New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-03-26
THE POLICE BILL IS DEAD.

There is a story Of simple minded citizen
WHO sat down one evening 10 read TO his wife
a newspaper account of fatal accident. The
narrative told how the horror stricken pOpulace
gathered about the inanmate clay described the
doctor who pronounced life TO be extinct the
priest who arrived. alas just after the spirit had
deserted its earthly tenement. and the weeping
relatives who refused to believe that the vital
spark had fed The good woman who was lis
tening to the painful tale became too intensely
interested to hold her tongue. and kept inter
rupting her husband with the eager question:
els he dead?' The partner Of her joys and sor
rows shared her anxiety. but rebuked her impa-
thence saying repeatedly wait till | get
through Maria, and then We'll know" But he
trusted vainly 10 the reporters comprehension
of their wants and when he had read the last
word he laid down the paper in disgust with the
remark that it was a mighty queer thing. bat
as a matter of fact the blamed article never said
whether the man was dead or not.
We were reminded Of this story yesterday,
upon reading the Hon. Edward Lauterbach's ac-
count of the result of the visit which he had
paid to Governor Black the day before, in com
pany with the Hon. Frederick $. Gibbs and the
Hon. Lemuel Ely Qugg. As is well known. the
object Of their interview with the Governor was
Police b!ll which was ordered by the Repub-
lean organization and executed by Mr.. Lauter-
bach himself AS all the dispatches from Al
bany clearly showed, the distinguished trium-
virate. instead of causing him to wilt and weak
en-. were explicitly Informed that he would never
consent to the passage Of a law which would
violate the rights of the people and the prin-
ciples of the party. grossly affront three munich
mt himself
awkward and offensive position. The various
reports from the capital were all alike but there
was a natural desire to hear Mr.. Lauterbach's
account Of what happened, and upon his return
he amiably consented 10 describe the interview.
" is a very affecting narrative. running about
as follows: IL failed TO convince the Governor
cor to win him over TO my view Of the Police
"biu" us the bill dead. Mr.. LauterbachT
"Ny efforts to induce the Governor TO approve
II have not been successful" But Is the bill
dead?' II said at the outset that the bill would
mot be introduced without the Governors as
"sent 1t has not been introduced. so you can
"draw your own conclusions" "To be sure, but
IS the bill dead" II have no reason 10 suppose
that the Governor will change his mind I'm
decd but is the bill deadT' You are AT liberty
.to saw that the Governor does not show any
"signs Of recedng from his position. us the
bill deadr' And so on to the end Of the report.
and Mr.. IAuterbach never said whether the bill
was dead or not
Our opinion is that the man IN the story was
too exacting and particular, the plain Inference
from such expressions as ''inanimatc clay and
"the vital spark had fed being that the accident
referred 10 was fatal and that the victim did
actually de Similarly. It seems reasonable to
assume that Mr. Lauterbach means TO be under
stood as acknowledging the demise Of the Police
bill: and upon that presumptive fact we desire
TO congratulate Governor Black most heartily.
he has shown that he comprehends the organic
connection between bad morals and bad politics.
and has the courage to maintain under strong