New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-03-30
HILLS LATEST SCHEME.
SEEKING TO ACQUIRE THE CONTROL OF
ALL THE STATE PUBLIC BUILDINGS.
FEATURES OF BILL DESIGNED TO GIVE CHEAT
POWER TO HILL AND SHEEHAN-WHf
ST~.TE SuoI-ID KILL

lG
find he has been robbed of most of his powers of
appointment by the present Executive. David B.
Hill The purpose of Mr. Hill is plain. Hc
wishes TO extend his political power far beyond
his own term of Office and into the term of his
successor. The appointment of James F. Pierce
as Superintendent OF the Insurance Department
is one instance of q design of Mr.. Hill, AMI
polticians say that before the Legislature ends
ifs session the voters of the State Will see other
places filled No one Will be surprised any day
70 hear that Charles +. Peck has been renomnatcd
for Commissioner OF the Bureau Of Labor Sta.
tistics: that some Democrat has been named 10
succeed Josiah X. Brown as Dairy Commissioner;
that the place of the late Judge Muller. of the
Court of Claims. has been filled. and that new
men have been named for State Assessors. 1t is
thought probable also that the Governor VIII
seek to secure the confirmation of Edward l)anncn
as Superintendent of Public Works. The canals
are a stronghold of power TO Mr.. Hill. and also
10 Edward Murphy. jr.. the chairman OF the Demo
cratic State Committee Nothing would please
them better than 10 have tho men confirmed and
then to have a Democratic Senate elected TO re
fuse to confirm a Republican Governors nomina-
ton for the place.
Politicians look for many nominations for these
great State offices before the Legislature ends its
session Some are expected the present week.
One that the Governor will probably make this
week is that of Judge Of the Supreme Court IN
Mace of judge Brady Mr.. Hills visit TO New
York on Friday for the purpose OF making
inquiries Of the Tammany Hall chicftainS, TO
learn their choice, and 10 see If their choice is his
own. Mr. Hill never makes an appointment with
ont attempting TO make the nan appoih'eu ltei
that the Governor was in doubt at some time
l-atag n
makes the victim feel that great favor has been
done him.
Mr. Hills objective point in making all these
appointments is not only TO fill State Offices WIN
his friends but also so to distribute patronage as
TO elect Democratic State Committee Tor lo'!
favorable 70 his interests Mr.. Hill" sail
prominent Democratic leader to-day ranks ms oil
nnol importance the election of a State Committee
which lie can control, and, secondly, the noniiha-
ton Of a Governor he can control. The rest oi
,ho Democratic state ticket he does not care any
thing about. This talk about Hill declining the
Scnatorshp and running again for Governor HIM.
.c,f is bosh. Tie State WAS sounded upon the
third term idca Just before Mr.. I'LL accepted tc
ecnator.hip. and even he saw that the Democratic
,or,,. c,vc if y chilling reception PesdcS, Hill
is not a man who ever gives up anything. lie
t ,:ovcruor and select the Democratic Stat'
Committee Of 1892 il is all that he cares for;
and therefore he is not such llnatic as l" IT,
ei,.a ,ho Serotorship and hazard everything on
,hc chance Of being nominated Tor Governor
again. ~,
Inst At present Governor Hill is attempting u
increase his political power by getting super i,io'
NJ all the a,ylums and other charitable insti'u-
UIo
noese1 = hill giving the trustees of public buildings
central of all the public buildings OF the state
wherever situated, except the armories OF the
c,o,o and ,hc Soldiers Home at Bath. 1t should
lao ovploincd that the said trustees are Governor
I'm observation-disclosures Jones and Speaker
Sbcehan. Needless to say that Mr.. iii ana
Sbeoban are The acting majority in this board ol
trustees and they may he expected to extract all
tho poIj,ica profit out of i, possible for certain
Mr. UiI who is candidate for President ana oi
% ccrt,in Mr.. Shcchan who II candidate 10Y
Lieutenant Governor The act will bring under
thcir control not only the Capitol. tine state
Uouse. GEOLOGICAL Hall. and all the other
State buildings in Albany. but the III
tonc asvlums nj Poughkcepsic, Mlddle'owh'
puIalo. Utica. and OgdcnSburE. and the
normal schools at Albany Cortland, Oswcso, cen
ceco. Bnnalo. Frcdonia and New Paiz poll
,icion will readily perceive the political pun
Mr. Shcchan and Mr.. I'LL! will acquire by their
control of all expenditures upon the aNyluhH'
normal schools and other State buildings.
Moreover. Mr.. Hill is provided by the bill with
an active political agent, whose expenses IN tiAN-
ellinp about TIE State will be paid oHt ~ 'hc
State Treasury instead of by the Dcmocrdhc
State Committee Ills agent is to he Ld"lh II.
UurnhaD the present Superintendent OF iUnHc
Ruildin., who is one OF the ables, l'cHlocratc
politicians in the State. Mr. Bnrnham WAS APP
pointed to his present position by Governor ilu'
on May ~, 1889, and his term 81 once IS TWO
years His term of Office, therefore, Is an'n' III
end Under the act, his salary II Increased from
50 800 yearly, which surcly IS n generous sum-
TO 81 ,OOG which is altogether too much Ana tle
act further SAYS his expenses i'll travelling hn"ui
the State are 10 he paid The pretcN Tor his
TRAVELLING about the State is that he may inspect
public buildings Of the State and report thcif
needs to tine Legislature But the real OBJECTS
Of these tours Of Mr. Burnlam about the STATE
will be to collect political information for DAVID
T. Hill and the Democratic State committee
These tours will also enable Mr. Hill 10 bulIdOzc
the trustees, OF the asylums into supporting nun
for any office which he may seek. When aiSp 'hc
trustees of the asylums and normal schools come
70 Albany for appropriations Nh durham VIII
be in position 10 aid or oppose them, ana he VIII
Ec n powerful person indeed The whole pnr-
pose Of the act in fact appears to he 10 bring me
State asyums normal schools and refonnatorics
under tie malign control Of David u. Hill. IT
will be astonishing if the Republican Senate
masses the bill and thus increases the powers Of
politica enemy The section Of the bill which
thus enhances the political power of Governor
Hill and Speaker Sheehan is given below:
section !. The Governor, Leutnantaovcrnor and Cio
sneaker Of the Assembly By right Of office. hereby
constituted trustees OF all the public buildings OF the
so, and the grounds and premise, adjacent thereto
they uow MIST and shall hereafter acquired and built.
cxccpt NJ arnorcs ascnals and the State Soldiers
and sailors Home at Bath and cNceptng. however that
e connie " tn Capitol -hall remain IA the hands
NJ the commissioner the Capitol appointed for tlat
pirpse under Chapter OF tho Laws Of 1888 but tho