New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-08-05
MP MOSS on THE BOND ISSUES.

On further consideration of the facts In the
bond Issue controversy Mr. Moss believes he
has discovered that good citizens have been
adrotly deceived into approving and support
ing conspiracy designed 10 give Tammany
unchecked control over the expenditure or pub
liz money. The nub of the whole matter as
shown by the testimony before the Maze' C"h-
r,ttee IN Thursday. was not the $4,000 for
the Hall Of Records. but the S2'W"'Voo TOT
"tha street having" in the opinion of Mr.. Moss
and he believes that Mr.. Dixie, Mr.. LEIGH, Mr.
Stewart and other respectable members OF the
Municipal Assembly are entitled to praise ana
gratitude for doing what they can to prevent
what they believe is a gigantic steal Mt
Moss SAYS that until recently he was him
self deceived, and he is sorry that he permitted
the Controller TO go on the stand and "berate
"the Assembly for refusing to obey his dicta'lon
Gin the bond issue matter" He believes that
the attempt to make distinction between the
ministerial and legislative duties or the Muhlc
ipal Assembly is n mere subterfuGe to obscure
sinister purposes and proceedings. and he seems
n hold that in the particular case Of the Hall
of Records bonds no action by the Municipal
Assembly has ever been required
RI that Is Mr. Moss's deliberate opinion, It IS
certain that many reputable persons do not
agree with him. But It is not question when
we care to discuss Just now IT does seem 70
us however that Mr.. Moss has been betrayed
by his warmth Of feeling into position which
he will not be able TO sustain at every point
1t is not unlikely that members OF the ram
many government have hoped to derive an
added measure of liberty in future financial
operations from the effect Of mandamus pro-
ceedings upon the Council and Board OF Alder
men. They might not unreasonably expect that
men who had been worsted In legal tussle
and perhaps suffered a rather serious punish
ment for their contumacy, would be inclined
to relinouish their undoubted authority IN other
cases of more importance to Tammany, ana
leave the Mayor and his heads OF departments
TO manage affairs as they saw At. That surely
is an hypothesis which does not run counter
10 the prevalent estimate Of Tammanys char
actor and methods But IL does not follow that
no discrimination can be safely made between
one transaction end another or one individual
and another.
All the proposed bond issues are not to he
reckoned in the same class and treated alike
II will be remembered that 1t was Controller
Coler who first suggested mandamus proceed
Inrs to compel the Municipal Assembly 10 per
form what he regarded as a plain and neces-
sarv duty. That was in the latter part OF June
and the matter with reference to which he APP
pealed to the Corporation Counsel was an Issue
NJ bonds 70 the amount Of 100000 to pay GER
tain awards for lands acquired by the city IN
the Croton watershed. The Controller clearly
showed that this was an obligation which the
CITY could Ill afford not to settle, inasmuch as
1raxr no
Of per cent, or Just about double the rate at
which the city can borrow money. 1t was evil
dent then. we think, to every intelligent aDd
impartial citizen that the Controller was per
fectly right IN trying to stop costly neglect
Of duty and we are not aware that anything
has since occurred to change that view OF the
case III we understand the matter, the claim
Of Mr.. Pierce for 1000 on account Of the Hall
Of Records enterprise Is of the same general
nature, and similar demands may at any time
arise and be virtually rejected by the Munlc-
ipa Assembly, to the serious disadvantage or
the city, II no power exists anywhere to compel
II to do It's duty. That mandamus proceedings
constitute an effective remedy has not yet been
satisfactorily established, and the Controller
was careful to say that they should IN any case
be employed with great caution; but we are
persuaded that the public would be sorry to
learn that no legal means existed to compel the
payment Of a valid municipal debt
AS for the paving scheme, with respect to
which Commissioner Heating is declared to
have behaved outrageously, that is an affair
which belongs In different category. We dare
say it deserves to be vigilantly watched, but 1t
does not, as 1t seems to us, necessarily compl-
cate the legal proceedings brought in another
case or warrant a general indictment Of all who
| have lately taken sides against the Municipal
Assembly.