New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-05-20
STILL NOTHING TO SAY.
MORE PROOF OF THE CENSUS FRAUDS, BUT
RICE CONTINUES SILENT.


fFRoaA srAFy CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIBUNE
Albany, May l6.-Nothing has yet come from
the officials in the Secretary of States office in
explanation Of the charge that they altered the
rolls handed in 10 them by the State enuInerators
showing the population of Ncw-YorS last Feb
ruary The room in which the census records are
being kept is carefully guarded night and day
There is Waterman within and another without.
If stranger goes to the door lie is at once IN
tcrcepted and his business is demanded of him
If he succeeds in knocking upon the door it Is
opened for a space of about on inch. and pair
of little green eyes. the property of the Hon.
Peter Quest, peek through the crack at him,
while Peters sepulchral voice informs him that
this Office is not open for the inspection OF
strangers and that he must 60 away. Since The
TTibune's exposure of the census fraud Peter
seems to have grown enormously in stature. Ger
berus at the gates of the Internal City could not
he more impressed with the weight Of his re-
sponsibility than is Peter. He has given it out
with many shakes of the head and many for
midable oaths that the man who catches sight
of any of the records in that must walk
over his dead body.
The general attitude of Rice, Benedict and the
other officials Of the department is Of utter
disregard for the frauds they have committed
and of Indifference toward their accusefs They
simply do not what is charged. They seem
to regard it badge of honor to have CON-
mitted frauds in the interest of the Democratic
party. They assume that their party likes that
sort of thing. applauls it, and intends to reward
it, and for the other party. they are not under
taking to please it. Moreover. they say. if not
in words, at least in manner. What are you going
to do about it? You say we havo committed
fraud surprising we have, what's the use of kick
ing? The Apportionment bill is passed. What
ever has been DONE has been done completely.
The game is over. The score is settled We
have made the enumeration: we have reported
the result Of il TO the Legislature, and the Lcgs
lature has acted on our report by making an
apportionment in accordance with It, Now what
do you expect to gain by charging fraud? The
Apportionment bill cannot be disturbed by such
char The courts will not receive evidence
tending TO show that the Legislature has been
misinformed or not fully informed The theory
of the law with regard to the Legislature is that
it is always rightly and fully informed. The
courts hold that the voice Of the Legislature.
being the voice of the sovereign people, is always
based correct knowledge. You can do nothing
practical by attacking us. We stand behind en-
trenchments that cannot be carried. We are on
top. You simply make fools Of yourselves by
trying to fight us. 1t is not necessary that we
to you or them They may he true or they may
be false-it makes no difference. If it amuses
YOU to storm and rage, 90 right ahead. We lose
no sleep about it. We in the position of the
man who let the other fellow walk
In private remarks OF this kind are constantly
made by the Democratic bosses conspicuous in
Hills gang of political bandits No man of them
pretends to the slightest virtue. Shcchans
famous or rather Infamous. remark made late
in the last session to Senator OConnor. that he |
(Shechan) did not pretend to he fair in politics
perfectly describes the moral views and princi- |
pies of this whole mob of dull and dirty poll
ticians Honorable professions on the part OF
other people they despise as hypocrtical. For
themselves they claim nothing but sncccss. Snc-
cess by any means, honest or dishoncst-thc
difference is simply matter of convenience To
commit forgery upon the rolls of the census enum
orators in order to swell the citizen population
of New-York, Brooklyn, Queens County and Buff
falo. so as to steal representations in the Lpgis-
lature for Tammany Hall, Hugh Mclaughlin and |
Sheehan, is from their point Of view, simply
smart, clever piece of business; and when You
tell them that il is crime that it strikes deadly
blow at the whole theory and practice OF free |
government that it robs the people Of their rights,
that it shocks the moral Sense of every decent
man, and that they will be surely and soundly
punished for it in the end they simply laugh at
you, and don't doubt they really believe that you
are talking cant and humbug.
Frank Rice, think, is constituted little diff
ferenty from Sheehan, and probably does have an
intellectual perception Of the degradation TO which
be has committed himself. Before he became
the intimate and lieutenant Of David b. Hill. 10
man in this State had better reputation. The
fall of Frank Rice is signal illustration of the
liz inNu
those with whom he comes closely in contact.
Rice used to be immensely popular in Ontario
County, where he lived II is strongly Repub-
ican County, and yet he has repeatedly carried
it for districtattOrney, for county judge and for
member of Assembly. lie went through all the
fires of legislative career and came out un-
scathed lie led his party tie floor of the As |
sembly, and with Caryl Ely. Louis X. Church and
men OF that class he personally force for
good, and constantly held his party from much of
the badness toward which its Tammany dead |
weight continually drew it. But Cleveland was
Governor then, and it his influence that Rice
reflected and represented. AS soon Hill be- |
came the supreme power in the State Democ- |
racy Rice showed the other side Of his nature.
The first fragrant manfestation-at least, the
the first ] know Of, occurred in connection with |
the Noyes Rockwell election contest. when Rice |
did on q small scale just what he did last fall on
a large Noyes and Rockwell were opposing |
candidates for Congress in David b. Hills home |
district. Moves elected by small majority |
Rockwell was the Democratic candidate and Hills |
man. The Board of Supervisors Of Chemung was |
Democratic and Hill required them to give a |
certificate to Rockwell. The case was taken at
once to the courts, and they all denounced the |
action of the Chemung Supervisors illegal and |
improper. The Court Of Appeals decided that |
Moves had been fairly elected that he was en- |
titled to the certificate, and that the Chemung |
Supervisors had particle Of right to do as they
had done. While the still pending in |
the courts, William A. Sutherland. Mr. Noyes's |
counsel went to see Frank Rice for the purpose !
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