New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-04-13

iusty claim chance to show what he can 90
under the new. He has ample resources al MS
command, and the system which he Is ordcred
70 apply is capable of producing great results
II is for him to prove that he is equal TO his
opportunity.
TIE TAMMANY CONSPIRACY or FRAUD
MANY fair-mnded Democrats have expressed
themselves in emphatic terms of condemnation
Of the Police Inspectors bill at Albany. We
are sorry to note that some extreme Demo
cratic partsans and some Democratic
journals are inclined to support this Dill
on the ground that Tammany is entitled to
partisan Boards of Election Inspectors IN New
York City because partisan boards exist III the
country. The mere statement OF such an
apolocv is its own rcfutation. bipartisan
election boards are desirable everywhere. II
is hest for the integrity Of elections and for
the protection Of the rights of the people that
The Boards of Election Inspectors shall be d.
vidcd equally between the two great political
parties Then if sturdy, upright, CONSCIENTIOUS
men are selected as inspectors by the two par
ties neither side can secure an unfair advantage
and the voters can be reasonably certain that
their ballots will be correctly counted and the
returns be honestly made But the question
is not now one of changing any system of
election boards in the country districts When
that comes up a a practical measure there VIII
he plenty of time 10 discuss that and 10 treat
it on its own merits. The point now To he
considered is whether the bill which is actually
before the Legislature 10 change our present
fair and honest system 10 one which VIII De
HILL
wholly under the control OF Tammany Han
i a proper and crcdtablc measure, or is an
Infamous outrage suggested and devised for
purposes of dishonesty and fraud
No supporter Of the Tammany Police In
spcctors bill has vcnturcd To- put forth any real
argument in its favor II is certainly no argu-
mcnt 10 say that because there are partisan
boards in the country there ought 10 be par
tisan boards in the city The truth Is that
there ought to be non partisan boards every
where But this city before the present sys-
TEN of registration and bipartisan election
boards was established, was the foulcSt nest
Of corruption in this country Nobody has ever
vcnturcd to dispute that the Tweed Ring was
guilty of the most extensive and appalling
frauds in counting the votes here. Ii was the
regular custom in the Tweed days to defeat the
will of the people by fraudulent miScounts of
votes and by altering the returns. Does any
Democratic journal deny this? With such un-
scrupulous hcclcrs and ward politicians rs still
abound in our most populous wards, the rights
Of the electors absolutely need the protection
| of non partisan Boards of Inspectors. If the
present protection is swept away it is incy-
| table that fraud will be practiscd on the most
| serious scale What guarantee has Tammany
| Hall ever given the citizens Of Newly orl that
| IL will conduct the elections fairly and count
| the votes honestly, if there is no check or re-
strant upon its worst elements? il numbers
| in the ranks of It's followers hundreds and thou
| sands of the basest and most degraded people
| TO be found anyvhcrc-thc scum Of the sewers,
the off scourings of the jails and prisons.
1t is amazing that the Tammany leaders have
| the cffrOntcry to propose to abolish the system
| of non partisan Boards of Election Inspectors.
| They can have no other object except Il corrupt
and shameless one. No one suggests any
| sensible reason for the change The present
system has always worked well, and neither
| party has had any just cause for complaint.
Richard Croker, Thomas F. Groy, Police Com
missioner Martin, Corporation Counsel Clark
and their associates are playing most reck-
less game in this matter. They have never
been quite so audacous before, but their going
TO Albany to urge the passage Of this bill is
the worst affront which they have yet put
upon the intelligence, the dcccncy and the
| responsibility of NewYo rk. This city is pay
| ing Police Commissioner Martin, Public Works
Commissioner Gilroy and Corporation Counsel
| Clark handsome salaries to stay here and to
attend to the duties of their Offices. When
|
| they desert their offices and 90 to Albany To
attempt to push through bill which has its
| origin in iniquity and which is to be used
| if it becomes law for the promotion Of the
most wicked and criminal PURPOSES these men
| merit and will receive the severest censure and
condemnation which their fellow citizens can
| pass upon them. Their audacity in this mat
ter will tend to give still wider currency TO the
reports that have filled the air concerning dis
| honesty and corruption in the Police Depart
| mcnt the Public Works Department, and in
| any other department which are completely
under the control Of Tammany Hall. Com
| mssoncrs who dare to push forward a meas
| ure intended to secure corrupt and dishonest
elections in this city subject themselves to the
most serious suspicious. People may think that
such commissioners may be entirely capable
| of encouraging the worst corruption in their
own departments, and may be even capable
| of sharing in it. There will be day of rcck-
oning for these commissioners for what they
have done already. If they 20 on in their