New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-01-03
a King. Il has always been difficult to found
a durable Republic. 1t is now impossible to
found durable monarchy.
LET THE PEOPLE SPEAK.


Brooklyn is just now aroused by the rev.
eIations of corruption in tho management
of the Commission of Charities and Correc-
lions. "Somebody is shown to have robbed
the county of quarter of million of dollars
in the purchase of supplies for paupers. A
Committee of the Board of Supervisors has
exposed the rOttenness of the concern, and
Presented the facts in report to the Board
of Supervisors The facts are ndisputabe-
the corruption is unquestiOned-the violations
of law are alleged in unequivOcal terms and
the recommendation to the Governor that he
remove the Commissioners is positive and di-
rect But the Board of Supervisors OF Kings
County Is not in moral attitude so elevated
that ii can afford to cast stones at any other
Board, and so a majority of its members voted
to suppress the report, and under tho active
direction of the chief Democratic party man.
ager (whO had no business in the Board ut
alD actually refused to allow it to be read.
Thercupon tine Committee published it in the
Brooklyn papers and in The TRIBUNE, and
On Monday goes to Albany to represent the
facts to the Governor and ask relief and in
vestigation at his hands.
ID was q wise resolution thus to appeal
their case. Brooklyn and Kings County are at
this moment bound hand and foot, and the
people have little power, unaided and with no
election until ten months hence, to relieve
thensaives Of ti.vi, s'ioyvu, burdens TIC
Commissioners of Charities are not the only
lceches from which they suffer. Almost every
Commission in the city, the Courts OF every
degree the District-Attorney's office, the
Police, Public Works, and other Departments
are still controlled by Ring composed OF
INSCRIPTIONS politicians of both parties, who
are firmly bound together by that cohesive
power of public plumber which formerly gave
strength to parties. but now enriches the I'M
scrupulOus leaders of factions combined
solely to steal. The municipal Offices have
in part been wrested from the hands OF these
men by a popular election, and Brooklyn VIII
probably have a respectable and perhaps an
economical administration for the next two
years. But in the Commissions tho stealing
will go on as usual; in the District-AttOrneys
Office crime in high offices will continue to be
protected, and in the courts the same injustice
will be administered as in the past, unless the
Governor comes to tue relief of the people.
We have firm faith that be will in the matter
Attorney; we hope the Committee which Is to
go to Albany will induce him to investigate
the alleged corruption of the Charity Commls-
siOners; but really we must say that II the
people wish relief they must demonstrate their
indignation at their wrongs
And now is the time that they should do
this II they quietly submit to wrong and
imposition, leaving few independent jour
nails 10 fight their cause while they sit idly by,
trembling for the result, the thieves will con-
tinue in power to rob them. The people have
in the past ignored their duties and smoth-
cred their indignation until their public debt
has increased to nearly forty millions and
their taxes have grown to be double those OF
oppressed New York and higher than those of
any other city in the country. The Governor,
the Legislature, the new Municipal Govern
ment may afford some partial relief, but the
true remedy is in the hands OF tho people
themselves And this relief can come
only from combination and demonstration. The
Committee which goes to Albany on Monday
will probably return on Wednesday. The
members thereof should be asked to give an
account of their stewardship to public meet
ing. and this meeting should not only discuss
this one exposed robbery, but boldly denounce
she system of fraud carried Oh under the pre-
text of building the East River Bridge, I'M
proving the Park and the WallabOut, paving
the streets and digging sewers, and that worst
of all frauds, the construction of the Hemp
stead Reservoir, in the letting of the contract
of which nearly half million dollars were
stolen in a lump. Such meeting would be
largely, indeed overwhelmingly, attended; and
it would be demonstration of earnestness
which would emphasize the appeals which the
Committees of citizens are making to tho
Eovpruor