New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-05-24

the public opinion of Albany was a very different
thing from the public opinion of the State and that
for every the Governor losing at the capital
he was gaining scores and hundreds outside. Their
cunning had overreached itself. If they had in
trusted to him the power which he asked and which
he would never have dared to abuse, they would
have gained an immense political advantage The
full responsibility would then have been laid the
shoulders of the Executive, and if there had come
death OF taxes, grasshoppers, cholera, war; pes
thence, or famine the reaction against him would
have been fatal Indeed it is already question of
quetdscussion among the politicians how far the pre-
diced failure of the canals this year will be accepted
by voters the result of Gov Tildens exposure.
The tosheet has been reduced 40 as 10 make large
reduction in the revenues, for there seems to be
little expectation of increased freight; and more
than quarter of a million has been added TO the
sum to be met by the revenues by striking out the
tax levy from the Extraordinary Repairs bill. Then
there are already signs of disastrous year. The
receipts from tolls up TO May q last year amounted
to quarter of million of dollars; at that date this
year. owing to the backward season, they com
paratively nothing. Again, learn that the Central
Railroad, which has paid a large sum annually in
tolls on COAL will hereafter transport its coal by
rail. The conviction seems to be spreading here
that Mr. Greeley was only ahead of his time, as he
was so often, when he proposed, in 1867, TO sell
the canals and that the Erie Canal will not be
paying property until it becomes a private enter
prise.
But to return from the towing path, there is an
other element in this phenomenon of Executive
management which deserves mention. Gov. Tilden
has exercised freely what may be called the silent
Veto He has said that he considered il safer pre-
vent the passage of bill than TO allow it to pass
and then meet it with veto, and it is well known
41,o+b he hoe +aI +l,o+r sfr1o hn
member how Gov Hoffman used to load up to the
muzzle with preeedents and quotations, and dis
charge them all at some little local bill which hadn't
any friends can understand that the more recent
plan involves some political seE-denia 1t IL well
enough, perhaps that a man who stands charged
with the highest of all crimes, ambition for the
Presidency, should have this much said In his be-
half.
All this has made. of course. enemies as well as
friends and the Executive Chamber has grown to be
unpopular with the working politicians. Sometimes
this unpopuarty has assumed large proportions. as
on the Costgan bill, when the Governor had barely
a bakers dozen of his own party with him, and
several of these-it can be said without fear of
injuring a good cause-ony voted in this way in the
hope that Tammany would buy them out. To the
leader of the latter it was that Speaker Mcclure
sent the blunt and emphatic message that there
was MT 10 cents in this thing for him." Well,
this is more space than it s usual to waste on Gov
errors but this has cast votes IN the Legs
lature than is generally known, and no analysis OF
the work of the Winter would be complete without
description Of his share.
There has been some question whether this was a
more or less dishonest Legislature than its prede-
cessors 1t praised the other day in my presence
as being one of the most honest on record, because
only 10 out of the 12S members OF the Lower House
were openly in the market; but the eulogst WAS
Democrat and partisan. On the other hand.
heard an old member denounce it as one of the most
corrupt and another say there were so members
who could be reached but both of these were biased
The truth is undoubtedly the first statement
than the second. These lObby-members form an in
teresting study in legislation. They are usually di-
vided as they this year, into rival gangs One
of these was under the lead of back-b proved fellow
who found it easier TO work upon the Legislature
from the inside than the outside, and who
therefore this year exchanged bus uncertain tenure
in the lobby for members seat-and very proud ms
constituency must have been of him. The other was
marshaled by quiet. gentlemany man whom you
would take for a rural member of the better sort.
The connection of members with these fellows IS as
we'll understood by every well-informed correspond
ent and sbrewd member as by the guilty man Lin
self and the notorety that attaches TO all Of them
often enables the honest OF the House to com
bine against the thieves. But there has been com
parativey little money used here this Winter though
the Rapid Transit discussion is sand TO have been
profitable while it lasted. Naturally enough, the
dearth of loose money only made the thieves more
hungry, and the Striking" gas bills and insurance
bills introduced would have filed small volume
Jobs have generally had hard time.
The Legislature has various claims to public gratl-
tude. whether its most important acts are due to
Executive pressure or not. AL attempts to recast
the Charter of the City of New-York have failed
the means has been provided for the framing of a
general charter for all cities TO be Incorporated into
the Constitution remedies have been provided f0r
official maversation numerous important lnvesu-
cations have been ordered the more important gen.
eral laws required by the new Constitution have
been prepared, with what success their operation
must show measures for Canal Reform have been
provided which will no dOubt serve the purpose, in
complete as they are the Legislature has passed at
least one promising Rapid Transit law 1t has been
freer from obbery than its predecess0rs-surey the
rood in this outweghs the bad. The verdict OF
history must be- if history concerns itself with Leg
islatnres-'' Pretty well done, tOlerasiy good and
reasonably faithful servant"