New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-01-04
POLITICAL AND PERSONAL.
PUBLIC AFFAIRS IN THE NEW YEAR.
THE MAYOR AND THE WATER SOANDAL-cHA1R-
MAN OF THE REPUBLICAN, GENERAL
COMMITTEE.


COMMITTEE.
The third annual message Of Mayor Chaplin, ana IN
all probability his last will be transmitted to the
Board OF Aldermen to morrow. and VIII be pernhcofN
read by the City Clerk and the usual number OF copies
will be ordered printed The Mayor will not present
the message in person TO the city Fathers for he VIII
bc in court defending the suit brought In behalf OF
the taNpal of the city 10 prevent the payment Oh
an exorbtlnt price for piece Of property Oh 'Ie use
70 The cts, and which could be taken by rsht oi
eminent domain at a fair price. But at the behest oil
The old Man and Shev,7 10 whom the Mayor mas
bound himself and his political future the MaNor pre-
ferrcd 10 engage in transaction which rivals In char
actc the monumental swinde Of the city by the hlns
In H. palnncst days.
The Mayor cannot plead ignorance of The status
Of the water company which sought to sell its property
and franchise to the city, for it had been repeatedly
set forth in public print, and was so notorious that
when the Mayor State Controlle'. the CITY Con
trolcr and Auditor had to pledg" Themselves not to
purchase the property condition of election Inc
lavish distribution Of the shares Of the company at that
time to muZzlc the press" resulted In DRIVING 0uu
of his Office Of the leading editors ot the 0ty. but
the Mayor was playing deep and dark game INC
agitation in regard to the purchase Of the property was
begun when suit wa brought in the summer TO pre-
vent the city from laying main In the IWenty-siA'h
Ward where the company claimed exclusive privileges
although all the principal city mains from The Ridge
wood Reservoir the sole water supply OF the citv,
are laid through that ward The suit was evidently
only a clever subtcrfugc to draw the me OF oppo'
stion 10 the scheme Of selling the companys rights
and property TO the city, a 1t was hnalN WlthhraWh
Then the matter was allowed to rest until after cleo
ton when the power of the Boss and his ctenant'
wa, found to be undimnished. But under cover Of
secrecy the Mayor had secured offer from the com
pany and s secretly. the contract was signed for the
pure ha>c.
1t is believed that the Mayor expected To maintain
the veil 0t secrecy until the transaction was completed
and then reveal IL in dramatic form a. an excellent
thing for the city in the forthcoming message. But
tho revelation OF the facts pending the payment by
the city for the property and the suit 10 c,top pro
cccdng- viii rob the message 10 appear tomorrow of
this feature
If the Mayor has been silent In regard 10 the sub
feet of the water scandal he has been active in pre-
pairing to defend hi, course In the courts. The com
plant, and affidavit, upon which the injunction in tho
case wa, secured were published on SUNDAY and early
Monday morning The MAYOR was I'm consultation with
Corporation Counsel jerks. while city Works Com
missioner Adam- and supervisor william Watson werc
within call Every day since there have been mys-
tcriou@ meetings Of the city authorities and tie over
hauling # mu,ty records to make The case a. strong
a. possible when the defence i, forthcoming in court
tomorrow.
The scandal has caused more discussion I'm public
circles than any other thing in the la; week. and
few efforts have been made to defend the Mayor
Controller and Auditor. although great surprise has
been expressed that Mayor chaplin and Controller
Jackson would impcrn their political futures. y, TO
Auditor Rutan hi- term Of Office expired on Wclnc-
day. and hc can wash nj, hand, Of the entire affair
~ Judge t,corgc G.. RcyuOd, said of the exposure II
the affair Boz Tie Tribune u have not examined the
legal grounds tho case, but believe the thorough
ve:.llation Of the matter Will 10 good. II viii stir
up public opinion and prevent tho contamination OF
similar schemes To make the cts pay profit to con
scienoclcs, Spectators who use public affairs for
private profit
Hugo Hil~h. the well known lawyer. said Won
may mark my words. The Ct, win have 10 pay the
money the Official, have agreed 20 paw. The matter
ha- not been entered upon bliuGf,d and the legal
grounds have been carefully examined. ! do not
believe that the temporary injunction Will be made
Whc. the judge shakes his head there
+, nothing in IT, He will probably dissolve the in
Junction leaving the matter to he settled by trial
OF the suit. am surprised that Controller Jackson
has been drawn into this thing. ~ course tie Mayor
has 10 do everything those people want hut Mr. Jack
son ha, been supposed 10 bee independent IN measure
at least and unwilling to do anything that wa, not
entirely open and above board
The prospects Of the election Of George l.. Forester
f. tie Craftsmanship Of the R,putlican General COM
mttcc continue excellent. and ms friends are cont
dent that hr VIII have large majority week from
Tuesday night The opposition ha- not vet cry ,ialzcd
about any man IA run against Mr Forester. but =
caucu, VIII be- held TN, week make suitable selcc
ton Since W ". Goodrich uhd -. W Northup n"
fused 10 permit the use Of their names. those Of \. "
Wagner ard John Il. smith III" ONLY ones mon
toned Mr. Wagner !, an active member Of the Union
League club. about hf'y five wear, Old. and he
worked hard at the rccn election q, the captain Of
hi, district But he is not generally known In the
party. Mr.. smith hl, boon vic" president Of the com
mtcc for a year. and presided at several m"ctin'-
,If.g.t Tn lt.tttrr "a
the va District and should secure The united support
Of th. Ea,torn District DELEGATES. The ouly outcr
against M Forester j, tat he Temperance man.
Ihi, J., 81 -torcd INTO statement chat lie ., fohl
ltioui-t. which i- mfJIndcd tie 0, total ah>iaHcr'
"a. many other Republicans arc. but b" a- no vi % 10
impose h, principles or practice upon Other. y Jar
A. the faction, II l~t year are concerned Mr. For
roster va a. impartial any member OF th" commit
tee could De- lie voted Tor neither Woodruff nor Bald
win for chairman and his left oil the Wood
rr ticket for vice president and that OF John Il.
smith Wa, substituted for it, lie "a, suggested ny the
baldwin faction Il, cOmproml-c candidate lat year
but now because the Woodruff men propose him the
baldwin Nathan delegates, some OF them, say h" D.
iTc candidate Of faction and they cannot ,uppor,
hun. ~ ouc more heartily condemned IN" ffctlCnhl |
,9lut pr Ring lat year or tried harder to cnd II thu
inc suggestion that Clarence \. Barrow be subsu |
tued a., delegate from the I"chilc warn 80 49, ~
rDntnnc -ccrctary Oi the committee Is 'Olocmneai
ty Mr. barrow himself. who say mat as ms %nIa |
wanted him o. stay AT home ne VIII 90 20 iI7 pu'!
nc~, Interests thi, year would also prevent his EN
INK the time aud attention needed to The once Inc
delegate, mcntiOHcd possible successors 10 MN -
ecr,taly are George r. Gilluy, of the seventh Ward
Warren &. Trcadwcl Of the Twenty svond "dIu'
Iona, " Harrington, If the seventeenth Ward joseph
enJarlin Of the sixteenth Ward. and Jacob brehhcr'
If the Tenth Ward.
I'm fine appointment 81 Jacob Ncu 20 Inc post oi |
rivil Tu-ticc AZ - 900 "a year. Mayor ChaWn Hl' Ell
Icavor.d 10 make political move 10 pIuhl Ms party
AMI II may prove Il boomerang. Mr. Neu nVrA d
car ago INTO the Twenty fifth W~d where The norman
Icpubllrau plurality III about 1900 mas been ii'aIP
mi m half bv the differences among Inc hcPhpH' ans.
II /, one ~ the rapidly Ink wards IN the my
md Ought soon 10 become the banner hcPubh,h h
Ward seeing the opportunity 70 n,tlrtlE.i'a
democracy bN taking advantage Of the divided 'Ouh'lS
II the Republicans. the Mayor under the lh>irau" oi
.rgnri Mr. Neu. At the same time the power oi ulc
,nuth Er0nllyn Democratic Leaders. WHO sought !"
,,y. Edward Moran Of the Sixth Ward. made Justice.
SaS not strengthened, and If any part OF the 'lly
Ircaicn, 10 cndangcr the supremacy OF Boss
III augiu If j. south IrOOtyu. 10 whO~c leader Jim
zane tllc Bo~," was compelled 10 give the nomiIa-
ION for REGISTER two Nc6I- ago Eut thrfc VIII DC
,u,nl- ouporunity for revenge I'm mat part Of the