New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-04-08

LECTED oPPoRTUNITY-THE STORAGE RES
ERvoIR JoB-coNsTITUTIONAL coNvEN-
TIoN PRINTING sCANDAL-oTHER
MEASURES NOT IN THE PUBLIC
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. CITY
REFORM BILLS STILL
HELD Up"
Albany April 7 (SpeciaD-While Thomas q.
Platt holds up" through his followers in the
Legislature the New-York reform measures these
same followers without rebuke from Mr.. Platt
are forcing through the Legislature a series Of
bills which cannot but be highly discredtable to
the Republican party If they become laws. Mr..
Platt's value to the Republican party lead
err can thus be estimated Enactments which
would bring honor to the Republican party he op-
poses: other enactments which cannot but bring
down upon the party the deserved censure of the
voters Of the State he takes no pains to defeat.
Mr. Platt on Friday afternoon. as 1t is now dis
closed. after leaving the Executive Chamber went
to the house Of the most powerful lobbyist now In
Albany Louis +. Payn, and there held confer
ence with his chief followers in the Legislature.
There throng Of Senator'S and Assembly,
men present. 1t occasion when political
chieftain desirous Of strengthening his party In
the estimation If the people OF the State would
have exerted all his influence with his followers to
induce them to support earnestly and Loyalty the
NewYork reform bills and the bill to reform the
police force Of the city of Troy, now under the
control OF Senator Edward Murphy. jr. and used
at every election against every honest voter.
whether Democrat or Republican. Mr.. Platt also.
II desirous Of aiding the Republican party, would
have warned his followers that they could not af-
ford, as Republicans. to pass the bills committing
the State to the expenditure Of $1,000 900 for the
construction Of a storage reservoir on the Genesee
River for the benefit Of the mill-Owners OF Roches-
ter; that such great expenditure OF the money Of
the taxpayers ought 10 be submitted 70 the ap-
proval Of the people the November election. as
in the case of the proposition to expend S9,OOOOOo
in canal improvements
WHAT MR.. PLATT MIGHT HAVE URGED
Mr.. Platt also would have said to his followers:
There is a grave scandal in reference 10 the
printing of documents for the alleged benent or
the Constitutional Convention. printing much
which was not authorized by the convention ana
was founded upon unbalanced bids, similar IN
depravity 10 those ~ the Canal Ring. Bills 10
the amount Of sl2s 0s2 56 have been presented for
this printing, and the Republican Controller
James A. Roberts. is opposing the payment OF
at least $4,000 Of the total, on the ground that
the bills representing this sum were not war;
ranted by law. and are extortionate. II should
be left TO Mr. Roberts to make this fight
alone against the robbery Of the State Treas
ury, and least of all should a Republican Legis-
ature think OF passing act ratifying and con-
frming every item in this scandalous claim.
Mr.. Platt would have said further:
I have heard with great regret since came
10 Albany that there has already passed the
Senate and now Is before the Assembly bill
which sweeps away the present Forest Commis-
sion and the present Fish and Game Commis-
sion and puts in place ol those bodies an ex-
travagantly equipped new State commission, TO
be known as the Board OF Fish, Game and For-
ests While the present Forest Commission has
lost the confidence Of the public. this is no ex-
for substituting for 1t a paid commission
with a big roll Of employees receiving high SAL
aries. | am also pa!ned 70 hear since my ar
rival in Albany that the president OF this COM
mission. who Is To receive a salary OF 10000
year. has already been selected. and is petty
former Assemblyman of an interior county with
no training whatever in forestry and no emil
nence in any respect in any direction except as
political w!repuer in the county in which he
lives No one would think of putting him at
the head Of the Forest Commission OF the State
in ordinary political times. In fact. I have
heard that he Is get this $1,000 solely because he
was disappointed in securing the post OF Superin-
tendent II Public Buildings.
THE PARTY CANNOT AFFORD To DO 1T.
But. gentlemen the Republican party cannot ar-
ford 70 give consolation purses II this description.
The president Of the Forest Commission. who is TO
be It's executive chief. since mis- four associates
will receive only 81 900 salary each. should be a
man OF we-known scientific attainments. To put
nerce would only bring disgrace upon the Repub-
lican party and | most earnestly advise You
not to press such an appointment. and 10 amend
this bill as - prune II or its obviously spoiis-
hunting features.
Further Mr. Plat would have said. If a patriotic
Republican:
| have noticed with astonishment that the AS
sembly Committee on Cities for many weeks past
has held back from presentation 70 the Assembly
"A bill passed by the Republicans Of the Senate. de-
privng the Murphy Board of Police OF Troy Of its
authority and putting in its place bipartisan
board. consisting Of two Republicans and two
Democrats. II must be we'll known 10 you that
for years the followers OF Edward Murphy. jr, in
Troy have abominably swindled the Republican
party and the Independent Democrats Of Troy,
that the elections there have been fraudulent be-
yond all example elsewhere in the United States,
and that finally the election crimes eliminated In
the murder Of Robert Ross. a a'Republican watcher
the polls In Troy year ago. After the Repub-
cans in the Senate had passed this Troy Police
bill by a unanimous vote, several weeks ago ex-
pected the immediate passage OF this measure by
the Assembly; but for some inexplicable reason
this measure has been held up for weeks by the
Assembly Committee on Cities.
And now hear that that committee Is think
Ing Of amending the bill in fashion suggested
by Murphys newspaper organ In Troy The
effect OF this modification OF the bill VIII be to
continue I'm Murphys hands his present power OF
naming the Police Commissioners of Troy. II
seems the strangest occurrence to me that Re-
publicans should thus be laboring in Murphy's
interest and against the interests Of the Repuo-
lican party. and of the honest men OF Troy.
whether Democrats of Republicans | trust,
therefore that my friends who are in control Of
the Assembly Committee on Cities will not con-
tinue their hostile attitude toward this Troy
Police bill because II II as defeated the Repub-
lican party will be greatly harred In the opin-
Ion OF the voters or Troy.
PI.ATT'S ENMITY TOWARD MAYOR STRONG.
But Mr. Platt said none Of these things which
would have been so valuable to the Republican
party His sole thought seemed 10 be how TO
thwart Mayor Strong Of NewYork. and yet TO
hide that fact. If possible. from Governor Nor.
ton He therefore advised his followers TO
make a bluff this week of being in favor OF the
New-York reform bills. The absence Of Senators
Robertson and Wofert and the hostile attitude
of Senator Reynolds TO certain features Of the