The New York herald., 1875-10-23
G A N AL R EFF DR. M
Senator Roscoe Conkling on
the Warpath.
THE PUBLIC SCHOOL QUESTION.
John Kelly and the Tammany De-
mocracy Denounced.

republican organization in this city and State an i'm
concourse OF citizens, with their wives and
daughters, met in the hall There ban
ncrs or other decorations At eight p NJ.
there were at least 1000 persons present Among
tho prominent gentlemen tho platform were
Elliot G. Cowdin, George Bliss, Thomas G. Acton, John
H. White, Chester A. Arthur, Thomas Murphy, George
Starr, Joel W. Mason, Howard Potter, Samuel Minnes,
William T. Graft Frank A. Horne, Colonel Bullard,
Wilson Bergman william A. Darling Benjamin X.
Phelps Hugh Gardner Aldermen Morris and Billings,
Pslice Commissioner Disbecker Professor Clark, Ham
ton Fish, Jr.; Judges B. T. Morgan and G. E. Kasmre,
Postmaster James General Hilhouse Colonel james G.
Plnckney, A. b, Cornell and others.
The meeting was called to order by Mr. Charles 8.
Spencer who nominated chairman Mr. Salem II.
Wales who spoke as follows
SPEECH OF WALES
return my sincere thanks for the honor conferred
in calling preside this large gathering of
my fellow citizens. The sight Of many in
telllgent, thoughtful men, met TO night to take
counsel together Is both inspiring and assuring We
are here TO ratiiy the nominations of the republican
party for important State and city offices, and what
higher evidence can be presented of the purposes Of
this party to secure able and honest men TO fill those
varied public trusts than to find the honored of
Seward Merritt Spinner, Danforth and Phelps among
Its foremost standard bearers, We arc not here TO
apologize Tor or to gloss whatever faults
may have been committed by republican administra-
tions, covering period of nearly sixteen years.
We point to gradual though reduction Of the bur-
den OF national debt and
OPPRESSIVE TAXATION;
and that signs of returning prosperity visible
every hand 1t becomes us to study we'll not only
the which have led to this temporary depression
OF our industries, but at the same time to ad-
dress ourselves, with hope and courage to
such measures OF sound and honest finance as
shall prevent and render impossible their
We not here TO vihfy those who honestly OPP
posed to US IN this campalgn We can accord to the
Governor OF the state our warm approval of every and
lll measures that tend TO arrest and punish all the
fogues who plunder the people OF their hard earned
substance We must endeayor to secure Canal Board
and Legislature that will work and legislate
WITHOUT FAVOR,
10 drive out every remaining vestge Of corruption and
haud To this end trust that all doubtful candidates
Of either party VIII be uefeated at the polls and that
none other than good and true Will receive tho
from all quarters Of the land-Reiorml reform re-
form Reform In the nation, reform in the State, re-
torn In the city, reform everywhere This must be the
bhbboleth of the campaign, and whosocver stands in
hc of real reform should so under TO be heard OF
no moro In our political life.
SENATOR coNKLISG's SPEECH.
The Chairman then introduced as the next speaker
Benator Roscoe Conkling He was received with tu-
mutuous applause and spoke substantially follows-
Montesqueu declared that he wrote to make others
think, not to show how much he thought himself In
the spirit Of the great Frenchman appear before you
10 night
There is but inquiry before now. 1t is,
shall the men and the agencies proposed by the
party or the other be adopted by the people?
In the first part OF his speech Senator Conkling in
tEQduced statistics in support OF an argument intended
M Ss and Claimed ps N
pamphlets through the State was, In fact, instituted
by Governor Dix
Taxing up next tho question of canal reform he
republican Legislature, counselled by Governor
Dix adopted amendments OF the constitution which
have imbedded "cana REFORM in the fundamental
law, where IL cannot be rooted out. republican
Governor and Legislature did still other things
They carefully scrutinized and cut down appro-
priations and supported the State officers in
putting stop TO expenditure. They did not
create a commission at pay OF $50 per diem-$20 a
day for each OF four Commssloners-wth clerks senog
Taphers, agents, engineers, hired house and other
appliances Very likely would have been well to do
SO. Do not understand me to deny that IT would
Whether money viii be saved by such commission,
however, remains to be seem The little book OF
fables already referred to asserts that restitution
has already been made OF sum greater than
the cost of the commission. Alluslon must be
made TO $l2 600 paid TO the State by one Bennett No
other has been paid that near of and surely II
cannot be seriously pretended that $12 900 s4 600
or much larger sum, will pay the expenses OF the
commission one good, at least, will be done by the
proceeding; II will call attention TO matters which
many men have labored for years TO obtain audience
Tor. But Governor Dix did not suggest commission;
Governor Tden did suggest IT, and republicans in the
Legislature at once responded and created IL, and
armed the Governor with penary powers
A SUBJECT OF PARTICULAR INTEREST.
Fearful Of dwelling too long the subject still feel
.hat apology s hot needed or discussing before the
people Of this great metropolis the interests of the
1,2O0 miles of canals owned by our State Surely
few things in our public affairs are of more import
ance The Erie Canal has brought untold wealth TO
this CITY, and has done more than we always remember
to build up It's opulence and its power This arti,
hcal river bears volume OF traffic three fold
greater than the river Rhine running as il does
through seven soveregnties in the heart of Europe
New York has been, and should be STILL the en-
porlum and receptacle of the vast trade and
merce Of which tho Erie Canal is the best channel
But much Of It Is slipping away The sea end Of
tho canal Is blocked by want of elevators and ter
minal facilities. Philadelphia and Baltimore and
Montreal are draining OF through other channels
the sea-going products of the West Grain and other
bulky reghts are handled more cheapy at these other
ports than here. This Is SUBJECT which needs at
icntlon, and intcrwoven with 1t, OF course,
rs the preservation OF the canals themselves. The
canal Is the only reliance against railway
combinations TO raise frcights. A waterway is
cheaper than railway for bulky commodities and
the Erie Canal, running parallel with the Erie and
central roads Is during months of the year their
competitor and is the ono power preventing sncb hpb
rates OF transportation will drive to other routes
portion OF the commerce due us. This matter should
be watched more closely than now, because oil a
law which Inst winter made its way through the
Legislature and received the signature OF the t;oy-
ernor Before this act came into being the statutes
expressly forbade any consolidation between the Erie
the Central roads and forbade the directors OF me-
10 be directors OF the other Here was a partition
built between the two to mako them rivals But tho
act OF last winter is an act or repeal and the same
may be tho directors OF both roads Freight com
binations have tree course now and unless combna-
lions we're Intended II IS not easy to see the purpose
this Legislation. This gives US new reason TO be wary
OF hostility TO the canals.
GOVERNOR TILpES's POWER.
When democrats assaiod the Governor republicans
ltood by him, and voted him extraordinary powers
pf various kinds. Ho asked power TO remove State
officials II given him, and given him by repub-
leans and he has mover used it. He asked au-
horty TO appoint inspector Of public works forth
with This power given him, and the Office
Sreated; and there IL has stood, vacant for six
months Republicans and thor conventions and press
have all encouraged and supported the Governor
bvery Tor reform. This Is as IL should be-
but why down the party unstained by the frauds
and conspicuous everywhere for its earnestness In
ehastsing and eradicating themg The last report Of
bhe commission just out, makes more puzzling than
ever the non action Of the Governor under the law
poworing him to remove delinquent officials. Tn.
less misconcoiye tho common sense Of the
whole matter man must be STONE blind who does not
see that II VIII DO good thing to put some republicans
in tho Canal Board now and let them and the demo
Gratis who will still be there and the Governor all watch
each other 1t Is said the best OF bear watching
When the Governor makes up his mind which Of his
trusted friends TO make Inspector of Public Works he
too will be another fasting democrat 10 watch the
pubicans. But do not let rs have II all on one side
In the language which used to be dear TO friends
on the other side, "Give us a change"
The speaker here took up and discussed the charges
made against him to the ELECT that his late speech AZ
AllnA M. Lnl ancL..L ILIlnn M