New-York tribune., 1876-05-17

mating him, which Will hereafter be three
years. the latter for five years. The Superin-
tendent of Public Works is charged with the
execution of all laws relating to the coiiS'iu'-
ton and improvement OF the cah"i''
except so far as 1t IS cohnueu
tbe State Engineer and Surveyor a,i" "
to make regulations for the navigation Oh 'no
canals subject to the control OF the LcgiSia'u'e
He is empowered to appoint three assistant
ounorintendents for three years, who Will prop
ohi,, d;scborge some of the duties OF the
,,rosont Canal Commissioners, and all persons
employed on the canals, except COLLECTORS VI
tolls and the subOrdinates OF the o'a'o
Engineer and Surveyor, the latter, uhuer '.o
law passed by the last Legislature, 10 lhcluuo
all engineers. The Superintendent OF o'ato
Prisons will have entire control OF the man
ooement of the prisons, and Will appoint the
cent wordens. physicians, and chaplains OF
each prison, the remaining officers, such as
the guards keepers, &C., to be appolh'cu "
the agent and wardens of each prison. SuDJece
TO the approval Of the Superintendent, except
the clerk, whom the Controller Is 10 appoint
inasmuch as bis relations are directly WIN
that officer. Both of these new olilcials Wui
be subject to removal by the Governor 'or
cause and after hearing.
After the years of discussion which these
amendments have undergone, there can DC
little need of argument to show that they Will
concentrate power where it is now dliuseu
and divided, and fix responsibility where 1t Is
now impossible to define it. With Canal Com
missioners who have one set of powers lnul-
.Al1aafIVllV-
Canal Board with another, and the state
Engineer and Surveyor with others still WIN
the State Prisons in charge OF three equal anu
independent officers, each rotating once III each
year around the circle, it is no wonder that
both of these systems are monuments Oh
organized corruption and of the worst evils OF
partisan appointments, that millions OF dollars
have been stolen from the one and there
i an annual deficit of half million
in tbe other. The mode of administration in
the one has been strikingly like that In the
other Three Canal Commissioners have
divided IN the canals; three Inspectors nave
divided the prisons; and the result has Deeh
lust what might be expected II the New 4 DIX
Central Railroad should be divided into three
equal parts, and the head OF each put In
supreme control, with no chief to account to,
or if an ocean steamer were to have three lnde-
pepdent CAPTAINS, one Mt the bow, one amid
ships. and another mt the stern. The costliness
and folly of this singular experiment III al
ministration were made fully to appear In the
disclosures of the canal investigations OF last
wear if never before, and the prison lnveStlga-
ton that is now about beginning is likely TO
enforce the lesson.
There can be no question as to the real SEN
timent of the people in favor Of these amend
mcnts. The only danger that threatens them
lies in the fact that in this, as in many like
cases, it is the interest of the few to oppose
what the many fancy to be secure. Three
Canal Commissioners and three State Prison
Inspectors all of whom are now Democrats,
will bc lcgislatcd ont of Office by the ratliica-
ton of these amendments, and many OF TIER
subordinatcs are likely to go with them. Inc
opposition quietly developed 10y some means
in the last Legislature by some of these oili-
cials came within "A single vote OF defeating
the State Prison amendment, after all the
long years OF effort in its behalf. 1t is libel
on human nature of the canal and prison kind
not to suppose that there will be further at
tempts OF this kind on larger scale. For
that reason we shall be glad To see the con-
ventons of both parties reaifrm their ap-
proya OF these amendments expressed last
year, and glad, too, to receive assurances early
in the campaign that the respective commit
tees are honestly at work to fulfill the explicit
pledges that both parties have made.