The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-03-18
A Lobby Strike and Its Proba-
BILE Consequences.
THE NEW YORK CENTRAL IN AFLvTTER.
Singular Resolution Adopted by the Re-
formed Erie Directors.
Thirty Thousand Dollars Appropriated
for Legislative Corruption.
WILLIAM H. vANDERBILTs WISDOM.
A Fair Prospect for Curious and Inter-
esting Developments.

A Fair Prospect for Curious and Inter-
esting Developments.
I ALBANY. March II. 1873
The investigation into the transactions Of the
present Erie Railway direction, both in CONNECTION
with the overthrow of the Jay Gould Board and
the legislation OF last Winter at Albany is creating
much excitement in certain circles, ana q few re-
marks as to the origin of the inquiry and the
developments to which 1t may lead will not be
| without interest. The Erie Railway has been for
years rich placer for the adventurous lobbyists OF
the State capital The prodlgal liberality Of Fisk
and the quiet determination Of Jay Could who
would carry his objects over every obstacle at any
! cost, ana whose word was as good as his bond for
| million in the lobby market, have in
duced the hungry members ahe their lobby
| c0-0perators to regard Erie as their
legitimate prey, and when that corporation re-
mains away from Albany and presumes to manage
| without legislation, or to carry its measures
through without Seeing the boys" feeling pre-
walls that 1t Is robbing the lobby Of its rghtiul
spoils. The present Erie directors have taken this
position during the present session. They have
| foolishly imagined that they could manage their
little affairs without paying out any money to
any OF the three houses, the Senate, the Assem-
bly, or the Third House. Rumor malicously whis
pers in the halls OF the Capitol that they have been
lining their own pockets so literally that they
have nothing left for outsders but as The present
Erie is reformed" Erie, as it has come into
power over the dead bodies OF the terrible cor
ruptionists who passed the abominabe classified
ton act for their own interests. Rumor must surely
in this instance be slanderous Jade.
| AN ATTEMPT AT CHEAP LEGISLATION
However this may be, certain it is that Erie did
not appear on the scene of legislation this Winter,
and did not seem disposed to do its duty towards
the furnishing members and their lobby allies. The
natural Indignation of these disappointed gentry
was heightened by the discovery that Erie actually
had an important bill before the Senate-a bill that
had been given to a strictly honorable and unpur
chasable member Of that body who was going to
put 1t through on principle and whom the lobby
did not dare to approach. This bill is nothing
nor less than a classification bill, the
very measure for the passage Of which the
| Jay Gould direction had been denounced
with all the vgOr Of invective and which the pres
ent Erie directors now desire to as a means
OF retaining the power they so CALAMITY won. 1t
| appears that the bill had been given to Senator
Madden to father and protect, and this was sufl-
cient to assure the lobby that it to be pushed
its merits and that, in the language of the cap
ital, there was no money in it.
A SHKEwD AND SAVING GAME.
The introduction Of this bill had been sllrewdly
managed by certain Erie directors in the following
| manner:-Senator Madden had been the original
| prOpeser and advocate OF the Gould Classification
bill, and was well known to have supported
| the measure on principle alone. The pres
ent directors, availing themselves of this knowl.
| ledge obtained an interview with Senator Madden
and inquired il he still believed in the justice and
policy OF classification in railroad Board Of Drec-
| tors Senator Madden seldom abandons his settled
| convictions ana he, therefore, replied in the
| affirmative. He was then asked II he would favor
such bill in the interest OF the present direction
| and his answer was that he approved the
measure he was ready to advocate it, no matter
who might be individually injured or benefited or
damaged by 1t. He, moreover declared that he
recognized this request coming from the old de-
nouncers OF classification, as q gratifying endorse.
| nent Of the soundness OF his ewn views, and,
therefore, he was willing to introduce the bill.
HOW THE BABCoCK INVESTIGATION ORIGINATED.
Learning OF the intended introduction of the
Classification bill, the lobby became furious with
Indignation against the swnding operation by
which they were to be cheated out OF their well.
remembered Erie fees and one Of the coolest and
elearest-headed Of the number, Mr.. George O,
Jones, Immediately drew a resolution OF inquiry
int the manner in which the Erie Railway Com
pany raised money TO pay dividend on pretended
earnings and int such operations OF the road az
mad squandered the capital which ought to have
been applied to the benefit and advantage
Of the travelling public Now, the Impressive
George o. has a theory which he is pushing with
vigor, that the railroads Of the country are public
highways, and that, except to pay themselves the
expenses OF operating the roads and keeping them
in proper repair, and fair dividend on the legiti-
mate investment-not on watered stock-the cor
poratons have no right to divert single dollar
from the public. This theory is, of course. honestly
entertained, and very patriotic and dsn teresed.
only it serves the purpose Of bringing the railroad
companies up to time, just the same as II 1t were
designed for that purpose, and for no other.
THE INNOCENT BABcOCK, OF NIAGARA.
Mr.. Babcock, Of Niagara, Is a very innocent gen.
tleman, and he agreed to introduce the resolution
asking for a special committee to make the investi.
cation. Friends OF the old Erie director however
and hungry members who waited eagerly for stray
bones, get wind OF the affair and at their sugges-
tien the scope of the resolution materially en-
larged. 1t was made to embrace an inquiry into
the money said to have been expended ever last
Winters legislation in this city, and into the
means, pecuniary and otherwise, employed by the
present directors Of Erie in the accomplish
ment OF the grand coup by which Jay Gould and
his associates were ousted so summariy from the
management. Mr.. Babcock has no force, and when
| his resolutions were first offered the prompt and
watchful Hustled. OF Westchester, was instantly on
his feet and proposed their reference to the Rail-
road Committee instead OF to special committee.
The House thinly attended, the lobby were
taken by surprise, the motion OF the Bald Eagle
| prevailed and Assemblyman Person, the repre-
sentative OF the New York Central Railroad, gave
an amiable chuckle and nguratively put the abom-
nable resolutions in his pocket ana outtoned them
| up safely In that capacious receptacle.
THE LOBBY AROUSED TO ACTION.
| But the lobby, If defeated, was not subdued.
The following day they renewed the fight and
CALAMITY carried the day. transferring the resolu.