New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-11-13
THE GOVERNOR MAY ACT.
BRINGING MKANE TOJUSITCE.
w J. GAYNOR'S REQUEST FOR SPECIAL
PROSECUTORS LIKELY TO BE GRANTED.
THE ATTORNEY GENERAL DISCUSSES THE SCOPE
OF HIS AUTHORITY IN THE NATTER
MEASURES LOOKING TO pURER ELEC-
TIoNS WHICH THE REPUBLICAN
LEGISLATURE WILL PROB
ABLY PASS.


LEGISLATURE WILL PROD
ABLY PASS.
A,hanv N v Nov 1o-It would seem that, Tor
nolitical reasons Governor Flower may grant
the request of William J. Gaynor and that ne VIII
asl, the Attorney General to appoint one or
more special officers to prosecute the eiectoh
thieves in Kings County; and this for the rea-
son that the defeated Democratic state oihcers
believe that the action of those thieVes oe-
stroyed their chances of reelection NO o'hei
man has been so cursed in the state Capi'o'
since Election Day John Y. Mchahe' 'he
boss Of Gravesend. IF it had not oeeh ior
McKane" said a deputy State officer yesterday.
1--WE should all have retained our places II
WAS his brutal attacks upon Gaynor's watchers
that aroused against us thousands oi Deiio.
cratic voters not only in Brooklyn, but also all
over the State"
Governor Flower is in Western New-York
to-day visiting Mrs. Flower, at Avon
snrinrs: SO his sentiments regarding MI
Gaynor's letter cannot be obtained mere. At-
torney-General Rosendae. when asked to-day
bv The Tribune correspondent to express his
opinion concerning Mr. Gaynors request. re-
nlied: .I would prefer not to say anything
unon the subiect at the present time, since
Governor Flower has not yet received Mr.. Cay
nor's letter.
Have YOU the power to appoint special pros
ecuting officers as suggested by Mr.. Gaynor!
II do not know; ! never have looked up the
law in such matter. If Governor flower
should make such request as that which MT
Gaynor desires him 10 make, should consiuer
the law of such prosecutions with great care
desire as keenly as any one that such crimes
against the elective franchise as Mckane is
alleged to have committed should be punished
with the greatest rigor of the law but. never
theless, / must say that l suspect that the
Attorney General has no power 10 intervene in
Kings County or in any other county, where
election frauds have been committed.
Formerly the Attorney General Of the State
was coneerned in murder trials and other
criminal cases, but latterly all the legislation
of the State has been in the direction OF comm
ing him to the management of the States CIVIL
actions It also seems to be the theory of the
LEGISLATURE that local officers like Dlstr1ct-<At-
torney Ridgway. of Kings County. will en-
force the law of elections and like laws. Such
criminal prosecutions apparently are put In the
hands of local officers. l make this statement
while having the fullest sympathy with these
citizens. like Mr. Gaynor, who are endeavoring
to have these election scoundrels punished as
they deserve TO be punished. / hope need not
say that II the Governor requests me 10 inter-
vene in the McKane affair and i learn that l
have the authority TO do so. will put forth all
The ~v,r,s-c- any O.i.Se 10 punish .he iiicn
guilty OF election fraud in Kings County"
Governor Flower, however clearly has the
power to bring McKane into court even If the
Attorney General is helpless in the matter; for
the Governor is the chief magistrate, and is
empowered 10 see that the laws of the State
are enforced. If District-Attorney Ridgway
does not move against McKane the Governor
can bring Ridgway before him and, if con-
vinced that the rct-Attorney had protected
the election thieves, can remove him from Office
The Governor Is not without legal power, there
fore, TO force the local officers of Kings County
TO prosecute McKane, and to prosecute him with
earnestness
The Republican Legislature. when it meets
In January. it is evident will take abundant
evidence regarding all election frauds in the
counties Of Kings, Albany, Richmond and Erie.
and make them a basis for reforming the
election laws and putting more safeguards about
elections. One bill which certainly will be
passed by the Legislature will give political
parties equal number of election inspectors.
In the country the Republican party has two
inspectors TO the Democratic partys one. The
Republicans willing to surrender any ad-
vantage they derive from this circumstance,
provided they can secure in New-York City
an equal number of election inspectors with
the Democrats. No practical politician be-
heves that Cord Meyer ever received 6SOOO
plurality in New-York City for Secretary of
State. Maynard also. in their judgment.
ceived far fewer votes than are credited to
him.
Senator Saxton also will again introduce his
Blanket Ballot measure. 1t is believed t,At
the leaders Of both the Republican and Dsmo-
cratic PARTIES now favor this ballot instead of
the multitude Of ballots which the voter now
receives. The bill is therefore likely to be-
a law.
Another law which perhaps will be passed
will be separating bv longer interval
the final day of registration and Election Day.
Attorney General Rosendale said to-day that the
enactment of such measure would be one
Of the methods by which purcr elections could
he secured There Is now not sufficient time to
discover the Of illegal voters and re-
peaters on registration lists before Election Day
comes.