New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-08-23
CONKLING AND CORNELL.

TO INFLUENCE GOVERNOR CORNELL, AND WHY
| MIR. CoNKLING NOW OPPOSES HIM.
| IFRoM A SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT OF THE rRIBuNi-l
| ALBANY Aug. 22.-The charge that ex-senator
Conkling attempted for personal reasons to per-
suade Governor Cornell to sign the Elevated Kali
road Tax bill. and failing now seeks actuated by
reyengeful feeling to defeat his denomination
| for Governor naturally is the chief sub
ject Of talk among the politicians of the
State capital 1t would seem that sufficient
care was not taken when the charge was
first made to define it accurately. In addition
TO the persuasion of personal and political friend
ship. it was charged there was the persuasion OF
bride It should be said at once that Mr.. Conkhng
never attempted to bride the Governor The ex-Sen-
ator close as were his relations with Mr..
Cornell, would never have dared to
proner bride TO the latter That Is not
the charge. Mr.. Conkling is actually accused of
accepting from Jay Gould a retainer to appear be-
fore Governor Cornell and make an argument in
favor of his signing the Elevated Railroad Relief
| Tax bill and not only Of making the argument but
taking advantage of twenty years friendship by
urging him to sign it on personal grounds. Mr..
Conklng. it is said on good authority twice fairly
besought Mr. Cornell to sign the bill Ii was to be
expected that under these circumstances Mr.. Conk-
lings opponents should charge that Roscoe
| Conkng, attorney, is aiming to have 1t un-
|
invariably executive action on semi-egal mat
ters i'm his favor at either Washington or Albany.
Mr.. Conklings friends here holy resent the adop-
ton of such sketch OF their chiefs plans They de-
clare that he would not 20 beyond the duty OF an at
| torney if he should appear before the Governor III
any matter 1t is the bribery charge,
however, that especially rouSes their indignation.
One of them said angrily to-day: Mr.. Conkllng
has swum in too deep waters at Washington to bite
at such petty bait said to have been prolicred
| him at Albany in this elevated railroad case"
Nevertheless Governor CornelPs friends press the
charge against Mr.. Conklng. One of them said to-
day: Mr.. Conklng had no sooner heard of the
Governors veto of the Elevated Tax bill than he
sent for the district leaders in NewYork City and
| told them that Mr. Cornell must be defeated for
denomination. Why must Mr. Cornell be defeated
for denomination Can Mr. Conkling give rea-
| son ? Has he gwen reason For twenty
five years it has been the custom of the political
parties of this State to renominate the Governor OF
| their party faith From Governor Morgan down,
| with the exception of Governor TIlden-whO would
have been renomlnated except for bis nomination
for the Presidency-ths has been the custom. Mr..
Conkling proposes to break it-becanse he did not
win the suit of the Elevated Railroad
companies before Governor Cornell. lie proposes
| to array against Mr. Cornell the National Admins
tration with all its political influence, his own DO
| IltlCal influence III nlH Stdlt runway iiih
cncc. If MIR. Cornell had not made "a GOOD Governor
If he had not acted solely IN the interest OF the
| people of the state such warfare Wouid nave
| some appearance OF Legitimacy. But a. Salu Oe-
fore MOI the slightest reason Is given Tor the IJcc
tIon of Mr Cornell and the breaking Of the custom
.. This attack bv Sir Conkling on Governor Cor
nell hasn't solely peCulliry basis. year ago
last March The Governor advised Mr.. ohkhhg not
To resist the confirmation OF William ii. hOncrtsOn
as Collector of Ncw-lork, nor tine confirmation OF
the otner New-lork nominations, but to
| support President Garfield. That was the
! beginning of the break between he Governor ana
| tine ex-senator. Then when MI. COnNllng resigned
| as senator the Governor sent INN word that ne ana
! not believe his reelection rs senator was possible
| THIS was oilense number two. Coming TO Albany,
the ex-senator found fault with Ar Cornell Tor not
straining his power Governor 10 reflect nm SEN
! ator Mir. Cornell Wa, asked To threaten the mem
bers of the lie gsatu re with veto Ot thclr DIS II
| they should not vote Tor Mr.. Conkhng. |
Other Legitimate cXcrtOns of his power |
| as Governor were suggested TO Mr. Cornell;
but all THESE proposals ne rejected. AZ the same
time he most Loyalty supporting MI CohNIlhS
for reelection The latter had 10 just cause Tor |
| complaint: D,
his wrath against Governor CorueIi ie-,cHeV ulns
the interval or he thought mt 10 hide H. Any now
through intimate friends he tried 10 persuade the |
Governor TO sign the blI eXemptlng the racine |
Mail steamship Company from TlUO,OOO taxation. |
Two OF these friend, Of Mr. COnklIng followed the |
Governor 10 Saratoga and there attempted to induce
hImnol To veto the ill. Tins elevated Railroad az
bill scandal has an interesting history. Inc Dill as
originally introduced IN the Legislature vas !
Gould was aiIdIl that II would pass, and u was at
TINS time that he had conversation VITA Governor
Cornell about the bill. Aterward the elevated |
railroads gained possession OF the Legislature |
could do with 1t what they PeS1Ied
and they passed their own bill, Then
the bill reached Governor Cornell and
warfare over it began between the city authorities |
and the elevated railroads. Mr. Gould at TINS Iime
employed Mr.. COnkling as counsel Tor the elevator
railroads in this special matter he ex-senator |
appeared before the Governor twice on the bii.
think at the Firth Avenue Hotel III New-lork |
q. NN4F la nN->D
presented printed brlei on each occasion ana lnen
occupied several hours IN conversation
about the bill. lie adopted fairly a be- |
seeching attitude III regard TO the Gov
errors signing the bill. Friends OF MIR. Conkling |
also approached tho Governor on the subject. |
The Governor promised Mr. Could that he |
would sign the bill. Anyone who has been about |
the Legislature Tor three years knows that Mr.. |
Cornell never promised member that he would |
sign bill He would say that he would hear |
reasons for or against its becoming law-but he !
never would promise to sign Dl
Nj. COnklng, as | have said, no sooner heard |
that his service as attorney Tor the elevated ll-
roads had not prevailed with Governor Cornell than
he set the machine at work against Nh Cornells |
denomination. Mr.. COnkllng declares mat the !
National AdminisT atlOn Is AT his back. have no |
doubt of 1t. Indeed there has been an add
Vertisement for the past three months OF |
the fact that Mr.. Coukling is to control |
the Federal patronage III this State just the
sane as he did in General Grants Administration.
Witness the appointment of the postmaster at Utica,
of Armstrong az Collector Of Internal Revenue for |
that district, and of Cox as judge, Then look ut |
the appointment OF LuDy ana bentley III Inls Guy,
and OF Pierce NJ LockpOrt as Collector OF Internal
Revenue tor that district. All these appointments
are SO many announcements to the Republican poll |
ltlcianS OF the state That Mr COhkIlng Is again IN
control of the appointments. IL can therefore be
easily predicted that now that Mr. COnkng has gwen
word for Mr.. CornelPs overthrow, that all the
Federal officials will be at work TO secure delegates
TO the state Convention against his renomuatOu.
1t was minated to Mr.. Cornell by Mr.. COnkllngs |
friends at the time he had the Elevated Tax bill
under consideration that he would be renOminaed
If lac should sign the bill. He has vetoed 1t, aud
now all the Federal force is arrayed against MIN"
Ia q Il