New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-07-28

columns to the perfect work accomplished by
the Bourbons of North Carolina in centralizing
their State and local governments. Almost all
town and county officers are now appoihteu NY
tbe Legislature instead of being elected as
they were under Republican rule. but lha' ~
not all free and fair election is not aIo"eu
even i'm the case of the few public servants VINO
are still left To be ballOted for Inc ciecton
laws are such that the elections are n Farce, ana
Republicans are prevented from depON'lnF
their votes Ivy delay, by challenges ana by afpi-
trary decisions. quite M eilectually ~ II .i'e
shotgun policy were still in force. A. kaielgh
correspondent of The TRIBUNE, in letter W
be found elsewhere in this impression SHOWS
inst how the system is worked. His statements
arc commended tn the careful attention OF the
new recruits for Cleveland and Reform
----------~--------'---
THE POUER BEBIND THE G0VERFOR
In his trucking for Hubert q. Thompsons
support. the reform Governor, whose Demo
cratic Free-1rade principles Republicans are
expected to awallow because he il rctorincr
found ii necessary, IA we have already shown
TO refuse to sign the Tenure of Office blll,whlch
would have rendered Mr.. Thompson's reap
pontmcnt improbable But his trucking to
Mr.. Thompson did not stop here.
The necessity Of The rcpavcment of Fifth
ave- Is the ono subject ~ TO which every one ~
the city Ia agreed. Governor Cleveland had
himself Expressed that opinion. " there waH
nny puhlir confidence In Hubert y, Ihompsoh
aud his mcthots, the carrying oht oI Fhch
work would naturally be- assigned 10 the Do=
purtment Of Public Works Hut Whom bill 10
that effect WAS introduced 10 the last lfglall-
ure II excited 10 universal IN OuthulHl of ob-
lection that in spite Ot the opposition ol MI
Thompson and his friends II was changed 81
that finally all effective participation by nm III
the work was excluded and power was gwen lo
| the Commissioners of the Sinking Fund To
make n contract for its execution.
After the bill took this form Mr.. Thompson
| continued his indirect opposition and finally
it came to this point, that the Assembly i'll
sisted upon limiting the amount to be expended
| 10 $780, 600, claiming that the work could
| be well done for that sum, and the Sen
| ate finally came down to 100000, claim
| ng that if less than that amount were APP
propriated no proper pavement could be laid.
| The conference committees of the two houses
split on this point and the bin seemed likely 10
| be lost, when a suggestion was made which was
| ing such men as Walter Howe Mr.. Roosevelt,
| Mr.. Hunt. of Jefferson and others. who are GER
| tainly competent and faithful guardians of tle
interests OF the city. In the form thus accepted,
and as sent TO the Governor. the Bill provided
that the Commissioners of the Sinking Fund
| should advertise for proposals il they got a re-
spon,blc bid at s iOO.0 900, or less they were to
award the contract; if they did not get such
/, Il Of no E-tI
mate and Appointment, they were to read
vertise and under such advertisement coald
| award q contract at as much as 5000, 900.
| This bill Governor Cleveland refused to sign,
| and no one can doubt that the real ground OF
! his refusal was the opposition OF Hubert ..
| Thompson. lie save rs his chief reason the
! absurd one that it would lead to combination
of bidders and an award AT the higher price, as
| If it was possible in this great city to combine
| in corrupt agreement all persons who were
| likely to bid FOR such q work. Moreover, II
| there was proof Of such combination, there was
no obligation to re-adycrtise. That was left
discretionary with the Board OF Estimate and
| ApportiOnment.
Besides all this, it would have been money
really saved to have paid even 100000 and
got new pavement this year instead OF wait
ing at least another year. We ought in frank
ness to say that Governor Cleveland adds "a
another objection that there was in the bill no
| provision for raising money by tax to pay the
interest and principal Of the bonds to be issued,
wholly ignoring the fact that this is provided
| for by other and general laws applicable to all
the bonds of The city. He also objects that the
pavement is required to be of granite, though
during the discussion Of the bill this had been
agreed upon by every one. The real reason for
his action was undoubtedly the opposition OF
| Hubert .. Thompson.
|