The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-05-09

ton which evidently exists the con-
lecture of DR.. Hayford has an interest,
if not value.
CORRUPTION'S OPPORTUNITY.
We think that the history Of gov
eminent in the United States, prollhc
as it has been in municipal scandals,
might be searched in vain for anything
to equal the deliberate creation Of an
opportunity for corruption that is
found in the new charter OF the
mighty metropolis to be known ais
Greater New York. This is the crown
ing achievement of Tom Plat and the
men who work with him, the great job
of the century, in which bosses and
corruptionists of all beliefs and degrees
have joined glad hands as the source
from which untold millions may be
drawn in the future Men said
at the time Of the exposure OF
Tweed's rascalities that no such
crime could happen a second time In
the same community. They forgot the
persistent refusal of our people to ex-
ercise the eternal vigilance which has
been made the price of liberty
Mr. Tweed will be remembered as a
pattern Of high morality in comparison
with the. man Who shall come after him
as the future boss Of Greater New
York. The pickings and stealings of
the Tweed regime,will be mere poverty
as compared with the colossal fortunes
that are to be plucked a few years
hence from the helpless citizens Of
Manhattan.
No one who has examined the gen
eral outline Of this new charter can
fail to perceive that it has been con-
structed on lines laid down by past
experience, with a, direct view of max
ing boodling easy. Greater New York
is to consist of five boroughs. Each Of
these boroughs is to have a council of
its own, while there is to be a general
two-chambered legislative body for the
whole municipality. The mayor of
Greater New Y ork is to appoint almost
every public official, except the city
comptroller, who will be elected by the
people. These various councils will
have control of the purse strings while
the police department is to be made
sure engine of the party spoilsmen
by being placed under the control of
a so-called 'bi-partisan" commission.
These are the principal features Of a
charter that in itself makes a large
volume Of matter printed in fine type.
What woodchucks, what openings for
the fine work Of politicians are to be
found in it's multitude of details, that
no one has had an opportunity to scru-
tinize carefully, we cannot say. The
general features alone condemn it suf-
ficiently.
The local and general councils,
which are all-powerful, will be, Of
course, purely political bodies, divided
between the corruptionists Of the two
parties, who will unite for control of
the richest city in America. Their CO.
alition will be promoted by the sure
division Of the police force between.
them The arrangement of councils
within councils and wheels within
wheels will be so; effective in dissipat-
ing responsibility that the voter will
find himself unable to get at the par
ties really responsible for abuses Thus
one triumph of rascality may succeed
powerless. That they themselves rec.
ognize the fortune that is being pre-
pared for them was shown by the fact
that when this charter was submitted,
as required by the new constitution,
to the mayors of the two cities be-
fore its final approval, it was vetoed by
both of them Neither Brooklyn nor
New York desired 70 put itself so COM
pletely at the merry of the municipal
machine. Over these vetoes the legis-
lature at Albany passed the bill, and
Gov. Black signed It.
The meaning Eof this lies upon it's
face. Boss Plat, who owns the legis-
lature and issues to it every Monday
morning it's programme for the weeks
work; Boss Plat, whose tool and crea-
ture Gov. Black i as surely as if he
were bound to himqby articles Of slav-
cry; Boss Plat, who has reached
seat in the United States senate and
the absolute mastery of New York
state by vast machine built upon po-
litical corruption, including the levy of
contributions from corporations and
their. distribution among his support
ers, had had this charter prepared as
means Of swelling beyond precedent
the resources OF corruption in New