New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-12-25

resenting the people. and extending Tor the We
long period OF four years, Is the secret vi tno
sudden entrance Of politicians Into corporatio',s
and other business concerns. the man VIM 20
the virtual ruler Of the city can insure Pea rn
and advantage and business TO any conoea'
that takes him and his friends In, ana can Sc
cure capital here or abroad 10 foat any ehtei
prise when he guarantees that the CITY olllCi' -,
will not interfere with 1t. Can any uuty
more imperative than the freeing OF the depart
ments from such selfish and powerful con on W
as is now possible and is within the sp,is, On
the leader and the organization as auIl n -. do
oath and the restoring Of that controi 10 ,,'9
people by as direct means as can be oeViseu'
sUBsERVIENCY TO THE BOSS
For an exemnIe OF the srbservlency OF the de-
nartments 10 the leader see Tax Commissioner
Feitncr's testimony TO the effect that fNicila,u
Croker was not placed on the tax hst , dor pVt
sonal property in 1896 1897. 1919 ana Io1y 900
1895 he was notified Of an assessment or s-o'VoU,
and on January II he swore as 1ollows.
hereby swear that on the second MONDAY Va
January last the value OF my persona. p,op
erty exclusive OF bank shares. subject 10 taA
alton did not exceed $. Richard CroheI;
The testimony OF Principal Tax Deputy 9 pen
shows that Mr.. Croker's house. NO. haSt oe,
enty-fourth-st. had been reduced In assessaUIe
value from $4,000 to $4,000. while all but tne
Immediately adjoining houses remained at th ndn
original valuation. and that subsequently $500
had been added leaving the house stun Hl'VVo
less than it's original valuation. The house IN
which district leader and Ponce COIn on '
Sexton resides was also reduced Sl,Wo III Naue,
the
favoritism to members or friends OF the organ
ization. .osoa
that the sub-leaders OF this disciplined orsahi-
cation who have been appointed by the mayor
TO comuissoncrships and other important posi-
lions at the suggestion of Mr. Croker ana ms
associates. will disregard the principles OF tnei,
combination so clearly stated by the leader anu
his deputy and will fail to turn their opportuni-
ties into business advantage FOR the leauei'
themselves and the adherents or the organize
i'm
ton? Did they not hear from MN oei ,,iu ",
did those epigrammatic expressions that WIZ al
WAYS be remembered-"To the party peiohs 'he
spoils," I'VE win and we expect every one ~
stand by" Il want to get a living, / am VOTE ai
inc for NV pocket all the time That patron-
a el &c n mart of my profit" I'VE want the whole
business il we can get IT," We are giving pure
organization government mat Is MY PiN"
business? l., ,o,,
This explains the enormous increases IN pay
rolls and salaries while taxes are raised TO the
point or distress 1t explains the Outrageous
discrimination. favoritism, incomIetence am. anu
neglect In the Tax Department at the une
when the people and the city needed the greatesl
ability care. devotion and fidelity; II explains
the gross favoritsm in the Dock Department.
where Mr.. Crokers partner Is commissioner
and a district leader and liquor dealer is treas
urer. and where 100000 Of treasury orders nave
been issued to friendly contractors without pun
lie Kidding and orders still going out to the
same persons; II explains the rise or the mum
cipal architects. Horgan & Slattery, the Irlen ,
of Mr. Cookers deputy who receive an the
partments; Il explains the wonderful aclNIt!
of certain fire alarm and smoke consumer cor. on
panies; 1t explains the friendliness OF CITY ON
cials IN the Ramapo lob In which members ol
both nolitical parties are counting on the APP
proachability Of these officials 10 give them
contract the people hate; It explains the Gan
ger that those who are interested IN certain
canal tunnel and bridge schemes. whether po
Utical enemies not, may succeed III IhuuCine
officials to place public improvements on ,ne
lines Of their private enterprises: 1t explains
II
mentioned; il explains in part that official faVor
to the firm Of Naughton & Co which enaoies
1t to block streets injure business peopie, amy
travellers and bleed the corporation that
has had to employ II. as Indicated III
our evidence and In the tesumony ot
Mr. Crimmns; IT explains the permission Oy the
building Department OF bad and dangerous
building Of tenement houses, conclusively ana
extensively proven in our testimony; II explains
the tanning into legal existence OF a Vicious cr
building code favoring certain lines OF contIac-
tors and opening the way for official poundlhg
and extortion against the earnest protests Oh
eminent architects builders and phllanthroplsts,
az clearly shown in the elaborate and convincing
case on that subject presented in our record IL
partly explains the continuous monopoly OF the
electric subway companies and the dlfncuity or
getting permission to enter into competition with
the New York Telephone Company, as described
by Mr.. Baldwin and Mr.. James, OF the Peoples
Telephone Company, and the immense rates
which the subway companies are permitted to
charge approximating 81 900 per mile OF single
duct per year in advance. as shown in the testi-
mOny of subway officials, and Mr. May, cleo
trical engineer it partly explains the favoritism
to those companies in the electrical rules sub
mitted by Commissioner Kearny to the Num-
cipa Assembly. and there being held up for rea-
sons stated by Alderman Christman: II ex-
plains the awful growth of gambling. pool
selling vice and robbery, and of police inefl-
cheney and pretended ignorance, hitherto un-
equaled. most thorough and convincing evidence
of which appears in many places in the record.
OFFICIAL MIsRULE THROUGH ALL.
Summing up the first part OF bis report. Mr..
Moss says:
Many similar matters might be discussed.
They all indicate that official misrule permeates
the government, the spoils system controlling
all. The commissonerships as now constituted
are simply the means by which self-consti-
tuted and despotc oligarchy has seized the con-
troll Of the city, a control so absolute and per-
feet that with the greatest awakening Of public
Indignation there could hardly be found way
Of relief. because there is now no way open be-
tween the people and the ofcers. All the
abuses that have been discovered go back to
the unofficial and unelected and unsworn ruler,
and the problem is to take the government out
OF his hands and away from the irresponsible
combination that he dominates. and to impose
the responsibility for good government actually,
as well as theoretically or sentimentaly. upon
the Mayor. who can be reached by the people.
SECOND PART OF THE REPORT
Passing then to the second part of his report.
Mr.. Moss first takes up the Dock Department
and says:
Sections $40 and sol OF the charter imply
right for the Dock Commissioners, acting unani-
mous;y, to award contracts without public let
ting. though the amounts exceed Sl.OOO,
when the work Is for repairs. or TO make the
waterfront conform to the established water
front plan OF the city. This provision has been
stretched. so that thousands of barrels OF cement
have been bought treasury orders from the
J. p. Kane Company, with which Mr.. CAROLS
brother is associated. immense dredging orders
have been given TO the Morris Cummings
Company. owned by James D. Leary promi-
nent friend OF Tammany thousands OF wooden
piles have been bought from Naughton g. Co.
hitherto mentioned; large paving works have
been given to Senator Plunkitt and his son. and
over 5000 worth Of treasury orders have been