New-York tribune., 1891-04-24
r,c nrvocRATTC DEADLOCK.

Tho Damucratic Senators at Albany sui con-
tinue 70 play the part OF obsuuctlomsts. Inc
vbeeis of legislation have been brought TO
standstill. and consequently many important
measures are imperilied. because OF their scan
dalouS conduct Apparently they are lost not
only to what is due to the public welfare ouV
to the political party whose commission the9
hear In their zeal in behalf OF the notorious
canal ring they would seem to have oveflooKeu
tho salient fact that in using their Official posi-
t;ons to ,tilIe an urgently demanded lnVe>tIga-
tion they are not only betraying great general
interests which they have sworn to conserve but
are really doing their utmost to render the De
mocracy Of Newlolk Synonyme 1of coir"p-
tiOn. -
These Senators who are reSponSipIc lor the
deadlock give three reasons for their opposition
10 the Laughlin investigation resolution Each
one Of these, as a son Of Erin might express IT,
is nimsier than the Others. They assert tha'
the resolution provides for partisan IN
vpstiration Their boss in the Executive Chah-
her stigmatized it as partisan" in character
jsticalIv undignified message which he trans
mitted to the Assembly day or two since bu'
no charge could be sillier. The resolution pro-
yides that the Canal Committee shall cohduc'
the investigation, and that committee s 10
more partisan" than any other committee VI
the Legislature. IT is il committee upon Which
the Democrats are adequately represented but
which. of course. is controlled by Republicans
ror tho very good reason that the RepubilcanS
arc in the majority in the Senate, and so are
held accountable at the bar OF public opinion
for the outcome of It's deliberations. " Boss
uilI and the Democratic Senators must argue
in order to be conSistent-that any legislative
committee on which the majority is more large
lv renrescnted than the minority is partisan
in the invidious sense Of the term; that Is 10
say. is partisan in the sense that it cannot be
trusted! Has il ever been claimed that the
Spnates Canal Committee was not fairly con-
stituted? Never. Its chairman, Mr. Laugh
lin. Is recognized throughout the state as a
stanch and efficient friend OF the canals Whlie
no fault has ever been found with his associates
Of the majority or the minority. either on the
score of ability or integrity. But these same
Senators also protest in their desperation mat
the investigation is unCalled for" Oncalled
for. when the taxpayers from one end Ol the
State to the other are demanding OF their repre-
seatatives at Albany why it is that the canals
| cost such prodigiouS sums Of money uncalied
for. when if has been publicly charged that
leading Democratic officials had been m!aw-
fully interested in canal contracts uncalied for
when q reputable citzcn over his own signature
teStifes that canal lands have been stolen in
Erie County. Certainly if this canal inveStiga-
ton is "uncalled iOr' then there never was a
legitimate investigation i'll the history OF the
State. The hlbu>terS and obStuctionlstS have
ONLY one other pretcXt for lighting the lnNeSt-
CATION They declare that Senator Laughn IN
troduced the resolution merely with the hope OF
turning the investigation to his personal adVan-
| tage in bis canvass for a denomination and a
reelection This hardly merits attention. a,
| we have aheady remarked, the investigation
could not help the Senator unless it bore hard
on Democratic canal oi1icias-mlesS it served
to benefit the people by exposing fraud and
putting an end to extravaganza Now, these
! Democratic Senator's protest that the Depart
| ment of Public Works is honestly conducted
| Very good let an investigation establish tha
fact. and the vindcaton of Superintendent Han
nan will be apt to result i'll the confusion o
Laughlin.
1t thus appears that the Democratic Governor
and his Democratic tools in the Senate are ab
solutely without excuse in trying to prevent th'
canal ring from being investigated They stanC
before the people convicted by their own act
of being banded together to prevent rascal
from being turned out Of the public service
simply because they are Democratic raScals. II
the circumstances the Republicans of the Senat
have plain duty to perform, and they are per
forming it intelligenty and diScreetly. The!
have made bold stand for the people as againS
the canal ring. As amajority they have righ
to demand that the resolution which involve
not only practical and urgent reform, but tn
right of the majority to rule, shall be dispose
Of before any other business is considered. lie
our friends resolutely hold this position if neceS
sary until the gavel falls for final adjournment
They have behind them, not only all the Re
publicanS of the State. but every public-Splnte
citizen who believes in clean and frugal gov
ernment, and demands that fraud and corup
ton shall be exposed whenever and WheIeye
found in the public service.