New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-03-02
nna ENDED WARNLNGS.

pavelations fjsin or crime OF SO starthps !"
oh.r,o,ar as tn take their place in the long iiS
of " awful warnings, are very frequent in these
davs-so frequent, indeed, as to suggest inc
tbouuht that. however awful they may be. tney
are not efficient deterrents. Fish ana warn
succeeded in fixing upon themselves the gao
Of the whole world, and the innocent conneo-
ton of great name with their rascaiiues P,o-
longs the recollection of that gigantic swindle
But they were scarcely familiar WIN inc n'Al
row outlines of their cells before announcer hrn,
of financiers had entered upon caroef u
proAieate speculation, OF which they have no"
begun to reap the legitimate fruits when me
sunlight streamed into the dark places OF Al
darmanic corruption two years ago ana me
CITY talked of nothing but the bribery OF It's
chosen officials, and later when two OIL them
went to Jail leaving their fellow-consplratofs
TO face successive trials which are not yet COM
pletely abandoned, it was natural to suppose
that the lesson would not be lost upon others
who had been willing to undergo bniilane
temptations. But the lesson was so Imperfect
ly studied that it seems to have been utterly
forgotten in many quarters where IL ougn' +"
have been learned by heart.
The latest illustration of the scant respeco
shown for such warnings as these Is now on
exhibition in Albany. The picture is not yet
sufficiently developed to satisfy the public
There is q lack of distinctness even about the
outlines, and the details scarcely appear at all.
It is to be hoped that more light will be turned
on and that then all the points which are now
obscure will be revealed. But everybody VINO
has tolerably good pair of eyes is able to see
that the picture represents number OF rascais
breaking into the State Treasury. They ase
now apparently DESTROYS to escape observe
ton, but they went about the business with
eager hands and light hearts, undetcrred BY
conscientious scruples and not even disquieted
by vulgar fear of detection. Surely II they
ever glanced at the lesson which has been re-
peatedly set before the eyes of the community
it made very slight impression upon them.
Indifference to so many examples Of wrong
doing detected and punished is in itself q
lesson which ought to be needed. When justice
is so administered as not to discourage viola
lions of the law il loses moro than half its
value. But it is not to be wondered at that
rascals have learned to look upon crime as
comparatively safe and easy road to wealth.
The delays are 10 long, the network Of tech
ricalities has been so deity woven the services
of shrewd and skilful and INSCRIPTIONS lawyers
are so readily secured to concoct. conceal and
defend knavery the temptations 10 make a
fortune swiftly, even il It has to be'stolen, are
80 great, and the chances of retaining pos
session of a large part of fortune SO acquired
by the expenditure of small part Of il are so
hatterng, that latent wickedness is constantly
stimulated TO activity.
II this is the influence of the courts, the In
fuencc of legislative Investigations In the same
direction is still stronger. For nearly two
months our lawmakers at Albany have accom-
plished practically nothing because during all
this time they have been engaged in consider
ing from various points of view piece Of ras-
cality of which the evidence is within their
own doors. Some progress has been made
toward discovering the facts and fastening the
responsibility, but until within a day or
two the prospect of such an exploration
and condemnation as the people want TO
see wns remote and discousaging. Does
anybody suppose that such a spectacle as
this is likely to disarrange the plans of scoun-
drels who may be plotting at this moment to
steal themselves rich out of our unfinished
Capitol? So far as we have been able to dis
cover, the situation has yielded Just one thor
ough, Jealous and unfinching effort, namely.
the investigation and report Of the committee
Ct experts. We sincerely hope that, with the
new. committee of investigation at work, il
will not be the last.
-