New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-02-19
THE GETTING ScASDAL.

The report of the experts VIM no. SA"Hiliiou
the Assembly ceiling and the methods by which
its construction was carried on only confirms
tho impression already current thatthe whole
affair is a prodgious job. Large and unwar-
sontod liberties were taken with the terms Of
tbe contract. More papier-mache was used
than was authorized by the famous alternative
clanse although this material iVseh is pro-
nounced all right. The work was not planned
,,Udor tho direction of professionals Most sig
ni6cant of all, it is declared thas Pne work
actually done is worth S16o'oOO' while the
State is called on to pay over sloo,poo more
thon that and the contractor has already re-
ooiyod \ sum considerably in excess OF what
- ,,os entitled TO until his work had been
actually completed.
Governor Hill gives his measure IS re-
former by failing to suspend or remo'i' Super
,.,.a.dort Andrews II has been sh fyn that
Androrys is an untrustworthy public official.
M tost;monv establishing this fact as been
furnished not only by Repubhcan Witnesses,
hut Inv the Democratic leader OF the a sembly,
Mr.. sbeehan No one can read the evidence
which they gave before the Investigating Com
mittee without reaching the conclusHn that
Andrews ought TO be made to step dfyn and
out of his SUPPLEMENTARY without d. ay. He
deceived the committee which was a pointed
10 supervise the alteration OF the ceiling in re-
card Ia the material that was to be wel He
was guilty of the glazing improprieiE Of in
viting contractors to make bids on { N work
before the committee had passed upm the
plans and specifications. Was Andrfys en-
gagged in putting up a job to fleece the State?
Or was he simply the plant tool Of the lang Of
harpies that hang around Albany? Either
theory of his conduct is obviously fatal to his
reputation. Why, then, does not Gegernor
Hill remove him? Can it be that he Is at all
tarred with the same stick2 Or is his allure
to act due to his appreciation Of the f& that
IL is Democratic OK that has been ga ID
The Albany correspondent Of THE IN BuHE
writes that people in Albany are slow to De-
lieve that the Governor will comply with the
request that he shall suspend Charles y. in
drews, the Superintendent Of Public Buildings,
IN view Of the fact that Andrews acquies5ed in
the diversion by the Governor Of the public
building fund to the purchase Of costly fur
niture for the Executive Mansion" We'll, one
good turn certainly deserves another, and It
is we'll known that the business Of
peanut politics is largely conducted on
that understanding. Still. it may &C.
cur to the Governor, who is fond OF pISing
as the friend of the taxpayers, that his in
debtedneSs to Mr.. Andrews is not so largo as
to compel him to shield that official in face Of
the great and growing demand for his re-
moval. The ceiling was big steal, and An
drews is the official that properly is to be held
responsible for it. In saying this we are not
overlooking the conduct Of the members Of the
Ceiling Committee. They were guilty Of gross
neglect Of public duty. Entrusted with the
general supervision Of the work. they did prac-
tically nothing. II is impossible TO believe
that any one Of them would have exhibited the
same ignorance and unconcern in regard to
ceiling for his private house to be paid for out
Of his private purse. Yet any true conception
of public duty commits a public servant TO
doing at least as well by the State as he does
by himself Indeed, unless patriotism and
public spirit are among the lost virtues, why
should not public official be even more con-
cerned for the general than for his individual
veal? All the sans, when criticism upon tho
committee has exhausted itself, the fact re-
mains that nothing has been produced which
impeaches its integrity. IL was a do-nothing
committee. There is nothing to show that it
was anything worse.
But Andrewss misconduct was not Of the
venial sort The test has been applied TO him.
and he turns out TO be an INSCRIPTIONS per'on
utterly lacking sense Of official propnety.
His continuance in the public service will be q
public disgrace.