New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-06-30
TIE LIN OF BOODLING.

THE LAW or B0ODLING.
Was there ever an exhibition OF effrontery
more colossal brazen and picturesque than
that made by John keenan,, fugitive from our
courts. who. from the further bank OF the o.
Lawrence, invokes the very power from "hion !,
he has run away to obtain him Il sum VI
money claimed OH the theory, openly aVo"cu'
that boodling is legitimate caliing upon
which property rights may be grounded ms
will strike decent people, Of course, as the
climax Of impudence and yet it need astonish
nobody. The class of politicians developed py
the system of local politics for which the De
mocracy in this city is responsible have 1or
many wears proceeded upon just that theory.
II has never before, TO our knowledge served
rs the basis of a claim at law; certainly never
under such novel circumstances as those which
surround Keenans case But it is the theory
upon which his numerous kind go into polltics,
and it supplies the motive for many Official
actions taken by the various branches OF our
Democratic city government upon pubic
affairs.
On the Whole, therefore, ridiculous as
Keenan's claim is in the eyes OF respectaoio
people. since the interests OF the city are gen
orally in the hands of the keenan, variety OF
the human species, it may be just as well 10
have a declaration Of the courts showing pre-
csely what is the legal status OF a boodier'
Il may be humiliating to us as community
that DIR Judges must occupy themselves with
srcb \ question. but in view OF orr political
environments. it may he, after all, the best
fling for us. Keenan's lawyer read an am
davit signed by the boodle-king and dated IN
Montreal. of which town he says he Is now
n resident. In his deposition he states that
he agreed to obtain the Aqueduct contracts
for Clark. actually telling Clark that he " had
full control Of giving out the contracts" on
the condition that the profits should be DIVIDED
between them. He afterward found, in his
own words, "that had not the influence
thought | possessed" so he was compelled to
secure the help of some other powerful bood-
lers. The combination succeeded, but he has
received no profits, and he demands them
through the power Of the court.
This raises the issue clearly as to whether
the law recognizes political "pulP' as personal
nroperty. IL it does, if legal status can be
given to the office of "boss." If the courts
will say that obligations incurred through
the influence OF an irresponsible po-
ltical wire puller upon public officials
can be collected at law, then tne
public will know where it stands. Al
present it only knows that nothing can be
obtained in the shape Of franchises and con-
tracts without submitting to the operations OF
blackmailers like keenan,. The Democratic
party, through its halls and factions, has sold
regular stands to these fellows where they can
carry on the Matchmaking business without let
or hindrance. If the courts will declare 1t
legitimate business, it will be as possible to
enforce the law of contracts against the black
mailers as to have it enforced against the
"party of the second part" 1t will encourage
the rascals to keep more orderly kind OF
shop; to incorporate, so that when one pays
blackmail, he can be sure Of getting all the
"pulr' he bargains for. We shall then have
regular firms and organized companies of
boodlers, and the business of buying up Alder
men. Commissioners and other officials elected
and sworn honestly to serve the people can
90 on in a regular way. Perhaps, in the merry
future. when the law has enforced Keenan's
claim. we shall have a great Doodle Trust
which will fix the rates Of blackmal upon
n scale adapted to the needs of the market.
By all means, let US know what the law on
boOdliny is.