New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-03-19
MURPHY AND CAMPBELL.
TWEED'S COMRADES AGAIN AT THE HELM
AT ALBANY.


ALBANY, March 1s.-If the perturbed spirit Of
Tweed is permitted to wander about the earth, he
must experience u mOmentary feeling of pleasure
meeting old comrades as he passes through the As
sembly Chamber. 1t could also scarcely escape his
notice that two of these men who were trained in
his school are the leaders of the Democratic men,
bers of the Assembly. For them the reform storm
of 1871 in New-YOrk City has entirely blown over.
One of them, indeed, Timothy J. Campbell, secured
civil justiceshp before the storm had half sub
sided. The other, Michael c. Murphy, only emerged
to public view again in 1881. when he appeared
here, very humble-ooking Assemblyman from
NewYOrk. Now again Campbell and Murphy are
in power and united. They here together
Assemblymen from New. York, when
Tweed was Boss and Senator, in 1868,
1869 and 1870. 1t was natural, therefore, that
they should feel like companions reunited after q
long and troubled separation when they met here at
the beginning of the session. All the tricks that
they learned IN Tweeds day they have put in prac-
tice, with each others approval They are at pres
ert the guiding force of the Assembly
Murphy has used his position as Chairman of tho
Committee Cities to wrest the leadership of the
Democratic majority from Erastus Brooks, who II
entitled TO it by virtue Of his rank as chairman Of
the leading commttee-that on Ways and Means.
Outwardly of a simple. blunt nature, Murphy has
actually a subtle, cunning and able mind. With
seeming good nature he reports to the Assembly
favOrably every bill sent to him, no matter how
preposterous it may be. This makes him popular
with a majority Of the members, who dislike to
have their bills too closely scanned. In their turn
they vote blindly for all his bills Most
of these bills a9, perhaps, the tax
payers of New-York aud Brooklyn havo
noticed with CONSERVATION, are measures intended
to deplete their pockets for the benefit Of certain
Democratic politicians and their heelers' Mayor
Edison, of New-York has also strengthened
Murphy's influence vastly by sending to him TO bo
introduced the Edison charter and other
measures in regard to NewYOrk Followed as no
is by all of the eigh y-fve Democrats and by many
Of the Republican members Murphy has becomd
the most formidable man IN the Assembly. His IN.
fuence shown in the Assembly last week in an
astonishing manner He had introduced an amend
ment to the Supply bill, giving the Catholic Proc
tectory $4,000 The amendment was fercely
assailed by Messrs Roosevelt and Howe yet the
former was unable even TO obtain the yeas and
nays against 1t. Only six men stood up with him
to demand the formal vote. All Others, Repubh-
cans as well as Democrats. seemed cowed, for the
moment at least, by Murphy. The amendment was
then adopted by an overwhelming majority. When
the New-Yorll Aqueduct bill reaches here with its
provisions for expending $l6,00O000, it is ex-
pected that Murphy will reap the heaviest for which
he has been so industrouslY sowing the seed. New
York will then be able to appreciate his influence
and that of Campbell, his associate III the leader
ship.
Campbell does not make the great Influence which
he possesses at all obvious TO his fellow members.
He prefers the and silent ways of legislation.
| That was q trick he perhaps learned from Tweed.
| Certain bills about NewYork, money bills arc
quietly passed-and then it is discovered that they
were CampbelPs. His greatest feat has been that
of hoodwinking the Assembly about the New-York
and Brooklyn Excise BILL so called, which was
amended TO apply to all the cities Of the State
The Assemblymen perhaps think to this
day that they passed rtormatory
excise act. In fact they have essened the restrc-
tons on liquor selling. What was needed was some
bill that would decrease the amount OF liquor Sold
This was doubtless the object Of Walter Howe, the
Ropubcan member from the XIth Assembly Dis
trict of New York. who sat down with Mr.. Camp.
bell to draw up an excise bill. Mr.. Campbell earlier
in the session had introduced bill decidedly in
the interest of liquor sellers that it was suspected
to have been written a bar room. This bill was
made the basis of a new excise law. Nothing could
exceed Mr. Campbells meekness He permitted his
bill 10 be cut to drblets. But somehow. what was
left of il was altogether TO the advantage of the
liauor seller The three-bed" clause was repealed,
| "arbltrary arrest was forbidden except on Sum
day (Mr. Campbell was saddened by the exceptionl,
and transfer of licenses was authorized. The term
arbitrary arrest" is used by liquor dealers who
having violated the excise law are arrested without
warrant by the police officer detecting them in the
act That is the present law. Mr.. Campbell would
have the policeman smile benignly on the liquor
dealer caught breaking the law, and then the next
day perhaps ask some police magistrate for war
rant to arrest the culprt. Under the bill "arbi-
traryr arrests can only be made on sunday, as
already stated. The bill in this shape was passed
by the Assembly. For a fortnight it has been in
the grasp Of the Senate Committee on Cities.
Meanwhile the citizens of the State who are de-
sirous of lessening ntenperance have heard of its
contents and have begun to utter loud protests
against it becoming law. meeting 10 protest
against the proposed law was held here last Tues
day in the old Capitol. Ex-Mayor Judson
acted as chairman and, speeches were
made in criticism of the bill by Bishop Doane,
Father Walworth and others. The points they
urged against the bill substantially those held
bv other temperance reformers of the State. The
chief of these Is that the bill removes restraints
liouor selling without substituting hers for them,
os il should. They urged, do nearly all tho
temperance reformers now, that an attempt be
made 10 lessen the number Of liquor saloons by
raising the price of licenses to high figure. They
said that they would limit the number of liquor
saloons 10 a maximum of one TO each 900 OF the
oruIa,ion and increase the license fee minimum
Of 500 Ibis suggestion will be offered IN the
form of an amendment TO the bill by the Republic
can Senators.
The bill will be reported to the Senate on Wednes-
day peAt Senator Grady, the chairman OF the
Commit &c on Cities states that it has been amended
so rs TO apply only to New-York and Brookly". The
amendment is intended TO still the hostility OF tho
country Senators; but 1t is doubtful If this Will
placate them If it is bad bill for the country u
would b. a bad bill for NewYork and Brooklyn, they
argue Meanwhile, suspecting that 1t may De de-
feated, the New-York Democrats on friday had MT.
Murphy report from his Committee on Ci''es ano'ner
hil i'm renard II lannr-sellng IN New-l0rk. II was