The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1876-08-31
Gn SA amy auurat Gann Qtp, Ghmsdm egnensl 81 1910

loss of actual income, together with the
expenditures involved, amounting TO
what would be a handsome endowment
of a public charity.
Even when the Tweed ring had passed
into the hands of the Courts, Mr.. Tilden
did not relax his efforts to aid the prose-
cution, and when he became Governor
his first work was to carry through the
Legislature bills facilitating the prosecu-
ton of unfaithlul officers, under which
successful suits were brought against the
ring. In one action against Tweed,
brought under these laws, 5000 1000 was
recovered. He also pardoned Ingersoll,
by whose testimony an important suit
against Tweed was won. This plain
statement of facts, which cannot be dis
puted, and which could be fortified by
countless details if it were necessary,
shows:
l. That Mr.. Tilden began the attack
on the Tweed ring,
H. That he began the attack when the
ring was at the height of its power, and
was in complete control of every branch
of the City and State governments.
III. That while enjoying one OF the
largest and most lucrative legal practices
in the country, he gave up sixteen
months of his time to the work Of de-
stroying this powerful combination.
". That he finally succeeded in turn
ing 10000 Democratic voters against 1t
and overthrow it.
V. That his personal investigations
furnished almost every item of legal
proof on which the suits against Tweed
and his guilty confederates were founded
and arranged the machinery by which
these suits were brought.
vi. That he drove Tammany judges
from the bench, and perfected legisa-
ton by which plunderers might be pun
ished.
THE CANAL RING,
The Canal Ring of the State Of New
York was a much older organization than
the Tweed Ring Its career was more
prolonged, and the territory it covered
was larger, though its operations were
not of such magnitude. Nevertheless, it
was an organization more powerful for
evil in the politics Of the State. 1t was
clique of contractors, who by means OF
fraudulent devices in contracts for re-
pairs, &C., by false measurements, esti-
mates and audits, plundered the canals of
their immense revenues. To secure con-
federates, the ring joined itself to both
parties, nominated. where it could, all
canal officers, and took care to have a
sufficient proportion of its friends in the
Legislature, and also to have the canal
appropriation committees made up of
its own tools. This secret combination
which always avoided publicity and dis
play, had an immenss influence in the
politics of the State, and especially in
the Democratic party, and dated back
many years in its history. 1t was this
powerful organization which Mr., Tilden
conceived it to be his first duty to attack
on taking the Governors chair. In his
first annual message to the Legislature he
asked for the passage of laws facilitating
the punishment of official defaulters and
peCulators, which had been prepared by
himselfand Charles 0'Conor. While the
public understood that these had been
framed especiallyto enable certain suits
to be brought against the Tweed ring
they did not know that they were framed
while intended to cover all such cases,
with especial reference to the Canal ring,
which Gov. Tilden was getting ready to
expose. In this message he also outIin-
ed his policy of administrative reform
which he has steadily adhered to since.
Meanwhile he was collecting his proofs,
and on March 18th, 1875, addressed to
the Legislature long and able message,
describing in detail the methods of
frauds praCticed for many years upon the
canals, showing the extent to which the
robberies of the ring had run the State
in debt, and asking an investigation
The disclosures made by his message
aroused a storm of indignation through
out the State, and the frightened ring,
though having great influence in the
Legislature, could not prevent an inves-
tigation. A commission was appointed,
headed by John Bigelow, which devoted
the balance of the yeal to the investiga
ton, and disclosed astounding frauds. So
much of the fraud had been accomplished
through acts of the Legislature and
awards of boards, that the work of OBJ
tanning judicial proof was difficult almost
beyond belief but the Commission, by
dint ofgreat industry and skill, succeed
in unearthing and proving great thefts.
The facts they obtained were reported to
Gov. Tilden as soon as they could be got
into proper form, and were by him at
once transmitted to the Attorney Gen
eral, with instructions to bring SUITS
These suits are now pending in the
Courts, and if successful, will restore vast
sums to the treasury of the State. This
is only a part, however, of the results
achieved. Gov. Tilden's disclosures not
only destroyed forever the political in
huence Of the ring, but put an immedi-
ate stop to its fraudulent practices, and
the triumph of his Reform ticket at the
fall election of 1875 put the canals under
the control of honest men. The reform
in the management Of the canals is COM
pete, the work of furnishing the thieves
still goes as fast as the Courts can reach 1t
Theresult of Gov Tilden's action was
seen at once in the appropriations ofthat
year, as well as elsewhere. Notwith
his recommendations for econ
Omy in his annual message, the appro-
priBtion bill for ordinary repairs, as it
passed the Canal Committee of the Sem
ate, was nearly as large as in 1874. The
bill for extraordinary repairs, or new
work, promised also to be nearly as large
as that of 1874, appropriating nearly 81
100000. AT about this time the special
message on the canals was sent in. The
result was that the appropriation for or
dinary repairs was reduced 100000 be-
low that of the year before, and, count
ing the provision made for deficiencies,
$4l5630 The appropriations for new
work were reduced from $2,000,000 to
1855, 900, and the balance was vetoed by
the Governor. Other appropriations
were also vetoed by the Governor, in
sums amounting to 100000, the whole
reduction being $2,400,000.
Some notion Of the extent of the rob-
berries of the Canal ring may be gathered
from the statement, that while the to'al
,ovop1oe Of Tho ooro1o Of tha Gtofa ciY,oa