New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1879-08-09
PROSTTTU11YG THE POLICE BOARD.


If any Republicans in other States wish fur
Their evidence of the necessity and rightful-
ness of the United States Election Law, we
counsel them TO look at events that are now
occurring in this city. A brief inspection will
convince them, we are sure, that the desper-
ate struggle of the Democrats to repeal or to
-nullify that law, even at the risk OF stopping
the operations of the Government, was not
without definite and Infamous object
Mr.. Tilden and his instruments, Governor
Robinson and Mayor Cooper, have set at
naught law and official decency in an attempt
tn prostitute the Police Board of this city to
nartisan uses. The law was intended to make
the Police Board strictly and absolutely non
nartisan. The Board, whether good or bad in
other respects, has been In that particular
inst what the law meant it to be. To that
BOARD the law intrusts the selection of In
spectors of Election, and 1t provides that the
members of each party in that Board shall
have power to name One-half of the iDspec
tors in each district. Under this system,
fraud i'm counting and returning the votes
has been prevented, and the Federal Election
law has aided both in that matter and in
preventing false votes, ballOt-box stuffing,
and repeating.
In broad day, without any pretence of dis
onise. MIR. Tilden and his instruments have
set themselves to get control Of the Police
Board. The object is not concealed. Every
decent citizen can hear it openly avowed, at
almost any hour of the day, by the politicians
who throng around the offices which the
Claimant of Cipher Alley has captured. 1t is
known TO all men of all factions IN this city
l.. frpl nf
appointment of Inspectors OF Elections.
Charges which were Matched out months ago,
IN the hope of bulldOzing certain OF the Police
Commissioners into faithlessness to their public
duty, have slept on the Governors table. Why
Because it was thought that some Commits
sioner might be frightened into treachery 10
his party-into completely with trick to de-
feat the selection of fair, upright and evenly
divided inspectors. At the last moment these
charges are thrust forward with indecent
haste. because the time is close at hand for
the appointment of inspectors. All proper
forms of law have been disregarded citizens of
excellent repute have been branded with dis
honor without the hearing which the law pre-
scr1bes and persons have been chosen to
fill the CommisslOnershlps who have no other
recommendation whatever, for posts OF pecu-
liar difficulty and responsibility, except that
they are the. mere tools of Mr.. Tilden. Their
former official service, as mere clerks and de-
pendants, renders their selection for such
posts of high responsibility an outrageous
scandal, which gives cause for shame 10 every
man who voted for Mayor Cooper or Gov
ernOr Robinson.
Now what is all this forf Men who have
been posturing before the world as great re-
formers do not resort to steps so indecent and
desperate without some strong motive. A fair
election to all parties would have been Sc
cured, it rs certain, by the choice of inspectors
evenly divided between parties, and selected
by faithful members of each party because of
their efficiency and trustworthIness. 1t is not
fair election that Mr.. Tilden wants, then. His
own course forces sensible men to the conclu-
sion that he intends 10 get something else, If
he can. What else Z Let the records OF 1868