Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1875-08-19
Democratic Honesty.

The great aim of the Democratic leaders
at this jjuncturc in affairs is TO give the
people an honest government Their
hearts ache to see the confidence of the
people abused, and especially do they
bleed to see the hands of the officials in
the public till The desire ON the part of
the Democratic leaders is commendable,
but is it sincere. The important question
Is, have these honest men accepted their
| own gospelg Are they converted them
selves? Have the retormers reformed.
In prosecuting inquiries upon this subject
We are led instinctively to great field for
Democrats, where they have long labored
and where their missionary efforts have
been tor some years comparatively unre-
stricted. We refer TO New York Not
the city alone, for the story Of Tweed and
his ring Of Tammany thieves there is too
well known to require mention; but to the
State At large, which, with the exception
of one brief term by Gen. Dix, has been
| under Democratic rule for eight years.
What has been the result there? Are the
people rclievedY Has immaculate honesty
sat cnthroned amid peaceful and happy
worshipers? Alas, il is not sol The
beautiful prccepts and promises of the
Democratic party have not yielded well As
an investment Never has scoundrelism
SO thrived and tlourished before Enough
is already known to warrant us in saying
this, and what remains to be told will
only be Il piling of one mountain upon
another.
For some time a committee has been en-
gagged looking into the canal frauds OF
New York. This committee have made II
preliminary report, and a few details will
show how the people of that Democratic
State have been swindled in the name OF
reform. In 1860 Mr.. II. d. Dennison con
tractcd to build certain walls, etc, in the
Erie Canal, in conformity with specified
tons filed, for the sum of *14, lS3.40. At
the opening of navigation in May, 1873,
about wo-thirds of the work had been
completed, though in the most imperfect
manner, and yet the contractor had re-
ceived $49l ,2G0! The committee say;
Not only have the engineers, division and reel
dent, certified and sworn to incorrect measure
ments of work and materials furnished under this
contract. but they have repeatedly allowed Tor
werk and certified II for payment twice: and have
habinally allowed for certain classes OF work ag-
| gregating many thousands OF dollars which were
never done at all
Dennison obtained the contract by bid
ding very low price for three OF the
major quantities and an absurdly high
| price for two of the minor quantities As
! soon as the contract was signed the plan
of the work was completely changed by
the officials controlling the matter, so as
| TO vastly increase the work for which he
bid high price and as largely reduce
those for which he bid low price. But
the rogues concerned were not satisfied
with this fraud. Having begun to fitch
from the peoples pockets indirectly, they
soon got to stealing outright, as the follow
| ing from the committee shows:
| We here recaptula,e the amounts thus far as
| certaned 10 have been allowed to the contractor
| under this contract, for work which does not np-
| pear ever to have been done:
| "a $40 cubic yards excavation OF earth,
| behind vertical walls Csc. ...,..,,... $6,21o 90
| 1875 8 cubic yards excavation of rock
So Observation-Disclosures. 900 %
| $50 cubic yards excavation OF earth
estimated as rock, a.. 49,. ........ 300 %
| e. 97;H cubic yards embankments,
| sJc........,.......,....... b03sl g3
&c. 100 cubic yards lining, 45c ....... 1IsS 30
| 96S7 cubic yards vertical wall, dry and
in cement 81. ...,.,........'.,,...., 3s74s %
3,211 OF cubic yards vertical wall IN ce-
| ment k3................ e. .. 9sis 81
CO.. feet Is. NJ. docking pine, ~. ..... 1875 80
Total .-...'....,,..'-.. .....''.'"tipfS' W.
This is on one contract alone, half
| dozen others exhibiting the same charac-
| ter of fraud Say the committee: