New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-01-06
TURN ON THE LIGHT.
THE PEOPLE WANT TO KNOW ALI. ABOUT
THE DOCK DEPARTMENT.

EXTRAORDINARY POWERS GIVES To THE BOARD
MUCH EXPECTED FROM TIT THE COM
MIssToNERs ARE UNLIMITED THEY
NEED NOT FEAR INVESTIGATION.
4 good deal OF interest has been aroused III
maritime circles by the probability that 'he i'oa'o
OF Dock Commissioners will D. ca.len upon I"
submit 10 q thorough investigation o. the me'hous
which have been pursued III the department.. Inc
Dock Depart nlent - peculiarly constituted ana
organized. Its accounts are not subject 10 'n''
strict supervision which is held ovcr lie othe'
city departments and considerable Eu'uDo i'aH
always been allowed the commissioners IN 'heT
conduct OF the affairs OF the DOCK Hoar' i"e'o
IS and has been for a Ions time general ''hP''S
sion that strict ana thorough investigation 81
the Dock Department would reveal many ul''T9
which would not reflect credit ON thai department.
and which might indeed be Of sensational maui
Though for years the public has mstrusleo inc
department. and rumors regarding IL nave nee" d
all times rife vet no serious attempt TO investigate
the methods ana workings Of The DOCK hoar" IA
been made That there has been Tor a .o"s ''''o
the general idea that such all INVESTIGATION shou"'
be made there be no doubt Al tunes I'M
general feeling has broken out into open cha's'N
o. corruption, which. however have been "ho"e'
after q time to somehow vanish away.
IL nov seems Il the time had al 1s' 'O'He
when this department OF the city government was
10 be thoroughly Investigated, ana what mas mere
tofOre been hidden IN ualhHeSS "tS ~ 'N 'O"e''N
10 Ught II there has been no corruption III 'he
Deck Department II everything has been cond0cted
on strictly business principles. with an eye TO the
welfare of the city and to the maritime interests
OF the grea; port of New-Iork, then certainly 'he
Dock Commissioners should be the first 10 welcome
such an investigation. for runior has been busy
with their names and the name OF the depart
ment for time.
Certainly there is department Of the CITY when
should be more efuy and more Thoroughly IN
vestigated for there is none against whlch I'M
breath of scandal has blown more ilercely. Inc
people of New-York have a right 10 KNOW eNeiy
proba BILE that they will know before they get
through. go ,,-A a.. mob
The extraordinary powers with when the Doch
Commissioners are clothed carry with them eN-
traordnary responsibility. and the time has nov
come when the people will demand an accounting
nually handled by the department. the great patron
age which 1t controls, and It's comparative 1904
ton from the other branches OF the Clty GOVERN
ment, have afforded every opportunity lor the III
dulgence of those crimes against good goVelhne,n!
and public morals which have been proved 70 eAist
to appalling degree in other branches oA '"e Wv
government.
1t would be most gratifying If an INVESTIGATION
should reveal that the Dock commissioners Ma
always trod firmly in the paths or virtue uhtalnteu
and uncorrupted by the general political rotteilesS
around them and unin pregnated with the virus
they sprung and of whose rule they have iOine1
part But the faith of the people In lainmany pau
angels has been little shaken by the hlNestiEd-
tions of the Lexow Committee. and what they ne
nand is thorough searching. iilpdiud anu
stringent nves tigation Of the Dock department.