New-York tribune., 1886-05-06
TIE REPORT ON ALDERMANIC BRIBERY.
RESULTS OF THE RAILROAD COMMITTEES INNEsii IL
CATIONS PRESENTED TO THE SENATE.

Railroad Committee submitted tooay, Is as Ioiio"S'
Thc committee on Railroads. to whom was referred
the resolution providing lcr an inNeNilsatoh Oh tne
saars or the broadway surface Railroad Company ana
the facts connected with the bribery M the Aldermen OF
New York beg leave to present iheii hnal report ~
preliminary report oi this connitLec; na9e 10 ts
BODY the facts in tho evidence addueed before your
committee briefly reclIed ana the CONCLUSIONS
given We 90 not deem IL hcces'ar! 10 Icl, . nao @
what was therein contained or to rclteIato the con
cu,ons arrived al at that time. sulco u 10 say t'at at
the Subsequent progress 0f the nvest'aioh SeIVeu 10
develop important additional Iroois, both IS alectng
the ogaty cf the organization ana PloGeeiuES oi to
Broadway surface Railroad CoHPahy a' ',ig , -,
Of the aldermen IN procuring and passing resolution, u
consent by which the COMPANY WIS lt au.norz"' ,ieyys y
down its tracks in BI"""y' nc comm -, n,
that al material st:temeLts maze ther III co, @
fully verified Dy ouhsequont facts and proofs Drougnt o
Dy the investigator Mant0n anb Wlilh dlaIeSaru ol
tie law by the officers oi tho Broadway nnface i'"to"H
NOV have ntfempcd 70 admia stcr under tho sanction
ami authority o the statutes ot tue CommohWea, as
Of Aldermen and other officers OF the nw have in tao
opinion OF your committee been riIy Wlc M
new and stronger proofs of vennly curfHl ton ana Lo
bribery OF Aldermen have but served to dce cn tho Grim
nhty OF tre!r official misconduct anu 81 mp lhe MyVo W
transaction which in shameless Hu|Acty anu III
the magnitude Of Ms crimo mas no Hrere"eh III tUo
annals oi our -tate Thee are 30 Ie"eonir ioa.u,oS'
no mitigating circumstances cOnucctot Nt these Trans
"0iriris cousInnmated y wrong which could only he
,nnoI fr bv he punishment o. the guilty parties and
by restoring the pundercd property again 10 S sN'"i
seycTal acts rec omnouded by your committee to
accomplish this result passed boh brancAos o. me
LEGISLATURE and have with oHo exception Ieei'eH t1o
ouoyal OF tue Executive and are now laws o the ahd
me remaining hi delay ed for clerical amendment, VIII
While most OF to eaiy officials e0.betweens ana
abettors haze been prosecuted by the criminal au,hor
tiles o. tho cy and county Ot New 1Os tte'5 nhFo
1ed the country to avoid arrest ana punishment:
Further than this yodr committee have no power TO 1ct
or recommend. They cannot administer pulishemh III 10 ~
thc guilty nor directly execute the laws when nave
been pa ssed. These eft III the hnls O te proper
deserve II Justice shall be metcd ont to tho guilty
paIties according to tLoir deserts Inc "Aols tr'oloh
viii stand fOltA au event Ia tuo history "a ."c -oe,S
lo;uc OF the state that can only nave s'l4IS anu
beneficial enoct unon society at largo ana an Pensons
holding ohichl relations 10 n1hclVll w u''o o @ i ~
tion. The remedies proposed by your committee Ne III
sense revolutionary OF snbyefsive OF p!oYeI I5a
dealings with corporations corporate rights nor are
tncy hAely to DO repeated again III ~ ~ s1no % o1-o.
the win which have been ceanS ahal again DO
bIuugnt the notice or the sovereign po "r o Ine otc
CORPORATIONS wei Individuals must learn that tho
trusts Which they assume 70 exercise am protect nsI
instru meut5 OF frd or corruption OF wrons-dQHS or
oppression. The power to repeal OF aiihnl 'neir
charters carefully reserved IN the organic law ana IN
the statutes Of the state has been reserved Tor wise
purpose and should be exercised rarely II Is true ana
The sta.e 99hr 10 T"sott m ~ T. has creoei nut
,he duty is reciprocal corporation owes duty TO me
state aud the public at large, ana mus snow Vh IS
hands clean before II ern coi9gn 0i PnIi.n c
created public purposes aud Tor The benefit ana con
yenience ol the public. we'll for individual proht,
and not az mere methods aud vehicles Tor ucllandh5
the TAXPAYER and enabling the dishonest 10 a,s great
fortunes without earning them. nor especially rs a
means oi corIuptng anu deUauchinG pubic officials ana
! leesi.klng robbery and slOllAilon.
Nour committee wOGd hardly perform S iNll 0ly ul
it not call the attention Of the Legislature % the
evidence OF alarming Official corruption now pe'ains IN
oug lar-c cities and gradually eXtcntnE It's pei!cO's
Influence trs ngout the state. The evil j. Al ifol nous
and "A dangerous one not only furnishing our far fane
but threatening business interests property rights a
all that is most sacred the citizen. Tie puDe lose
| confidence In their officials, men lose confidence
| I'm each other private morals are affected ~
thi, public dcbaucheiy taxes are fearIuy ihcletse
cities aro mscovened aHd 1cary hurdcnN IA upon ll,
rrOpcrty and labor ci The cOlnry Mon ~ Ol lehl ina
tnev are wrongcd ana become restless and dissatisfied
Evils dcu To- remedy follow closely III s wake, hgl
trust, afc betrayed Xhilo denofdzatOn anu waste III
ness prevail III every branch OF the public service
Propfrty is almost cOuAscaod by heavy blrhehs an
bign taxes and resulting evs constantly grow create
until men lose faith IN popular government ana ouei
welcome the hand Oi arbitrary power as the ls
remedy of accommodating evils. We believe cur peOpi
are wise enough and that institutions are stron
enough successfuy combat this threatened danger
but intelligent and honest vigilance IL requisite to saw
us from evils which when once fastened upon US, ar
| hard TO endure and difficult TO remove.
Tho power Of enlightened public opinion and of
wachful aud fearless Iress most effect ally serves
| prevent aud expose corruption amt wrong-doins an
win n the end be most Icttnt influence IN gvln u
| rigni tOno ana direction to the puliiicatlOh OF on
politics and for pIOnOtlng correct standards OF omen
and business life.
The report Is signed by II. r. Low, i. G. Walker, j
y. IIoysraJt, Charles l.. Knapp. James I. Pierce an
Edward l.. Reilly.