The New York herald., 1876-03-22
Defence of the Railroad Committee
Against Corruption.
WEST, THE INCORRUPTIBLE.
He Says He Is Not a Rural
Member.
MR.. WORTH IN HIS NATIVE TONGUE
Important Statements by
DR.. Vanderpoel.

ALBANY, March 2l 1870
Those members OF the Railroad Committee who
charged by zone Who Knows with being in the
ring of the committee and who present
last evening made the dead "No Seat No Fare" bill
pretty live corpse to-day. Mr. West the chairman,
the first member to riso to a question OF priv-
egc. He said that he had read statement
in the HERALD which contended that the
Railroad Committee had chartered away
their honor" for money in reporting
adversely the "No Seat No Fare'' bill and
others. He denied that the committee had taken a
dollar directly indirectly to influence their action
81 have" said he, becn member OF this House for
lve years, and never allowed my vote to bo innu
enced by any unworthy consideration. will say
frankly that the first year hero did all could
TO encourage the lobby to como and me for no
other reason on earth Than to see how it was DONE
FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS BEFORE BREAKFAsr.
"They used to to my room at tho Deavau before
breakfast and I'vo had them offer $500 TO go Tor
a certain bilL' The House was apparently much
amused over this frank statement and laughed quite
heartily West added after order restored, "But
l always told them that had money enough before l
came here and that If couldn't got along without
getting paid by the lobby I'd home and sell all nv
mills at once. No lobbyman has it TO say that
he could influence mo by money any other
consideration. l suppose that when the Speaker ap
pointed the chairman OF the Railroad Committee he
had confidence me. l know that when nc told mo
that ho intended TO appoint me answered that did
not feel like accepting until had consulted of my
friends. Said of them to me, "Can you afford to
take that place and come out of that committee an
honest man? ?" replied can and so far
as lay In my power nothing dishonest would
be by that committee Now tho HERALD
has put me down a rural member l have a great
respect for the HERALD and its correspondent here
for all the other correspondents, but they do get
taken once in awhile like other people. I've been put
down, say, n rural member yet go to New York
three or four times week on business much of my
business Is dono there, and know something the
city and the accommodations OF city railroad cars.
to the conclusion that tho BILL II passed. would
be impossible to enforce. that it would be
impracticabe believe that that is not for
the benefit OF the people is dead letter You can't
enforce IT, The committee believed, as believed con-
scientously, that this No Seat No Faro bill
when it was hrst introduced was an impracti-
cable BILL and though considered the bill faithfully
and honestly there was but one opinion about It, The
only remedy for the overcrowdng Of the is rapid
transit Now, as TO our report this bill If there
had been
A HUNDRED MILLION OF DOLLARS
put up TO get favorable report that bill, and
don't claim to be honester than other people, and
think the Railroad Committee honest as the rest
OF this House, believe the committee would have
report Mr.. est then TO explain how
he had told Mr.. wenze Friday, when he heard that
he was TO move n reconsideration Of The the
committees report that he would do all he could TO
have the time extended before the adjournment that
day SO that the motion could be made Hc then sent
up to the Clerks desk letter which he asked to have
read, and which, he said, would show how tho lobby
sometimes worked Tho letter read Ii was signed
by zone Who Knows What Is Going On in the Railroad
Committee" IL addressed TO the superintendent
OF a railroad company and called his attention TO a
bill that had been introduced by Mr. Taylor OF Rens-
saaer county, which provides for reduction Of the
fare the road, stating that the Railroad Committee
determined 10 report the bill and that II
got before the House, II would be certain pass The
ofthe letter then added that the Superintendent
if he desired make the bill certain defeat tho
committee, should call upon Mr. Charles Edwards.
MIR Edwards Is a notorious lobbyist hore). What
made this letter rather important guage OF the
the lobby manages to accomplish their objects is
as Mr. West stated, that 1t was in the same hand.
writing n bill handed some time ago to a member,
which he refused to introduce and whsch is in the
possession Of Mr. West. The party who handed this
bill TO the members is man named Briggs, crony of
Edwards and who with Edwards. hauled up somo
time ago by the Stranan investigating Committee. Mr.
West without stating tho fact lett the House to draw
its own.lnerencc which that Briggs writer
OF the letter, who excused himself TOR signing
his name because bo ''an attache OF the As
sembly (which he Is not ''Supposing" said Mr..
West In closing his remarks 'that the superintendent
of that road had gone TO Edwards and paid him TO nx
the Railroad Committee, and the bill should be reported
adversely by the committee, what would he have
thought innocent OF the whole transaction as the
committee might bc ? Why that the committee had
been bought That is OF the ways Of the lobby
gentlemen, bu, talk the newspapers will, long
! know Pm right. they talk as they please. y
A SEAT.
Mr.. RoRen, another member Of the committee, fol-
lowed Mr.. West IN defending the committee. ! fully
indorse said he, all the remarks Of Mr. West except
that which refers tho 500 600 Hc added that
he had voted TO report the bill adversely consccn-
tously because he deemed tan npracticable measure
Yet be did believe that rapid transit the only
remedy for the evercrowding OF the street
cars, for he thought discrimination could bo
made between scat and
When Mr.. Rowcn had his say the members VINO
anxious for an adjournment to 80 TO dinner, as II
then just the regular hour OF adjournment came
10 the conclusion that the privileged question business
ior the day. But Mr. West, who had cum
ningly managed Friday set Belts yield the floor
to him on the promise that he would renew Betis'
motion, but ala not, considered that he too should be
heard as he was a member OF the Railroad COMMITTEE
WORTH RELATES MS EXPERIENCE.
Mr. Worth gave very good explanation OF his own
ignorance Of the Affairs generally by confessng that no
had not had his attention called to tine HERALD over
two three times during the past year, aud at the
same time pad high compliment to tho intelligence
OF his constituents by claiming once upon time that
when most all the papers in the state ana
all the papers In his district against him
he was e,c'ed BY tho largest majority he ever OBJ
tanned IN his life, while last year. when he nomi-
mated by both parties and all tho papers were favor
able TO him, he was elected by majority Of only S.
the State ticket OF his party receiving majority OF
1900 This, In the opinion OF Mr. Worth, showed that
the newspapers only beneficial 10 man when
they opposed him; but 10 the opinion OF good many
people, II Is proof positive that when he got tho
largest majority he ever received IN his lie
his constituents did not know him 80 we'll as they aid
when he only got majority OF eighty eight Even a
certificate OF good character from politicians of both
parties and the praises OF tho editors his district
poweress TO convince the voters last fall that he
had changed for the better since the time when
all the papers all against him Doubt
less his constituents have 10 the conclusion
shat what the papers had thcn said about him was
the truth after all. Mr. Worth showed conclusiveiy
that he reads the newspapers very Seldom for to
prove that the HERALD inconsistent In It's refor-
10 tho committee, because s regular cOrfcspOn-
had stated that Mr. Baldwin had voted against tho
adverse report whereas communication to tho paper
said Baldwin OF the ring II Mr.. Baldwin OBJ
tanned htto credit for the way he declared TO
have voted II given HIM the strength Of three
members Of tho committee who said he did vote
against the report, OF the thrco being Mr. Baldwin
himself