New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-10-17
ABSOLUTELY S1TURATED."

That was 4 strong phrase used by Mr. Golf
in the very clear and succinct statement when
he made to the LcXow Committee yesterday re-
Carding what had already been accomplished ny
the vestigaton. In summing II up ne SAID the
course that had been pursued was ITO let the
lowest people in this city speak from inc
woman who peddcs her little stock OF news
papers or sells them on the corner-stand To the
merchant on Broadway; so we would take IN
AL phases Of city life. all avocations and all
occupations good and bad, and that we would
show that the evil Of corruption and bribery
chad dominated our life 10 such an extent that
1--WE had become as Il people absolutely saturated
with il in all the grades and phases Of our
..munjcipal COSMOPOLITAN life Six months ago
the statement that all grades and phases Of our
municipal life were absolutely saturated win
bribery and corruption would have startled no
one because II would have been taken ~ one
Of those unreasonable exagGerations. unfortu-
natcly common in political discussions. which
fail OF their purpose because they are too great
n tax upon crcdulity. II does startlc every cit-
zen now because II Is n compact and forcefu
statement Of what has been proven beyond any
question out Of The mouths Of long procession
OF willing and unwilling witnesses No one who
of the phrase or the accuracy of the description.
Absolutely saturatcd.' II Is a fruitful phrase
the seed Of serious thought in it for good citi-
zens Of all parties.
Not less to the purpose as showing now pro
found IS the impression made by The exposures
Of the Lcxow Committee upon Democrats them
selves and upon Democratic newspapers which
have heretofore given valuable aid 10 The Tam
many organization. and perhaps unwitiingly
helped fastcn its hold upon the city Is the al
mission of The Ncw-York World. which says:
"Thc fact that the police have for years been
'lcvying blacLmail upon vice and crime ana
upon legitimate business. large and small. from
that of merchants and great steamship com
"nanles to that If peanut p,dlcrs and poor
"womcn who keep ncwsslands. is fully proved
That this tribute amounts 10 a vast sum every
year is certain" And then. proceeding {" a.
coun, for the vast sums Of money derived from
these sources. aside from the comparatively
small amounts divided among police captains
and Police Commissioners. II says: 'Ih" major
part passes through Tammany district leaders
"and the men above them. into III" Golfers "f
"Tanmany Hall itself. diminished only by 80
much As these Intermediates are allowed 10
absorb once in Tammanys treasury 1t IL
used so far az necessary, In the corruption ~
"clcctions" Herein our contemporary touches
the handspring Of all the abuses with which our
municipal life il absolutely saturated II Is
not that dishonest and corrupt men have been
citizens plundcring taxpayers. pro-
tcctlng crime and dividing with criminals The
proceeds Of lawlcSSncss As individuals the law
can deal with and punish them.
The fountain and source Of all the crimes that
have been and are committed with impunity j.
I'm the system under which they grow and thrive
And that SYSTEM Is kept alive and vigorous by
the contributions wrung from vice and crime
and from all kinds OF business, legitimate ana
illegitirnatc which pour into the Golfers IL
Tammany Hall" The root OF the abuses with
which the community IL absolutely saturated
is In East FOurlcenth-st.. and so long as that II
To flourish the exposure Of individual
offenders the apprehension and punishment "t
single criminals, great or small will be OF very |
little effect The stream will continue 10 flow, |
and all our municipal life continue To be "abso- |
lntcly saturated" with It's corrupt and corrupt |
ing currents We do not agree with our CON |
temporary that the important thing Is To ma |
out precisely where the money Of which the city |
has been robbed has gone or by what means
the officials who on moderate salaries have be-
come enormously rich obtained their wealth.
The important thing is 10 make an end Of the |
system under which matchmaking, thicvcry AMI |
thuggery have become chronic. And In order |
to do that must have a Legislature that Will |
enact Municipal Reform: n Governor who Will
approve and a Mayor who will enforce 1t. That |
is the way, and the only way. 10 make an end
Of the corruption with which we are absolutely |