New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-03-25
MR.. CROKER'S EDICT.
IN RAPID TRANSIT LEGISLATION PROBABLE
THIS YEAR
rur BOSSES HAVE TIGHT GRIP on THE AS.
sEMBLY CITIES COMMITTEE-TAMMANY
CARRYING OUT ITS CONTRACT wITE
THE ELEVATED ROADS.

THE ELEVATED ROADS.
Albany. March "a lSpecial 1T is becoming evil
asnt as the session of the Legislature giows in
snpth that Tammany Hall does not know what
n do on the rapid transit question, hut that the
man who control that organization are simply
waiting for something to happen before adjourn
r,.nt that will shift the responsibility for pre-
venting any action upon that great question.
When. for given sum of money. the bosses OF
rammany Hall took the contract to prevent the
.aop,ion of feasible route by the Rapid Transit
commissioners and also made up that commission
.. that it would for the most part be composed
A. men who either were friendly TO the Manhattan
Elevated Company, or could be controlled by
Tomnany Hall in the interest of that company
,bsr intended TO stand by the bargain. Every
aav that goes by without something being done
"a give TO the CITY satisfactory rapid transit
svstem supports this charge Furthermore, there
!. mot Tammany Hail man ir the Legislature
wbo has attempted TO deny tho truth of this
assertion. But, as Mr.. Farquhar said yesterday
- hi. specch before the Assembly Cities Com
ro;,,ee which has both his bill and Mr. Ellison's
hosoro H. the political results likely to he
.o,;ous 10 Tammany Hall unless something Is
done at this session to give TO the people what
,hev want The majority of the Cities Com
mittee of the Assembly is composed of men who
or. absolutely controlled by the machine bosses
of the Democratic party. Out of eleven men,
have ~ the committee Tammany Hall has three.
Tbev are Colonel George p. Webster who knows no
law save that which comes TO him from Richard
Croker or Mr. Croker's representative; Moses
Dinkelspiel and Frank A. O'Donncl. both oi wnom
follow Webster blindly. Kings County, or rather
Rose Mclaughlin, has two more membctS OF
this committee Byrnes and Plant. Erie County
otherwise the Lieutenant-Governor, has CIahah
AN tho committee. while ex-NIayor Kirk. of Syra-
cuse. controls the vote of Mr.. Peck linen E'"dro
Murphy, jr, tells Cassin, from Rensselaer, county,
how he shall cast his vote. Therefore OroKer'
Murpby and Sheehan, really own the commi''ee'
az they have six out of the eleven members upon
IL under their thumbs If they wanted 10 nave
a rap,d transit bill reported from this committee
u the House for the consideration OF the meul-
hers alone they could do it in fifteen minutes
II ia said now that they do not intend 70 alio"
e,thcr of the bills before this committee 10 SEE
the Assembly Chamber again II they can heip
II. and to-day the official representative OF 'he
oty government of New-York, which OF course
means Mr.. Croker, declared that no rapid transit
bill would be passed at this session Last nleh'
il was said OH the best authority that senator
Cantor would next week introduce a bill which
belng prepdTeu Ill ->V"-iNiN - O'N
bright Tammany Hall lawyers. That bill was
n contain certain provisions that would tighten
Tammanys grip on the situation. This sudden
change in the programme is due undoubtedly to
visit made to the Capitol to-day by one OF
Mayor Giroy's confidential men, who is quoted
"A giving the word TO the Tammany men TO talk
AGAINST the Far1uhdr and Ellison bills. Soon
after this young man reached here Charles
HANDY the Assistant Corporation Counsel. who
looks after legislation in the interest Of lammany
Hall here, consented to be interviewed on the
subject Of rapid transit, and he made the astound-
ing announcement that no rapid transit legislation
would be presented this year by Tammany Hall,
and that no rapid transit bill would be passed
Mr. Blandy ought to know what he is talking
about He occupies position which enables him
to know what is going on in relation to pending
or contemplated legislation. Mr.. Blandy said:
There is no prospect of any rapid transit
legislation at this session Of the Legislature;
authorities (Mr Croker of New-lork City. that
0 full opportunity has not been accorded TO the
present Rapid Transit Commissioners TO settle ting
question. Nearly the whole Of their time mas.
been occupied in the consideration Of plans. IL
was not known that these plans would not inh
favor with capitalists until the offer OF the iran
weeks ago, and the result demonstrated the necrs-
sity for the adoption of new plans. Ihls work
will require considerable time, because II II If
done hastily the work would be imperfect 1t Is
therefore right that reasonable time should be
other nlan which will meet with the approval
Of capitalists In this way the problem will be
solved, and rapid transit secured, undoubtedly
through private capital.
All Of this means that the present. plan Of
Tammany Hall in relation to giving rapid transit
TO Ncw.York City is 10 be one Of mastery N
activity, and that the only relief that can De
secured will be through extensions of the present
elevated railroad system.