New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-03-02
NEJg-YORK HELD CP."

A bich carnival Of public robbery is gong on
at Albany. The like of it, we say again, has not
been seen since the orgies of Tweed. The men
who are mainly responsible for it thus far, aside
from Hill. who stole the Legislature and gave
the plundercrs their chance, are Edward Muir
pby IT.. chairman of the Democratic State Com
mittce Richard Croker, Boss of Tammany Hail.
and Hugh Mclaughlin, Boss of the brooklyn
Democracy How far Croker and Mclaughlin
expect to profit personally by the two colossal
Jobs now almost accomplished we do not know
They will get out Of them enormous political
patronage. amounting in value to many hundreds
Of thousands of dollars. How far beyond this
their interest may 60 is not apparent Murphy,
however. is personally and financially interested
in the greatest of these jobs-the so-caiIcd
" IIucklcberry" Railroad bi!l-and the spectacle
he presented. the official head OF his party. stand
ing in the Speakers room, of which, in defiance
OF all dccency, he had taken possession ana per-
sonally commanding his partisans to vote Tor
bill. at that moment on IFS passage which would
Mace in his hands a complete and untaXod mo-
nopoly of all the strcct-rilroad franchises in
the Annexed District of NewYort City-mak-
ing him and his associates in one moment
mllionaircS many times over-thls spectacle was
Nv all Odds the most Shameless ins0lent and
outrageous that even the polluted chambers OF
the Albany Legislature have seen in many day
The second of these jobs has already slapped
through both houses and is now before Governor
Flower. This is the one that plays into the hands
Ct Mclaughlin. Murphy's country Democrats
Croker's Tammany men and McLaughns con-
tingcnt from Brooklyn worked together as the
bosses bade. The second job provides for a
bridge across the East River, and for railway
10 be built upon it and 10 be continued on an
elevated track across Ncw-York City through
three miles OF its streets TO the Hudson River.
Controller Myers, in imploring Govrrnor Flower
not to sign the two bills securing this job, prop
erly charac,criZes them "a measures in which
extraordinary privileges arc granted, immense
" valuable franchises conferred, uncomfortable
freedom from taxation provided for, and the
right of the city authorities TO regulate bridge
construction and traffic practically ignored"
And vet" says the Controller - IN neither OK
them is it proposed that this municipality shall
receive an income commensurate with the great
value of these extraordinary grants" Indeed,
for ten years the bridge company is absolutely
free from taxation. or until il shall be earning
Is per cent annually upon iis capital stock OF
$4,000, 600, while the elevated railway com
pany, behind which Mr. Jay Gould's sombre
yisage is readily disccrnible gets three miles
of the public streets for nothing at all. Mr.
Myers may well cry out that Ncw-fork Is "a
helpless victim in the legislative shambcs"
These arc the most m0nstrous of the schemes
Of plunder undertaken by the men who were
nut into absolute power in this state by Hills
theft Of the Senate. But they are not all, nor
nearly ALL Last week Mayor Grant gave his
word of honor that there WAS no truth in the
mpuaton that he intended to get an act passed
enabling him TO take summary possession of The
" Staa,,- Zcitung" property in TTyon Row for the
new municipal building. But the fact came ont
Monday night that aSurc - that effect has al
ready sncakcd through the Assembly. couchcd
in phrlseolCgy such as enables the Tammany
Commission il creates 10 take any building IN
the city-thc Cooper Union, the Bible House,
Trinity Church-which like Mr. Ottcnd0rferS,
fronts street upon ten days notice and with
out any legal proceedings whatever. such idi)ic
disregard Of the private rights Of citizens is I'M
heard cf in the legislation Of a modern civilized
community. 1t places Mayor Grant in Pc
culiar position. That bill did not pas the As
scmby by accident. ii il plainly aimed at MIR.
Otendorfcrs building. Mr.. Grant will see, in
view Of his declaration last week, that he has
a pressing duty to his own honor not less than
to Mr.. Ottcndorfer TO perform 10y the prompt
destruction Of the measure. a bill to grab the
Aqueduct Commission, a bill to create two new
SurrOga,cs, enc to add lot of stenogmphcrs ana
officers 10 the cJurtS-thcsc are more Of the jobs
by which shameless politicians hope - profit
We have said that up 10 this point Murphy,
Croker and Mclaughlin arc the men to be held
primarily responsible for this betrayal Of the
ciys interests. 1t has reached the point now,
however where another hand is needed TO give
it effect, and the people will look with both
concern and curiosity to SEQ what Governor
Flower is going to do. He perfectly understands
the situation lie has been officially advised by
the city's financial officer to the nature Of the
legislation now before him and on its way. He
is removed by wealth from all dependence on
politics as 4 business. lie can write himself IN
honest, strong and faithful public servant. or
the contemplate creature CT a syndicate Of THEY
ing political sharpon. No man ever had a bot
ter opportunity TO vindica'c the confidence of
honest friends and TO confuse malicious enemies.
Will Mr. Flower sign the grab bills or veto them
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THE WORLUS FAIR APPROPRIATIONS