New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-04-21


rur nrspEP4TJOy or THE CANAL RING.
The old set is back The canal ring is itse1
| AGAIN. The scoundrels who were brought 70
terms by Governor Tilden have resumed ouSi-
ness at their former stands ana with their loi'0,
rascay methods. In view Of what has occurIeu
ar Albany during the last few days there III
| denving these assertions. Governor iiiii "iU
the Democratic Senators would not nave NieUo
such a desperate fight to prevent the auoPuo"
Of a temperate resolution proUdlns lor dn Al,
vestigatiOn of the canals unless they were VIC"
satisfied that investigation would mean lui'"-
+ion N leading canal officials. The course they
have pursued is practically confession OF the
+r,tb If the current rumors that the Department
nc pubIic Works. which has a Democrat at us
boad and is manned entirely by Democrats, Is
nj bonestlv conducted: that it is being run IN
tho interest Of corrupt ring and Of the Demo-
cratic machine and not in the interests OF the
people.
OF course. Democratic Senators pretend that
they are not opposed to the investigation per Sc
and that they are laboIing only to prevent us
being conducted in partisan spirit 1or d par
bsan purpose. But this contention is not adj
dressed to the intelligence OF the state Dut 10
tbe marines. The resolution calls for an IN
vestjgahon by the Canal Committee OF the Sen
ate. What body is so well qualified as that
committee to perform the duty? The Demo
cratic minority as well as the Republican ma
iontv is adequately represented upon it, and
the resolution expressly supulates that IN case
the investigation is made by subcommittee
of the Canal Committee both parties shall con-
tinue TO be represented. In other words, the
provision which is made for conducting the IN
vostigation is the regular provision which IN
sures fair play to both the parties. There IS
full warrant for maintaining, therefore, that II
the Democratic bosses were not MORALLY AFRAID
Of the results of a canal investigation Demo-
cratic Senators never would have thought OF OBJ
iecting to the Canal Committee. That COM
mittec. with Senator Laughlin, of Erie, as its
chairman-an ardent friend Of the canals and
the exponent of the leading canal county-has
now been in existence near y two years, ana IN
all that time there has never been an lnslnua-
ton in any quarter that it was not entirely JUST
and Trustworthy. Nevertheless, in their eXtrem-
itv Governor Hill and his felow-bOSses ask the
peopIe to believe that the frantic efforts which
they have been making to suppress the inycSti-
CATION has its inspiration solely in dlstr'st OF
the CaIal COmnhttee'
TIE TRIBUNE has already spoken OF the
urgent need which exists of thorough lnvesti-
CATION of the canals We observe that some
Democratic journals, with the idea OF sustaining
Hill and the Democratic Senators in their war
against the resolution, are disposed to take the
ground that the investigation is unc2lled for.
But such tactics are of no avail. No sane man
can read the statistics which our Albany CORE
spondent presented in his letter OF yesterday
or the facts which are set forth
in another letter printed to-day, with
out having the conviction fdiced upon him that
the canals have been costing the taxpayers
far more than they ought to cost. Have the
enormous sums which have been spent upon
them during the last decade been honestly and
economically spent? Were the bridges, cul-
yerts ana other structures without end which
have been built really necessary? VIII every
| contract which has been awarded bear examine
| ton Have none OF the canal lands been stolen
The people want to see these and related ques-
tons answered; they demand that they shall
be answered, and that without delay. The
canal investigation resolution must be passed
if il takes all the rest of the session to force it
through The Democratic Senators occupy a
disgracefu position, and the sooner they sur
render the better for themselves and for thell
party. ------------