New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-05-04
SMOOTH SAILING FOR 4 BAD BILL.


With the present Legislature all things seem
TO be possible except the prompt passage OF he'es
sory laws And yet ii might have been supposen
Until recently without any inSnpporfable strain
on crcdulty that If only for The sake OF proving
the rule bv an exception the Republican majority
woud defeat the job TO give the Dis;rict-Attorh'!
Of New York two additional assistants nj saiarl'S
OF $500 apiece. When this proposition hIS'
emerged 10 view we did not believe II cOnld De
odop,cd: but because it had obviously attracted
support In a mysterious manner there se'h'u I"
be occasion for some sharp words concerning IT,
and we accordingly supplied them 80 1ar rs
other public notice was taken Of The matter 'hc
opposiiion was practically unanimous. ou'sile
the Capitol not a favorable word has pc'h
spokcn. we believe. Colonel Fellows can be rs
yolublc rs any living man when he wants 10 De-
and he Is usually inclined that way. Yet even
Colonel Fellows evidently deems II discreet I"
keep still on this subject. lest noise SHOULD us
turb the calculations Of those. including hiiilS'h
M loubt who have undertaken 10 slip the l"p
through the LEGISLATURE. Even In the capitol
moreover. a silence which Is singular ana ON
nous has attended It's progress. Hu' the ways
appear to have been creased with tal"W Oh INC
first quality, for the bill has gone through the
Assembly swiftly and without frcii"n ana We
are Utc likely to hear that II has been similarly
cypcditcd in the Senate within a few days. hap
pilv II must run the gantlct Of Mayor Strong :
office and the Governors scrutiny before 1t can
become law. and it will not be our fault II II IS
not halted this side Of the statute-book.
The Influence which has pushed This Indecent
measure along has been referred TO as ni!S'eri
Gus. We wish II were more mysterious than IL
Is. We do not think II necessary To assume mat
cash il the talow which has smoothed It's course
toward enactment But plainly II has had the
benefit Of a consolidation Of interests or some
sort. Very likely it is case OF mutual Dack-
scratching Too many rural legislators are per
fcctly willing that the people Of this city should
be taxed TO pay for things which they do not nced
or want. II consent to such oppression VIII OH!
procure votes for measures desirable measures,
perhaps which they are themselves commit
ted II this explanation fits the present case we
assure Republicans In the Senate and Assembly
that the bill TO enlarge Ds,rict-Attorney Eel
lowss numerous staff Of highly paid assistants
is nothing but a grab for patronage ana pupnc
| money His staff could be reduced with great
| advantage if there were any means or coinpcil-
| ing the survivors to earn their salaries. Incre
| are too many ders in that office now. Ihey are
| i'm the way Of one another and OF justice Con-
vincing evidence that Colonel Fellows does one
| hard days work a month Is lacking up 10 this
moment, and It's production would asionlsh
everybody who is acquainted with him. Accord
| ing to Mr.. Hewitt he leads n simple Christian
| life: but however that may be, busy offcial
| life is entirely outside the range OF his expert
ence. And many Of his assistants are Ike unto
him. There are able and expert men among
| Them. and occasionally for brief periods they
work with commcndable zeal and intelligence
| But taking the year through they have an easy
time. This Is a truth which Is well known ia
them and very precious. 1t Is equally wei
known 10 n multitude OF other persons TO WHOM
the knowledge Of 1t gives 10 pleasure
We say without hesitation or misgivlng tina
| this bill has no excuse for existence, ana that
| IT'S easy advancement In the Legislature is sure
! proof either Of discrcdtabe ignorance on the
part Of its supporters or Of a motive far more
dscreditable than ignorance it was introduced
by Mr. Mcmahon, a Tammany Senator. and 1t II
specifically designed TO fOrtify department OF
the administration which will be Tammany
stronghold for twenty months TO come. 1t IL on'
Of those jobs which. whether meant to bench
Republicans or Democrats, are at all times con
tcmptIblc and in this period OF popular indigna
ton over bossism and civic prohigacy PECULIAR!
dlsgrnccful and injurious to the party that Is re
sponsible for them.