New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-05-06
CORRUPTION IN NEW-JERSEY
FRUITS OF THE BOSS SYSTEM
A GREAT WORK DONE BY THE VOORHEES,
COMMITTEE.
KELsEY's DOWNFALL sTARTLEs THE STATE
WHERE WILL TIE REVELATIONS OF OF
LEGISLATION PROBABLE.

Trenton. ~ j.. May (SpeclaD-When the senate
INVESTIGATING Committee aimed rs gun al '''e
ofnca OF Secretary OF State. and henry I. Messy
- AGO., without 4 shot fired. establishment APP
,-o.cbnd naraIvsis The most frequent comment
was II thought Kelsey was too smart LOT 'ha''
II the examinations OF Ny Corbin Touid prihe ou'
en- nuch concerning the person who IS popuia'i9
cons.dered the smartest politician in New-Jersey'
80 ,vou,d the investigation end? Very few are
,o,, willing TO put any limit on scandals which
NAV hereafter be unearthed. For MI Ne'se! ""'
no, been Secretary of state Tor tweh'y-iou' !e",s
far nothing lie has been regarded as the shre"u
oct and the safest Of Democratic politicians anu
HE nriyate fortune is so great that 1t would nave
bcon considered absurd to ascribe mercenary mo
,ives 70 him Yet 1t was shown that he USED 'he
states money for his private business Ve''"'o'
disposed ot appropriations made TOT his cie'N9 q"
y, .aU ft and took fees for his private use "'ioh
the lax was believed TO require should De 'u'"e'
o,.r 20 the state The Secretary OF state IS not
..,.rori~aior Most Of the evidence given In resar'
II his transactions was practically Voiuh'eeieu
himself or could have been withheld wi'hou' h
,ti.sc,,ity The committee started IN win "e NV"
oe showing that he ought to have made more ire
,.a.. rs,.,r,s The rest followed because each
,,.,,rai;on contained an admission, and MADE nee
css.rv n fuller inquiry.
ma ate investisa ton has already gone far De
yori is original scope Starting with lie" ia''
,vt.sh principally obtained from p
State reports the committee has found iniorma,oh
rou,.nr into II faster thar I; could be handea
one and two sessions week Fave been heiu' ana
al every one there has been more exposed III"
Ar Corbn had reason 10 expect. FOR 'he i''
three weeks official information has been aioeu
b. volumes of letters and personal hints rom per
sons who are keeping In the background pu'
who from one motive or another desired that there
should be an exposure made OF some crooked trans
action. 1t has not been necessary however "
90 into detective work With very little assistance
Mr. Corbn has taken up official vouchers ana
Ms
O,e IN Tho State Offices 1t is interesting 10 no'c
that when an exposure made the detected
individual has almost invariably grown h'us""''
promised TO produce convincing 'es'lmoh! III MS
own defence in day or two ana mas ho' 'e'"
heard from since.
The Investigation has had no failures. At every
session the facts we're developed regularly ana
so completely that there was no quesnoh as u IN
effect. There has been no sensationa'z'Hs' III.
case against the late Governor Aobeu was "o'
pressed and the object throughout has been PLAINLY
shown 10 be TO ascertain the truth as 10 Inc uses
NJ State moneys without regard to the effect upon
individuals When the persons have fallen from
public esteem by the developments MADE IL ma
been because the testimony mas peeh la'a''s y"
rect The record is already long. 1t includes 'he
ex-Governor's department. the secretary OF H'a'e
the ex-Controller. the State House superintendent
office the Cour; Of Pardons. the State treasurer
chief clerk several OF the state printers the state
Arbitration Board. the German translator severai
county clerks in regard to their State relations ana
no end OF small fry.
The trite phrase honeycombed with corruption
applies TO the whole state government, so FAR as
examined, and man can say what depai 'Nhe"'
may be spared If Secretary Kelsey used 'l"'c
moneys: II Governor Albeit manipulated pardohs
SO that one lawyer should get fee OF N'" loi
twelve hours lobby work in the court. and arranged
70 have certificates Of pardon made out FOR ballot
box thieves before they were pardonea' II STATE
Controller Heppenheimer certified TO the correctness
OF bills which known TO be frannuieHt' "
the trusted and efficient chief clerk OF the Treas
urer took interest State deposits which ne IN
Auenced: II representative labor men on the Board
OF Arbitration made charges for expenses not IN
Cured and the able secretary or the Raiiroan AS
SCISSORS got money for maps never printed-wnere
can tolerabe honesty be found in the state House!
There are undoubtedly officials there who nave
done their duty honestly and faithfully but looks
as ~ they could be numbered on the fingers OF one
hand.
The investigation will soon be extended into
cities and counties OF the State. There are facts
enough already known concerning Democratic rue
in Newark Jersey City and Camden County to
make IL certain that revelations will be made not
less scandalous not less painful. To go up higher
will be only easy The corruption has IN snort
been practically universal and T. Is desirable mere
10 point out the fact now being clearly demon
strated that II due to a corrupt political ys-
tenn established under Democratic auspices. and not
10 an unusual number of corruptionists accidentally
collected in Office. The boss system was the origin
Of the frauds and the only place where Republicans
have been touched IS where they. too. have toier-
ated bosses.
The boss system in New-Jersey Democratic poll
ties was originally established for party purposes
and 10 advance the interests OF Ex-Governor Apoett
as candidate for United States Senator Albeit
failed 10 be Senator. and Of the bosses whom
he had helped to create took the place instead
There were half a dozen OF the Democratic bosses
and they ran the State and the local governments
for all they worth. When assured OF power
the selfish interests began TO predominant. Coal
Combine bills were passed by Legislature under
their dicta,on the racetrack gamblers had their
support and innumerable schemes. from water supp
niles down to the supplies each petty Institution.
were Matched or encouraged for the benefit OF one
or another Of the crowd. Then came the demand OF
the underlings and tools for share OF the piuhder'
and the growth of corruption would nave gone
further and further II the political revolution had
no, stopped II. Meanwhile the political system was
nerfected and when a salary was increased or a
fat lob arranged for beneficiary of the ring con-
trbutions for political purposes were exactea III
proportion This blackmail reached enormous sums
and included high and low funconaries. Ten per
con, seems to have been a favortc figure The
funds thus obtained used In elections ana the
mower grew SO vast that there were few who be-
uoved IL could be shaken. And the Few VINO
protested were made very uncomfortable. Tor even
Grand Juries were under the same control lhe
system was said TO be modelled after that OF Tam
many Hall but II had advantages not possessed py
that organization. There were fewer men 10 pe
rrovded for results were easily obtained. and
50 far as the State government was concerned tht
money came easier. The states revenues are Iro li
taxes upon corporations the transactions being al
rect as between state and company The corpoi,a
ton laws extrsvagantly liberal In granting priv
iicges and corporations by the thousands were
formed in the flush times. Each paid n zee ano
tsxeS 10 the state and the total sum was so large
ana Increased 80 rapidly tina, II sufced 10 pa,
;eo,n,ate expenses and provide for the Politician
2 wnii when the Office holder found that he wal
nsyrs more for party purposes than he felt ne
Iro,i,it afford ne made up the balance by comfnis
stnns ,non State Jobs. 1t would be curiousiy IN
,c,ostng 10 figure out just where the frauds Woul'
revo,ution had not occurred In 1888 II Is easy nov