New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-01-30
TO KEEP POLITICS OUT.
THE NEW WORLDS FAIR ooRPoRAToRs.
Gil ,Rp1Se AGAINST AN ABUSE OF POWER BY
rAMMASY HALL-rALKs on THE SUBJECT.

likely 70 disturb Tamm1ny,s peace for long umo
TO come 1t has been developed that some Oh the
Republicans mistrusted the Tammany men no moio
than they did the Mugwumps, and their success In
occurring a sufficient number OF additional corporators
TO prevent Tammsny from obtaining ''hlrol Oh uie
nroiect nv forming aancesis generally regarded as
result more than likely to add to the value oil the whoe
Expostiop scheme. Even those RepuDhcahs WIN
were inclined to believe that no safeguards were
needed in such plan for public benefit do not deny
that the Exposition project Is now less liable 10 10
used for political patronage than before
A number of the original and new eorporators eN-
pressed their views on the situation to Tribune
renorter Yesterday Chauncey NJ. Depew said that he
had expressed himself rather freely d late and MS
views were pretty we'll known. To show that he had
been misnformed TO the number of Republicans In
the original list Of eorporators he showed the MARRIED
COPY of the bill furnished to him by W. E. ID. Stokes
secretary of the Committee Legislation. According
to Mr. Stokes's figures there were sixty Republicans
fifteen Tammany men, three County Democrats
twenty Democrats one Labor Party man ana 'hree
men with no politics in the list of oorporators. IL
was upon this information that Mr.. Depew based
his assertion in Washington that the Republicans would
have a majority in the Board OF Exhibition Com
missioners Nearly a score of those whom Mr. Stokes
had classified with the Republicans have voted inc
Democratic ticket of late years. Mr. Stokes IN MS
red ink classification placed an M over tne name
of Charles A. Moore, president of the Young Mems
Republican Club. The AN" meant that Mr.. Moore
had mo politics" The other "Ns' apphed 10
Frederick Moor and Evan Thomas.
The chief objection to the bill In Albany by property
owners was based on belief that the main features
of the measure had been drawn by w. r. Martin, who
is associated now in business with W. E. ID. Stokes,
secretary Of the Committee on Legislation. Mr.
stokes's declaration that he had personally drafted
the bill adopted by the Committee on Legislation,
and that, TO use his own words Mr.. Root and Mr.
whitney simply added head and tail to it," furnished
a pretext for an attack the measure by timid
property owners. Ex-Mayor Abram S. Hewitt said ON
this subject yesterday
Mr. Stokes was desired to draw up bill for the Com
mittee on Legislation which it understood to be
simply copy Of bill which had drafted Tor the pro-
posed Exhibition Of 1888 When Mr.. Stokes presented
the bill thing that attracted my attention was
clause empowering the commissioners to seize and con-
denim the whole OF land north OF Central Park be-
tween ne-hundred and-tenth and Onehundred andsN'
teenth SITS. This most outrageous and impudenI
proposition Such thing had never been contemplated
by any Of members Of the Committee on Legislation
Its adopton would have justified suspicion that there
was a estate speculation behind the BILL The bill
returned Mr.. Stokes. or course IL is well known
Martin who is man OF some ability, does this
sort Of work for Mr. Stokes After the bill had been re-
turned to Mr.. Stokes with delicate intimaton 10 the
reasons for its rejection neither MI Stokes Mr. Martin
had anything whatever to do with drawing up the bill
adopted by the committee 1t was drafted By
Mr. Whitney, Mr.. Depew and Mr.. Root. Not line OF
from Mr.. Stokes If he claims that any portion OF
it his he simply what is 1t makes
difference to how many corporators they name IL
they should incorporate everybody in the city wouldn't
care me- however that the character of the
incorporators originally named in the bill furnished sum-
cient guarantee the Fair would not be used for
litica purposes. 1 presume that Tammsny with It's
omniverous appetite would try control the Fair II 1t had
any However. the men whom 1t is proposed to
add the corporators all men OF character and
don't why inclusion should endar the Fair
William Bookfeld one Of the new corporstors, said
yesterday that If the Assembly concurred with the
Senate amendment, he would be only 100 glad to
serve commissioner. 81 did not ask for the
place. said he, al and / don't know who named me.
am pretty sure ii wasn't Mr. Plat, Senators Fassett
and Erwin are both old friends of mine and either
of them might have suggested my name l don't
think politics should be merged into this question
especially Tammany Hall politics."
II. o. Armour. another of the additional cor
porators said that he could not announce whether
he would serve commissioner or not
A. VI. Palmer, a new corporator, said yesterday
that the first intlmaton he had had OF his selection
was when he his name mentioned in the news
papers to that effect 81 would very gladly serve,
he said, "as l have been a sturdy believer in the
Exposition project since its beginning. l know moth
Ing about any political designs attributed to Mr.
Platt or anyone else. am not acquainted with
Mr.. Plat. Mr.. Depew has been my intimate friend
for many years, and / convinced that what he
says about the commission should be regarded as
coming from welLquallHed authority. l Re
publican, but a commissioner l would opposC
using the Worlds Fair for any political end, ne
matter what it might be-"
J. Edward simmons. Tammany man. and one o
the original corporators, said that he did not believe
that Tammany contemplated getting control OF The
Worlds Fair scheme.
John +. Pummer said he was surprised when h,
saw in the newspapers that he had been selected a.
| a commissioners III I'm wanted" said he, III
serve. I'm not doing any more resigning just now.
| Ex-senator Warner Miller. a member Of the Com
mittee on Legislation and one Of the original cor
| porators, said yesterday al believe that the bill
with the Board OF Exhibition Commissioners a
| originally constituted free from politics a
any public measure could be, and 1 thought it wa
| satisfactory to a majority of the people do no
| believe that the Board could be manipulated TO
! political purposes under any circumstances. Nor d
| l believe that with the addition Of the pro
| posed it would be used for party purposes. l an
a Republican, Of course. but in connection with tn
Fair / do not consider that represent any party
| James NJ. VaInum said he had not been consulte
about becoming corporator, out would serve in tina
capacity 10 the best of his ability You certainl
could not call the additions to the Board Of Exhib
ton Commissioners political mOve' SAID he 70
| no one of the men named is politician"
Edward Mitchell, United States Dlstrict-Attoney
had known nothing about being chosen additions
| corpOratOr until he saw his name among the other
| in the morning newspapers lie knew OF no reaso
why he should not I" II most of the additions
corpOrators," said he, "have been chosen from tn
Republican party the MEL certainly have been we
selected and Will add strength TO the Board Of E1
Mbitlon Commissioners
Ex-Judge Noah Davis said he had not been cor
suited. Whether he would serve would depend largel
upon circumstances.
FxSecretary OF the Navy William C. Whitne
said Yesterday that undoubtedly the delay that Ia
occurred at Albany In putting the bill through wOul
make 1t more difficult for the Representatives Of New
York I'm Congress to secure the Fair for this city
| He said:
There really at time since the b
finished why IL should not have been pushed at AT
1t was constitutional BILL and furthermore, the PROPOSE
board Of 1903 commissions was composed Of men WI
have been connected with the enterprise from the vel
start III the integrity OF any OF the original Board
Commissioners is be questioned where are to loo
for upright men, and be expected to make
Roadway I'm when the opponents OF the Ne'
York site point TO that there 10 be- mi