New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-07-04
TIE CANAL FARCE ENDED.


The absurd pretcnce of a canal investigation
by "A body of whitewa>herS carefully selected
from the Assembly at the instigauOn and under
the direction of Governor Hill ended on Thurs
dav. The committee has adjourned for the
summer, and there is no reason 10 fear that any
Ct its members will be Frustrated by the labor
of preparing the report which will be agreed
upon in the fall. A truthful and sufficient ac-
G, unit of the proceedings could he rendered in
two words Nothing discovered" That re-
port would not only describe the achievement
Of the committee but also faithfully indicate
the purpose Of its appointment. 1t was fully
determined from the outset that nothing should
be discovered The committee was created
with the explicit intention on the part OF the
Governor and his advisers of deceiylng voters.
We do not believe it has accomplished that Oh
ject.
The investigation which the Republican ma
iorty in the Senate proposed was needed. Evi-
dence has been steadily accommodating for years
as to the Democratic management OF the canals
which the Legislature owed it to the people
of the State 10 Sft and Scrutinize. A sufficient
basis for a searching inquiry had been estab-
lished Taxpayers were justly anxious to know
what had been done with the fifteen million
dollars which they have paid during the last
twelve years for tho maintenance and improve
ment of these artificial waterways, ahd from
which they have obtained results miScrably
small in comparison with the outlay. The sen
lte Republicans recognized the obligation which
this condition of affairs imposed upon them
and reSolutely undertook to discharge it, They
proposed thorough, impartial, buSineSs-kc
Investigation, but the first suggestion OF such
proceedings frightened the Democratic leaders
and uuitod them in strenuous opposition. Pos
scSsng in the observation-disclosures a ruler Of
the Senate who was willing to be used for base
partisan purposes and whose audaclty was equal
to any demands upon it, they succeeded by con-
temptbe processes in creating and maintain
ing deadlock until the end of the session, and
thereby prevented the passage of a resolution
for an inquiry into canal management
But the penalty for this partisan triumph was
frmer and more geneIS} conviction that an
investigation was needed. The spectacle of a
minority fighting iercely for weeks under the
leadership of the Governor of the state to save
the party to which that minority and that Gov
ernor belonged from the perilS of an inquiry
into the management of great department
which that party controlled was well calculated
to make voters both inqIisitive and indignant.
Before the end of the session it became evident
10 the Democratic leaders that something must
be done TO Counteract the impression which
their proceedings in the Senate had produced
and nothing else seemed so safe and so avail
able Us an investigation of the canals by men
VII, could be relied on not to investigate. The
Governor was not even willing 10 trust the
Canal Committee of his own Assembly. The
affair was 50 delicate and 50 dangerous as 10
require the appointment Of "a special committee
guaranteed 10 be peculiarly cautious and skill
ful IN the handling of high explosives The
performance has been going on for five weeks.
That single citizen Of the State has been de
celved we do not believe. IT has cost the
people good deal of money, but, unless we
are much mistaken, this is nothing to the mum