New-York tribune., 1896-04-03
THAT AOUEDUCT JOB.

The bill giving Aqueduct contractors n chance
to renew their raid upon the taxpayers OF TINS
city bears all the familiar marks Of legislative
trckcry. 1t was slyly introduced, stealthily adj
vanced. and came near slipping through both
houses without public observation; but the mo-
ment it was dragged ont into the light its true
character was clearly recognized and now 1t is
SO notorious that there is little danger OF lis
massage Indeed, several Of its original sponsors
are fastening to explain that there has been 4
mistake and declining 10 be held responsible
for 1t any longer, and this sudden exposure OF
the rankncss Of the job is likely TO induce lis
secret promoters to keep under cover If they can
The most remarkable feature OF the exploit is
the extraction and use of letters purporting 10
indorsc II from four present or recent Judges
of the Court of Appeals. before whom the suit
Of the Aoueduct contractors WAS brought only
10 be rejected Some. and we hope al, OF the
four were imposed upon Chief Judge Andrews
Is quoted as saying that he thought there might
be n ouasequitablc claim which was entitled
to Adjudication, but that he certainly had given
no coun,enancc 10 bill which he had not even
seen. Judge O'Brien was seemingly in The dark
Yesterday as TO the circumstances and the Use OF
his name. Ex- Chief Judge Earl in reply 10 an
ION. but he may not have known how his opn-
ion was being used Justice Peckhlm. now OF
the Supreme Court Of the United States il re-
ported in THE New-York Evening Post as In
forming It's Washington correspondent with
considerable aspcrty of manner that he had
nothing 10 say about the matter. nothing what
ever In any way shape or manner lf Justice
Peckham Is accurately quoted. we hope he will
..t.sgt hat * MOI a
bent upon him to say something about the mat
ter in a perfectly explicit way, shape ani man
ner For this Is a somewhat important affair.
involving claims Of from S6oOo,WD 10 Soon,'
OOO and in their support there has been pub
lishcd letter bearing the signature, either
genuine or forged. OF Justice Pcckham. lf II *
forged, the criminal law clearly ought to b" set
in operation If IL is genuine The people OF this
city are entitled TO know just how much the
/ writer meant 10y his letter and whether ar not
he approves the use which has been made of II.
We should think II entirely reasonable for JUS
tlcc Peckham TO manifest considerable asper-
ty." provided 1t were manifested In The right
quarter.
The issue in this case Is quite plain and simple.
| Contractors who We're finally forced To perform
| contracts which they had deliberately violated
with n cheerful and confident expectation Of
| immunity claim many millions Of dollars for
curing the mischief due 10 their own outrageous
| unfaithfuness. They first applied openly 10 the
courts and were beaten. Then they went 10
work clandcstincly through legislative agents
| and came near succeeding. There IL an immense
| sum Of money ut stake, and there Is every evil
dcnce OF lavish fabrication in or around the
| Capitol The machinery worked with wonderful
smoothness while only select few We're look
ing on; but as always happens in such cases
publicity has brought II TO a standstill. We do
| not believe that 1t will ever start again, but il
ought to be watched intently during the rest OF
| the session