New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-06-23


the defeat of Senators Lord, WoOdin, and Wood
would make clean sweep Of considerable rub
bish, the house cleaning ought not to stop here.
The Assembly Chamber, too, is in need of a
broom. In our opinion, the services OF the
following members can be safely dispensed
with in future
/. Jeremiah Mcclure. 1t would make dreary
catalogue to recount all the instances in which
ex-Speaker Mcclure, the ex-est of all the Speak
ers, displayed his sympathy with the Ring. His
championship reached its climax when he an
nounced himself on the floor of the Assembly
rs the spokesman of the friends and lcgisla-
tive representatives of gang of thieves.
Though most of Mr.. MEG CURES sins against leg
islative morals came rather from hot head
than a bad heart, he is none the less danger
GUS to the progress of necessary reform. The
greater his influence, such as 1t is, the greater
his ability to work harm to the best interests
of the State. There is no probability that Mr..
Mcclure will ever again occupy the Speakers
seat, and to exclude him hereafter from that
of n member would only round out the rebuke
that his course deserves.
III. Thomas e.. AlrOrd. Much that is true of
Mr.. Mcclure applies to Mr.. Alvord. Both ex-
/
attorneys for the Ring, and both stood side by
side to the last. But Mr.. Alvord is 10y far the
older hand of the two. He has been the bell
wether of the Canal Ring in its prosperity and
it's adversely, and has chung to its fortunes
through all vicissitudes. His fidelity chal-
lengcs admiration, but it came from mis-
taken sense of duty. His error was in suppos-
ing that the Ring contractors who sent him to
Albany were his only constituents. Mr.. AlvOrd
can be left ut home without rsking the future
of the State.
III. Willard johnson. Mr. johnson is the
only conspicuous representative in the Assem-
bly, of the Canal sRing pure and simple, if
those gulleless adjectives can he applied to
such an organization. We do not know that
it Is necessary for us to say much about Mr..
Johnson. We have said good deal already,
and made remarks and printed figures which
he must have found excessively disagrccablc.
If his constituents are not convinced that,
while he may not be a proper person to keep
at home, Albany is not the proper place to
which 10 send him, we have nothing further
TO say. We give Mr.. johnson credit, however.
for too much shrewdness to seek Il reelection,
and his constituents credit for too lively a
to countenance the attempt.
While these are by no means the worst men
in the Legislature there are none who have
taken their stand so openly on the wrong side
of a reform. If 1t were possible to denounce,
by name and with proof, the thieves and job
bers who infest the halls of legislation we
would gladly perform that duty. If the guilt
of the men who sell their votes and their souls
at Albany could be clearly fastened on them,
not one of them should ever go back to the
place he diSgraces. But the lobby leaves no
tracks. Suspicion may grow to belief, but it
can never arrive at proof. These rats must be
left to their lOopholes. They are so well
known, however, that they can do little harm
except by their votes. 1t is the men who are
not furnished by contact with legislative jobs
who can render the most effective service to a
Ring in difficulties. Against them the proof is
in the records, and we hope to hear from the
people in November a verdict upon the facts.