New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-05-14

commissioners from 50 600 to So,ooo. Inc
latter sum Is excessive except for men OF a high
order of ability, of great acuteness, ureiess
energy and such stubborn honesty ana mae
pendcnce that they cannot be turned aside from
the thorough exploration of al dark places ana
cannot be tempted into silence concerning
rong-docrs The bill is Objectionable, Also IN
that il authorizes the issue or revenue ponds
TO meet expenses of the Office which, as Com
missioner Asten clearly showed in the Board Oh
Estimate and Apportionmcnt, were incurred
ILLEGALLY. Altogether it is bill which Governor
Cleveland should not permit to become law.
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THE SENATE COMMITTEES REPORTS.
The three reports Of the Senate Committee
on Cities, which investigated the Public WORKS
Department, are Of little value, following as
they do the presentment of the Grand jury
The committee has consumed much time III
waiting for Mr. Albert Daggett Z" to consider
the strength, poise the weight, aud discern the
evidence in his well-known judicial manner.
He paid little attention to the proceedings OF
the committee when it was taking testimony
hence, it is not surprising that he should be
unable to agree with any OF his associates. HIS
report and that of the Democratic members OF
the committee COPIES of which were kindly
furnished the press by Commissioner Thompson
Yesterday, in advance of their arrival from
Albany do not differ materially in their final
conclusions, but strongly vary in other respects.
The report signed by Senators Gibbs, Lans-
ing and Mccarthy was modified with the vain
hope of making it satisfactory to Mr.. Daggett.
But in its present form it is a strong arralgn-
ment of the extravagant and corrupt methods
of the Department. AT every point, the report
states, at which the committee have touched
@the Department, they have found abundant
"eyidence of extravaganza in its conduct, and
I" of the lack of an efficient, vigilant administra-
ative head These members state that the
testimony proves that Mr.. Cunningham has
been paid at rates several hundred per cent
greater than Is paid by the City of Brooklyn Tor
doing the same kind of work; and that 1t costs
the department, under Mr. Thompson 700 per
cent more to clean the public buildings than the
same kind of work costs private corporations,
and the Federal Government. Mr.. thompson
is found to have clearly violated the spirit OF
the law, and the Department is accused OF
shameless, unnecessary and stupid misstate-
ments of facts" aud of Il" the manufacture OF
records" Senators Gibbs, Mccarthy and Lans-
ing recommend that the evidence be forwarded
to the Mayor for his action, which is all the
Senate can do in the matter.
Mr. Daggett, who seems to have attempted to
belitte the report of his Republican associates,
reaches some conclusions in the body OF his re-
port strangely at variance with those at its close
The 1899 order system, he says, cannot be
too severely condemned He finds that Com
"missioner Thompson has permitted the
agrossest extravaganza in the cleaninglof the
"public buildings" and that "employes arc
"appointed for political purposes" while there
seems to have been an intention of eyading IT
"not absolutely violating the law" He also finds
"culpable negligence" a" bad system of ac-
counts" a disregard of the law concerning pOlit-
ical assessments, and that the law has been
violated in giving out 5000 orders. The un-
balanced bid systom he condemns as specially
vicious and dishonest" But after all that
startling array Of evidence against the Depart
ment, Senator Daggett cannot make up his mind
TO request Mayor EdsOn to take action on
the subject; nor can he agree with the Grand
Jury that Mr.. Cunningham is overpaid for his
work IN extenuatiOn of Cunningham's charges
Mr.. Daggctt cites a statement Of an engineer
which does not appear i'll the testimony taken
by the committee.
The report Of the Democratic members of the
committee reheaTses the well-knOwn speclOus
pleas made by Mr.. Thompson before the Mayor,
which have been completely disproyed by
the testimony taken before the committee, and
in the presentment of the Grand Jury. 1t is
ptiable to find man like Senator DAILY, who so
often rises above his party associates, resorting
to such devices to shield disgraced official.