New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-05-22
POLICE BO1RD REORGANIZATION.


Shortly before the election Of last November
it was proved that the registry lists had oeeh
stuffe1 ON so large a scale that the enrolment
was essentially fraudulent Soon AFTER 'le ciec-
tion Mr. Conlling. Mr. Ordway and other pup
lic-sprited citizens began the laDorious 'aSA
of collecting and arranging evidence aSainS'
election thieves They succeeded so wen 'h"'
the Grand Jury found more than threescore III
dictmentS against scOundrcls or various degrees
who had been doing the vile work OF Iamlhan!
leaders and most Of whom either were con-
victed or pleaded guilty in the hope OF )udiciai
clcmency The fact that Tammany syS'cini'-
ically stole elections in this city through the
connivance of the police had been common!
believed before. but these legal proofs were eA-
tremely valuable. because So far as they went
they were conclusive, and In addition 10 'l'at
tended powerfully TO confirm the general con.
vction that the practice of fraud eN'enueu
throughout the city.
The Legislature met on January l. d! wiz"
time enough Of these disclosures had been mace
10 give tremendous emphasis 10 the deilia"u
that the Republican Legislature should prompt
w do all that was Immediately possible 10 pre-
vent election frauds in this city by restoring To
the Police Board the bipartisan character vi
which Mayor Grant had robbed 1t i'll the corrupt
interest of Tammany and against the protests
Of every Republican. every Mugwump ana
multitude of decent Democrats Inc uclland
WAS also made and conceded that an lhVeSuEa-
ton OF the way in which the Ponce Department
used It's almost absolute control over elecuoiS
should be held and a committee or Scil"lo''
was appointed for the purpose Up 10 '''s
noint tho will of an overwhelming majority oil
ronutahIo citizens of the State had been l"yaly
respcctcd. and only useful results were lo"N'N
for Rut then began rhe extraordinary 'a'"''
NJ organizations and individuals assuming L"
ha the only authentic opponents OF r'lor'"
which for more than month paralyzod Inc
committee and the Legislature. y mixture 81
Good and bad motives may have inspr'd 'H..I'
Interference, but the effect OF II was """"!
miscellaneous, and It WAS constantly iIluN""''"
nv imbccillty. misrepresentation ana uo"4l'N"'
falschood. At last, however. the committee IT,
covered its senses. assumed control Oh is "uS'
,oss hncan It's sessions in earnest, ana specify
dovoloncl through the cooperation or The new
| po,uhlicon orgauization Of this city, Whch
many Of the professional PERFORMERS had taken
| nortic,lor Mains TO Willy, abundant ana
irrcfutable evidence TO prove the systematic
complicity of the police in election frauds
| The effect of this exposure las not lost upon
| the Legislature. The opposition or laHili''"'
70 the reform measures grew more strenuous
and hitter but finally the Republican ma)oriu'S
| I'm tho Senate and Assembly put them through
| and sent them 10 the Governor. Inc f'h''
| BOARD bill. however. which ought to nave pee"
sent TO him months before rs measure Simply
| Cor tho ro-establishmcnt OF bipartisan Com
mission. had undergone amendments WHICH,
| though they were intrinscally InrH'orlous III
the Judgment Of many SINGER" persons h''''
| tholess gave the Governor more plau>lpi' 'N
cusn than he would Otherwise nave had l"'
vetolug the bill Moreover and this Is la'l
u.hich moods 10 he comprchcndcd fully and held
| fast for future guidance the Governor ''rS
had been filled all winter with tie treachcr"'ia
and malignant clamor Of the professional IT,
formers" that this bill was the result ana OK
nress,on Of 4 deal with Tammany Hall by he
| nuhlicau leaders: in brief. that II was di'V
bargain for spells between Thomas {. Plait ana
Richard Croker which it would be a disgrace
| and fraud on the people 10 consumma'e. Ana
| now most Of these same indcfaiigahle slahd'r
| ors are not ashamed to dcnOunce the Governor
for his veto.
Tint veto has been followed by the highly
interesting appointment Of Mr.. Charles H. NUT
ray TO succeed Mr.. Charles L. Maclcan on lh'
| Police Board Who Is Mr.. Murray! why h'
is one Of Colonel George Bliss young men
leader of the Colonies cOhOrt IN the liza As
scmblv District We hasten to add that, 50 ihi
as we know. there Is 10 basis for the rcpor'
that his appointment Is the result OF dral De
tween Colonel Bliss and Tammany Han. ah'
we shall take special pleasure IN making puDli'
all the proofs TO the contrary which the new
Commissioners official conduct may supply.