New-York tribune., 1894-04-21
AT WORK FOR REFORM.
VIGILANCE LEAGUE MEETS.
DR.. PARKHURsT MAKES A ROUSING
SPEECH.
CHICKERING HALL CROWDED WITH FRIENDS OF
THE MOvEMENT-EDMoND KELLY. COLONEL
BACON AND OTHERS AROUSE ENTHUsI-
ASN BY THEIR STIRRINti WORDS.

BACON AND OTHERS AROUSE ENTHUsI-
AsM BY THEIR STIRRING WORDS.
The annual meeting of the City Vigilance
League was held in Chickerlng Hall last evening.
and men high in the councils Of Tammany Han
were denounced by name by speakers at the
meeting and denounced unsparingly. The WICK
edness OF the Tanmany administration g AFFAIRS
in this city was described In words OF incer-
tain meaning and the speeches were applaudeo
vigorously by a large audience composed OF men
and women OF intelligence and earnestness. IL
was the largest meeting Of the League since l's
organization in May. 1892, and it proved oeyond
question that the interest in the work OF the
League has been increasing rapidly. Members Oh
the League are mostly young men, but the nan
was filled to its utmost capacity last evening"
chiefly by older men and by well-dressed women.
The Rev Dr. Charles II. Parkhurst presioeo.
He was greeted with a storm OF applause "heh
he appeared on the platform at p. m ana later
any mention Of him by other speakers, or any
reference to his work. was signal tor iresh ap'
plause Among the men with nm on lhe pia'-
form were the Rev DR.. Josiah strong the rev.
DR.. W T Sabine. Edmond Kelly OF the oi'y
Club: Charles D. Kellogg. Of the Charity Organ
ization Society; Colonel Alexander ;. Bacon Oh
RrooIklyn: Kiliaen Van Rensselaer,, Otto Kemp
npr. i. -. heNneSOI, ~ H. N'"''
H. Tolman and John Langdon ErVing.
When ne called the meeting to order Dr.
Parlxhurst explained that the League had TWO
objects in view in holding general meeting.
One was 10 have an election of officers at the
close OF the speaking. and the other was 10 give
exnression To the spirit and purposes OF the
League He introduced DR.. Tolman, the Leagues
secretary who described the objects OF the
League. One sentence uttered by DR.. Tolman az
the close Of his speech was cheered neartiy' IL
was: When you have overthrown Tammany
Hall the house will be ready for civic CITIZEN
ship minus politics"
ILLUSTRATING THE GROWTH OF CITIES
The Rev. Dr. Strong. who the next
speaker said that the city was little worio'
and he Illustrated the rapid growth OF cities IN
recent wears by saying that the city OF New
York required l75 years to gain population ot
$4,000 fifty years to add 2So,0O0 70 the population,
thirty years to make another gain OF o5VVoo
and twenty-five years to gain further increase
~ s5qO0O Local self-government is still on
trial" he said The State does not dare 20
trust the cities with self-goyernment. buI IN
1920 If the same ratio Of increase OF populauoon o1
IN tha cities holds the cities will have lOO0OOOo
more than the country districts Of the state ana
then the cities will govern the Stase. u Is lii'e
IL reform the governments or the clues'
EDMOND SllNblNb NONbS
Edmond Kelly made ringing speech. which
stirred the audience to frequent applause. HIS
subject was Facts About Tammany Hall' ana
he quoted from the testimony taken before the
Faesett committee 10 show that Hugh J. Grant
as Sheriff had been a corrupt official. and thae
he had paid money to Richard Croker for the
office under the pretence Of giving 1t TO his god
child. Flossie Croker Before the same commit
hoJ haop
that he had no business except politics. Now
Mr. Crokers wealth. the speaker said. was, IN
part known TO include half interest In the
Belle Meade stud Farm. $250,000; house. $4,000;
horses $4,000.
. OF Fire Commissioner John J. scannell, Mr..
Kelly said: HIS only title to distinction is that
he nut five bullets into the defenceless body OF
Thomas Dorohue. but he has been a persistent
candidate for office. Mayor Hewitt refused to
appoint HIM Even honest Hugh j. Grant re-
fused: but Mayor Giroy has had the audacty
TO appoint the ruhian.' Police Justice Joseph
Koch was indicted. Mr.. Kelly said but was
saved by the passage Of law OF which Judge
Ingraham said: Il regret 10 see that the
Legislature has thus provided new avenue Of
escape FOR punishment for crime. The legal
proceedings in this case were not yet COM
pleted. said Mr. Kelly. when Mayor Glroy re-
warded Koch In the first place for violating
the law. for defying the courts In the second
place and for securing bill in the Legislature
to relieve him from the consequences Of his acts
i'm the third place by raising him 20 the bench
and by clothing him in judicial ermne.
What worse could Mayor Gilroy do than put
assassns In office and place criminals on the
bench?" Mr. Kelly exclaimed. He closed his
speech with an earnest appeal for union against
Tammany and for patriotism In place OF parti-
sanship
Colonel Alexander $. Bacon. Of Brooklyn. spoke
on The City as a Storm Centre" He said in
part: The present moral and political c0ndi-
ton lacks nothing but a lightning flash 10 set
the cyclone in motion. and our long continued
hard times n storage battery for dangerous
amount OF political lightning. Brooklyn smashed
her ring so can New-York You have wealth.
social prestige. brilliant minds brave men ard
. political sagacity. You lack nothing bur con-
: cerred action among all good people who are
willing 10 obliterate party lines and sink all
minor differences in one gigantic effort wherein
Tammany Hall must be destroyed"
At the close of Colonel Bacons remarks Otto
Kempner spoke on Boss Rule"
DIR. PARKHURsTs ARRAIGNMENT OF TAMMANY.
Dr. Parkhurst was received with addition al
cheers when he rose to make the last speech
He said in part:
have been busy to-day writing one Of those love
letters to police captain, and tel you 1t took
well prepared as | could wish | Will address my
S to nf rSm WbP W aT OF ra ne n
couragement for the bitter fght which is coming
are not simply to talk eloquence about the downfall
Of Tammany Hail You and ] have got 10 get
down 10 a steady. courageous battle
This city Vigilance League Is not political or
ganzation. We believe in an honest healthful ad-
ministraton OF city affairs. | find no fault with
Republicans or Democrats on the National issues.
which we are bound to respect, but what have they
to do with the administration OF the city OF New
York? What has a high or low tariff 10 do
with the administration OF the Mayors office?
II there IS anything that has tormented my
thoughts by day and my dreams by night the last
three months. II there has been anything that has
kept me on the ragged edge. II has been the Senate
Committee sent here 10 Investigate the Police De.
partment You never tel what a day Will
bring forth In Albany. ~ . .
The trouble with the Bipartisan Police bill is that
Il introduces a partisan political element az time
when we are trying 10 get rid OF such an element:
What New-York City needs is an administration or
men whose qualifications are honesty and ability
not men who shall not be Police Commissioners
unless they belong either 10 the Republican or the
Democratic party. 80,