New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1879-06-18

Hazen's libel suit This will not be hard
ship for HIM, inasmuch as by the decision OF
the court-martial be has secured a substantial
vindication; and if General Stanley will re-
frain from marring his record by perssting
in the pOst-prandial circulation OF stories
about General Hazen, the public will be
relieved of an unpleasant controversy. .
The demagogues in the Board of Aldermen
proved again yesterday how useful their
friendship is to the workingman. 1t is three
months and half since the Commissioner OF
Public Works asked authority to do certain
repaving work which the public interest de-
nanded, and which would give employment
it is said, to 1000 men. But the Aldermen
have, up to this time, refused to grant the
necessary approval because Commissioners
Campbell was determined that the work
should be done by contract labor. Yesterday
they passed the resolution mt last but inserted
a restriction that the work must he done by
days labor. This clause will probably provoke
a veto, when. the Aldermen privately ADMIT,
they Will submit and pass another resolution.
This, however, involves a delay of another
month. and thus / 600 laboring men Will have
been kept out of work four months ana %
half by their professed friends IN the Board OF
Aldermen. These small politicians knew from
the first that their demonstration against con-
tract work could effect nothing but the injury
of the laboring men but it was carried out
nevertheless.
If New-York is not one of the worst gov
erned cities IN the world, the proceedings OF
the Sinking Fund Commissioners yester-
day will not prove that it is decenty gov
erncd. 1t would be supposed that the failure
of the city to obtain a proper revenue from
it's ferry, horse-car and other franchises
and the reckessness with which other
valuable privileges have been given away OF
late years, might induce little care IN such
matters at this late day but, on the con-
trarv, we find the Sinking Fund Commission
ers throwing away franchises with the liberal
air which was fitting, perhaps, in the
days of Tweed, but is not fitting now
General Spinola's steam-heatlng scheme
came up Yesterday before the Commissioners
ON an application to have the franchise already
granted so extended as to include the whole
city: in other words, to give this Company
practical monopoly. VIII it be believed that
the Commissioners voted Otf-hand to do tins
The only equivalent asked was that the
Company should pay over to the city all
of its profits above 10 per cent and up to -
per cent-which must be regarded as very
moderate price indeed, considering that 1t is
not difficult for stock companies to keep down
the size of their dividends 10y enlarging the
surface they are to cover. 1t Is easy to Judge
of the intelligence with which the subject was
considered from the fact that Controller Kelly
favored it because the public buildings
are to be heated without charge, and this
would save money. 1t was decided that tins
vote should not be final until approved by
the Common Council. This precautiOn Is a
tremendous protection to the city, OF course.
The Commissioners were too modest; they
should have erected General Spinola into
branch of the City Government, and bestowed
upon him coordinate powers with the Croton
Water Bureau.