New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-05-21
THE GOVERNOR IND HE INVESTIGATION


II might be rash TO assume that Governor
Flower has reached his limit Of indccency i'll the
document purporting to set forth his reasons
for vetoing the Senate Committee Appropra-
ton bill; and yet it is hard TO conceive of his
sinking still lower. A large stock of the same
sort of stuff he probably has in store for use
hereafter. but we do not believe he has any
SURPRISES left for the people Of this state. ON
the whole the Governor has made useful II
revolving. revelation Of himself The people
could easily have spared his cheap decama-
ton about the blessings of good government
and the duties and privileges of voters. but they
would have lacked information which they need
to possess if their CHIEF Magistrate had maze
n less complete exposure Of the burden of shame
which he is capable of bearing in the service
Of the political machine to which he owes one
election and longs to owe another.
Governor Flower has vetoed this bill provid
ing for the expenses Of a searching investigation
of NewYork City departments because ram
many breads such an Investigation ana hopes
70 stop or cripple it. The Governor was thc in
str1iment. He was essential to the execution
Of the purpose. and he was eager TO be used.
The veto is what Tammany wanted, ana prop
ably all that it wanted. But the Governor has
justification and popularity ana so he makes
his bid and with characteristic inaniiy imaSlh'N
that II is Irresistible The bid Is Of the old
familiar sort but louder than usual "llan
words" which Twill not be rclishcd by those
70 whom they apply"-that is an o1er wllch
he thinks will secure the goods he covctS. Inc
people are not easily deceived 10y polite phrases
or by language which conccalS rather IMAM eN-
presses thought. They like frankncSS pest
And they never like II So much, he THINKS, rs
when II takes the form of impudcnt caInmhy.
Therefore he accuses those 10 whom Inc p"opl"
gave control of Il coordinate branch OF their
government Of falSchood and chicancry OF
breach Of trust. Of determined purpose 10
swindle the people by misusing pubic fuhdS' "i
deliberate and persistent pcrhdy. Those are
accusations which il was quite shameful enough
IN make I'm general terms but at that point the
Governor had not exhausted his plain words.
He had not even used the pancSt ones In his
vocabulary until he had charged Senators 81
the State Of Ncw-York and the lawyers ON
ploycd by them with the intention of commit
ting a hcinous crime. Of employing the pubic
money which they expected 10 obtain to 'ac-
complish the bribery Of Witnesses The Gov
crnor has made another bundrr and the most
| diSgraccful one OF his life. The plain words
| Of a slandcrcr ID not please the people. They
| ONLY inspire disgust and contempt for high
| official who is so dcbaScd as 10 utter them ana
so foolish as 10 imagine they will do him ser
vice.
If there is no doubt as 10 the feeling when
! this foul and brutal accusation will arouse
among the people. there certainly Is none as
| TO the response which the members OF the com
mittcc OF investigation against whom II Is
brought ought 10 make They should meet In
| this city to-day with an acontrong ana
unshakablc purpose TO rip wide open from Top
10 bottom every municipal department within
their purview The committee has appeared al
times 10 lack clear conception Of its func'
tons. and especially Of the relations when II
sustains toward the counsel whom II employs
The lawyer who Is expected 10 appear actively
in it's service to-day originally had totally
erroneous and injurious idea Of his place in the
inquiry We sincerely hope that such misjudg
ments as these have been radically revised
| There is need Of all the determination ana Of all
the professional skill which are available for
a searching, fearless and absolutely disntcrcSt
cd scrutiny Of every branch Of local admlnistra
ton included In the committees field. That Is
the fitting response TO the Governors monsrOus
calumny And If that response Is made there
will be no difficulty hereafter about dcfraynG
the cost of making it.