New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-04-02
A &TRIECT EOR INOLLRY-

The Legislative investigation into the abuses
of our city government is not to be confined
II the Police Department. And with good rea-
son. Any exposure of corruption to have the
best results should 60 at the real forces of cor
ruptiOn. not stop AT the minor Instruments No
doubt the police force is demoralized. 1t has
been a frequent complaint in some central
parts of the city that patrolmen could not be
found and that lives and property were left I'M
protected. Everybody knows that vice openly
fOurishes. and if II does not pay for the priv
ilege il Is difficult 70 explain its liberation by
the police. The report that a large corruption
fund has been eXtOrted from members Of the
force appears 10 rest on the testimony TO Gov
ernor Roosevelt of the contributors themselves
But the corruption in the Police Department
IS. after all, only a symptom Of the disease
We have raScalS in blue coats simply because
bigger rascals in black coats sit in III uptown
club and plan wholesale systems OF robbery
and blackmail When the masters steal Of
course the underlings will steal also. If we
want 10 stop the stealing we must strike at
the master-theves
There are plenty If Incidents for investiga-
ton ready 10 the hands Of the Assembly com
mittce if il desires TO reveal the real workings
Of our government Take. for instance. the
recent campaign Of the city officials against
the Manhattan Elevated Railroad Company.
There is talk Of asking Mr. George Gould TO
tell the story Of that transaction. We wish he
would. but have little expectation of his doing
So The presidents of great corporations do
not often reveal the details Of their dealings
with politicians to relieve the property they
guard from blackmail. The ways of politics
are too uncertain. They may tell on a poll
tician without securing future freedom from
him. II is more often wisdom TO suffer in
silence rather than risk provoking further
depredatiOns. Nevertheless, an inquiry into
the Manhattan Elevated case might be worth
while 1t is admitted that there was trouble
over the refusal of the elevated railroad Off
Gals to let Mr. Croker faSten his compassionate
tubes 10 their structure. 1t IS said too, that
there was trouble over Manhattan stock specr-
lations OF Mr. Croker and his friends. II
would be interesting 10 know about that. What
the public does know is that after years of the
greatest Friendship for the Manhattan Elevated
Company Tammany suddenly turned against
II and began campaign Of bitter persecution.
year ago there was nothing too good for Mr..
Gould and his associates in the eyes Of the
Tammany leaders. Almost In a night they
changed and the elevated structure was or
dered ont of the Battery. whore Tammany es-
tablished and long protected It. Threats We're
made 10 condemn the tracks stop the trains
and cut off all The earnings Of the company
from pewsstands and advertisements. Then
the attack ceased as suddenly as II began.
The elevated railroad goes OF running trains as
Of old. The same abuses that Tammany had
so lately discovered and was flied with zeal TO
correct still flourish.
What is the reason o. this mysterious inac-
tIvitv? Perhaps the Assembly committee can
find out Did Mr.. Gould save Mr.. Croker from
his Wall Street lossesi Rumor has 1t that the
Tammany line Of shorts" was taken care Of.
Was that indulgence the price Of peace! Was