New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-11-02
UUJCH SHALL 1T BE!


All Indications noint to the defeat of David
d u;rs efforts TO secure vindication at the
no,Is to- morrow. 1t is fortunate for the State
that such is the case. In Ira Davenport the
neone find a worthy and popular candidate.
But David B. Hill represents the worst eie-
mcnts in politics He stands charged with COM
plicity in political crimes that have done more
than anything else to bring our legislative IN
situations into disgrace and dishonor. What Is
more important, these formidable charges have
for the most part gone without explanation or
defence. With almost unparalleled audacity he
admits most of them, but claims that his party
must sustain him In order to strengthen
the President. On that ground and on
appeals to the passions of ignorance and vice,
and with open bids for sectarian support, he
hopes to succeed.
Mr.. Hills whole career has been of piece with
this effrontery. An Indifferent lawyer in
country town, he took to politics and formed
political partnership first with Edward lie
Patrick, and afterward with Tweed, both OF
whom became penitentiary convicts. Through
Patrick's assistance he secured the passage OF
n law legalIzing some fabulous claims twelve
years old. which he worked up against the
State. Hill got $50, 900 on these claims large
part of which went into his own pocket. The
only explanation offered to this serious charge
"a that ms lawyer he had a right
TO push even bogus claims for clients. and
that it was the business of the State officers to
look ont for its interests. 1t is admitted that
Tweed and Patrick assisted in getting the
claims egalized and paid.
Immediately after this transaction Hill en-
tered into partnership with Tweed, and by
means of Tweeds money secured possession OF
The Elmird Gd:sHc. He was elected to the
Legislature, and was Twceds partner white
serving in that body in 1871. He voted for all
the Infamous measures which enabled the
Tweed Ring to rob the cityof about SEC, 000,O 900,
and he also voted for all the bills by
means of which the Canal Ring robbed
the State of about IS. 100000. His vote would
alone have defeated those measures. Judge
Barrett, ex-NIayor lIavcmeyer, Wi liam NJ.
Evarts and about two thousand OF the
leading citizens appealed to him by resolutions
and petitions on April q, 1871, to vote against
the two per cent tax levy and other scandalouS
bills. Mr.. Hill paid no attention TO such re-
quests, but voted for every one OF those bills
He pursued a like course in supporting The
Fisk Gould Erie Ring.
After Twccd's rObbcrics were fully exposed
Hill publicly declared This great outcry about
Tweed was raised and is still kept up for po-
litical effect" He was reelected by aid Of
the Erie Railroad Ring, whose paid attorney he
was, and in the Legislature of 1872 nc vainly
sought to protect that ring; and he voted
against every bill to repeal the special laws
passed for its benefit He voted against the
tbnr htl i'm
designed to dIslodge the Tweed Ring thieves.
He defended Cardozo and tried to save the
Ring Judges from impeachment. In the
previous Legislature he voted against giving
the ballot to the cOlored man. After has shame
less support of Tweed he turned up as the
owner of Twec lis $4,000 worth of stock in
| the Elmira newspaper.
Elected LIeutenant- Governor by political
accident, he gave a casting vote which killed
the Elevator bill. lie made speech TO defend
5000 Thompson, aud sought To prevent the
Roosevelt investigation. which saved this city
5000, 600 He absented himself from his post
! of duty for many weeks to work up evidence to
prevent Cornell University from obtaining II
! 81, OO0, 600 endowment. As Governor he vetoed
| the Brooklyn reform bills and the Curtis re-
| form bills which would have saved the people
a large sum of money. For the same reasons,
to please political supporters, he approved IL
! LOT of bills, opposed by the Mayor and city au-
! thorities which fastened on NewYOrk an adj
ditiona annual tax Of over 100000. He has
within few weeks of the election pardOucd
nearly one hundred conyicts-more than i'll
all his previous time in Office. A great part
! of his time has been spent i'll running about the
! State hunting up votes and marshalhng the
lower forces in his party for work at tho polls
II is for tho voters TO determine whether
such IA man-the representative IN an intense
and aggravated form of the methods and mo-
tivcs from which good citizens shrink-shall
have power TO rule the State, to appoint
railroad commissioners, prison and bank super
intcndents etc, and TO pass upon legislation,
or whether that work shall be inrusted to Ira
Davenport-a man of high principles and spot
less character.
MONEY AND BUSINESS
The time has come when business men have