
If common decency and polite literature did
not forbid the use of slang, we should be dis
posed to characterize this threat of darkness,
"rapine, and robbery we are not sure we
quote correctly-as Gas Truth, however, will
justify Us in pronouncing the attempt of the
new Ring to injure Controller Green by this
means as shallow and ridiculous. 1t is an
inane il not insane pretext, and will only
hurt tho other side. We have never been
charged with special friendliness to Controller
Green. We recall much of his administration
which we have decidedly disapproved, and
much more which we would have criti-
cised had not the peculiar and embarrassing
| circumstances under which he acquired and
has administered Office disarmed criticism.
But we will say this to his credit-and we say
| il for the benefit of those who at Albany are
conspiring to effect his removal-that no Con-
troller ever had such unanimous opposition
among the fraudulent contractors aud sine
curists Of this or any other great city, or
compelled such hearty support from so many
honest taxpayers as this man whom the Ring
hopes to drive from the Treasury by means
| 80 contemplate as the one we have exposed.
-
Gladstone hates Prof. Fawcett, tho radical member