New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-05-06
TALK OF THE TOWN.
TIMELY SUBJECTS OF INTEREST,"
ECHOES OF THE AoUEDUoT INVESTIGATION

ECHOES OF THE AQUEDUCT INVESTIGATION
In three sessions upon three days. the committee
sent here by the state Senate to inquire into tho so
dals that have for months hung Ike malaria o'ef
swamp above the heads OF the Aqueduct Commissioners
has pursued an investigation which for dramatic moi
dent radical and farrcaching result, general pubic
interest and the thoroughness Of its probe, has poen
altogether exceptional. 1t docs not appear at this
time that any criminal proceedings are likely 10 ensu9
upon its disclosures. The men upon whose contempt.
BILE articles, weaknesses trckery, deces and omosi
misconduct the light OF exposure has fallen arc no'
common Aldermen, who sell themselves outright AZ ~
much per head They arc in politics for business
of course but not precisely tho scavenging business.
They are careful avoid anything expressly mentioned
In the Penal Code That useful work does not describe
II AZ a crime for the Governor TO borrow money OF
public contractor; for the contractor TO be the
leader Of political party; nor for the Governors
partner, chum, mouthpece, speaking tube, lackey'
whatever you choose to run around securing moro oos
for sthe contractor, whereby no can mako eo4ooo
without lifting his finger to do single stroke OF WORE
10 earn 1t nor for the contractor having secured bis
s45 600 public money to assume the Governors note
and call matter square. There is no name assigned
In the Penal Code to these transactions whereas you
pay S5 to a sherif's deputy, you and no arc both
indctable for felony.
But although no Is likely to DO indicted, several
are sure TO be punished severely. Hill never was
really popular with his party because nobody felt GER
tain how far. he could be trusted The element OF
doubt as Just where he stood has always been largo
In the mind Of every party leader. The one course
to which he could be relied upon to give his unquahed
support was the cause Of David b. HILL But IT has
always puzzled the politicians to know how he would
consider his cause in relation to theirs. 1t looks
now as II there would be serious effort TO secure
his denomination 1t is considered BY every important
politician in New-York that he has not the ghost OF
chance The business of running for Office to get
"vindlcated" is played out. The place 20 vindca'e
ones self is in the FORUM where is accused ana
the way to do the indicating Is by proving ones
innocence Of the accusation.
Four weeks ago the removal Of Hill would have
meant tho nomination of Grace, but the willy exMayor
is as little talked Of except in the past tense, as inc
Governor. Flynn's candid exposure of the Citizens
business has brought much rdicule as Ivnss con-
LESSONS have brought odum on Grace. Just thihh
what dirty business Democratic politics In this town
Is Hero Grace working his finger nails on In
desperate efforts to get the County Democracy nomin
ton and having succeeded, he says: But there must
be popular demand for me. The citizens must cry
out for Grace. 1t must appear that am the one man
who can save the town. vox populi, vox Del. 1t
must seem that my nomination wrung by hc resstess
demand OF the people from the wicked politicians
And So says Flynn, the Citizens meeting was got up
Each Of the County Democracy leaders was required
to send his quota Of enthusiastic citizcns sent 2oo
men from our shops. Mr.. Grace himself Drought ooo
over from his lumber yard Long Island, and the
citizens shouted with voice for Grace. Then ne
was nominated officially by the organizations
What disgusting fraud What low, petty bust
ness for honest men to engage ini But" says that
wise young man WINS, who has read so much astu'e
literature, the public are asses they must be fed
on straw He shakes his head and cocks his eye ana
asks Mr.. Flynn II he has read The Prince by Mac
chavelll. But while Mr.. Flynn has certain claims to
at, he tc rOmnnllnd 10
confess that his literary tastes have beon somewhat
neglected He has not pored the black art OF
statecraft Well, said Mr. Wins, Macchlavei says
that the Prince who employs cunning artfce and
collision accomplishes the overthrow OF the Prince
who depends for success on integrity
Flynn stamped tho truth upon his story by quoting
these remarks Of WINS He couldn't have invented
the They are Characteristic of the man who spent his
DAYS ard nights for months worming himself into the
confidence Of trcksters and using their secrets against
them. They throw light on the motive OF the bunco
citizens movement for the public are asses, they
must be fed on straw"
The investigation will not be resumed, suppose,
until after the conventions are over, as the Senators,
from the adjournment of the Legislature until the con-
venons meet, will be busy with politics. 1t Will not
be surprising the result Of their further inquiry shall
DO the retirement Of Chief Engineer Church 1t is
now openly acknowledged by the commissioners that
there has been much bad work along the line OF the
aqueduct, and somebody must bear tho blame Of It.
They excuse themselves by saying that they always
voted according to the advice OF the Chief Engineer
lie said lire the aqdeduct throughout and they voted
line It throughout He said leave the timbers in
and they voted TO leave them in. He recommended
the appointment Of innumerable engineers and they
found him as many as he wanted. Mr. Church has
proved to be weak brother. He has yielded to the
wishes Of the contractors IN many cases where other
expert testimony Is plentiful In proving that the inter-
ess Of the city would have been best served by re-
sistance, but 1 have powerful suspicion that he
yielded only when he felt the subtle pressure Of the
commissioners themselves.