Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1876-07-19
Fraudulent Reform.

Gov. Tildens reputation as a refOrmer
rests exclusively on his alleged exposure
and overthrow of the New York Canal
ring. Even if it were true that he had
made successful war on a system mainly
built up by his own party, we do not see
that that would furnish good reason why
the people should elect him President
But what are the facts In March, 1875,
fifteen months ago, Gov. Tilden prepared
message on Canal Reform" and read
il TO some intimate friends, remarking at
the conclusion Of the reading: "That
message will make me President of the
United States" The message was sent to
the Legislature and did make IA great com
motion on account of its exposure of an
extensive system of frauds in the canal
management, extending back through
many years and several administrations
With that began the talk about Tiden as
a reformer. 1t was the first step of his
life in that direction. His whole previous
life had been devoted to making money by
wrecking Western railroads, lobbying at
Albany, etc. But having started out as IA
rctormcr, what has he done: With the
New York Legislature at his back and the
leading papers of the State constantly urg-
ing him on, and with the aid of costly
investigating committee appointed to AS
sst him, he has instituted but three suits,
two civil and one criminal brought but
two OF these TO trial, and got conviction
in but one! This is the result of fifteen
months of blowing, some thirteen or four
teen legislative reports, three special
messages from the Governor, and heaven
only knows how much pulling and haul
ing. The New York Times has been at
the pains to 90 over the whole ground, and
presents the following, which is compiled
from official records in the Attorney Gen
erals office:
RECORD OF GOV, TILDsN's CANAL REFORM SUITS
ETC, FROM THE PUBLICATION OF THE CANAL
MESSAGE, MARCH, 1870, TO DATE
Numhe OF suits brought ................ 3
Number brought To trial ................. 2
Number of convictions obtained .........
Number of suits dismissed by court .... /
Number of suits now pending. ............
Amount OF money recovered ............. none.
Expenses of commission and counsel to ,
assist Attorney General, about 49,. .... 500 90
Payment OF two certificates stopped by
commission .,..... . ,....... ..... 5000
Number of existing fraudulent contracts
stopped ,...........'.,..,......... none.
And il is to be added that one of the
three suits instituted by him was original.
~ brought by Gen. Barlow under former
administration, abandoned by him, and
has been dismissed by the court since it
was recommended by Wlden So that we
have three suits commenced-one crimi-
nal suit carried to n conviction and sen
tence postponed one old civil suit brought
years ago by a former Attorney General,
renewed now and dismissed by the court,
and the suit of "A similar character against
the same men. which has been frequently
postponed and now awaits trial This
represents all that has been done against
the whole array of Canal contractors by
Gov Tilden since he assumed the role of
n Canal reformcr, and is the only visible
return he makes for the expenditure of
! some SlOO,OOO in expenses of his Canal
Investigation Commission and in hiring
lawyers 10 do the work which his own
I protege, Atty.Gen Fairchild is notori-
ously incapable of performing. And upon
| this ridiculously small and tlmsy founda-
/ tion Gov, Tilden and his friends have
| reared mammoth superStructure of " re-
| form" and elevated him to the top of it
rs the great and only living representative
of this idea, We venture the prediction
! that when his record and career come To
be fully ventilated this tricky old man
will be ranked among the greatest polti.
cal frauds of the age. -iHdiaHnpolis J0Hr-
nal.