The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-11-26
The Real NO0AcNclt.


Presidential campaign, MIR. Hanna was de-
clariag that there is not trust in the
United States" Theodore Roosevelt, his
Vice Presidential candidate, was shouting
from every available stump in the West
that There was one ;rust-a foul and
frightful one-namely. the New York
Ice Trust, Nothing was too bad to say OF
this hard. cold octopus. and ii was always
referred to as the sole property and
product OF the Democratic party; because
Mayor Van Wyck and Richard Croker
owned some shares in it. although its Of
ficers and directors and nearly all Of its
proprietary were simon pure Hanna Re-
publicans. But the resplendent fact that
New York's mayor and the leader of Tam
many were touched. obscured the other
consideration, and Roosevelt continually
drew upon both his vocabulary and his
imagination to render his philippcs
against this most awful of trusts effec-
tive.
Early in the summer Mayor Van Wyck
was charged with being interested in the
grinding the poor people. AS the concern
in question had contracts with the mu-
nicipal government to supply its public Of
fees. or some of them, it was thought by
certain people that his action in buying
stock in the corporation violated the char
ter provision which prohibits public off,
GERS from being directly or indirectly in
terested in firms or corporations occupy
ing such relations to the city. Charges
were accordingly preferred against the
mayor and his removal from Office asked
for under Section 122 of the New York
charter, which reads as follows:
THE mayor may he removed from Office BY the
Governor in the same manner sheriffs. except
that the Governor may direct the enquiry pro-
yided by law lie conducted by the Attorney
General. and after the charges have been received
by the Governor he may. pending the investi-a-
tion, suspend the mayor for period not exceed
ing thirty DAYS
Under the above provision Governor
Roosevelt was urged to act. and to act
promptly. The two Democratic newspa-
pers of the metropolis did the urging.
His only action until after the election
was in the line of political claptrap and
vituperation. and yet for weeks he knew
that there was no case against Mayor
Van Wyck. and that the charges against
him would have to be dismissed. Mr.
Bryan repeatedly asked Mr.. Roosevelt il
the Ice Trust was such burden and its
guilty protector, the chief magistrate OF
the city, such a malefactor, why he
should not return to his desk at Albany
for few hours and exercise his execu-
tive power of removal, Mr.. Roosevelt
never answered such questions, and now
at last we have the reason. He had
hardly started in to make the Ice Trust
the prize feature of his campaign when,
being at Cripple Creek, Colorado. on Sep
TENDER rs, he received the following order
from Boss. now Goyernor-elect, Cden:
''wire Attorney General Davies to be sure not
to give out TO the reporters the Van Wysk IN.
swer this time. 1t must be held until after
the election is over. This would iHIperil cur
chances and get Us into useless wange. | have
also wired Davies"
/ According to the record, the answer of
Mayor Van Wyck was filed September 27
The above telegram is evidence that Mr.
odell knew of its contents on the day
preceding: knew that if made public the
accused officer would be exonerated and
Republican chances to carry New York
imperiled. So he straightway in
structed the Governor Grant to order
his Attorney General to keep the matter
dark until after election. 1t was so done.
that the charges had fallen
TO the ground did not stop the stream
Of denunciation which the cowboy can
didate day after day poured upon the
Ice Trust and the mayor. 1t did make him
very careful not TO attempt any reply to
he queries and taunts Of the Democratic |
candidate. He knew that the |
moment he should return TO his post of I
luty and take UP the papers he would be !
orced to give the victim of his campaign |
ober 4 the Attorney General wrote to the
Governor, following up Mr.. odell's com
nunication by wire. In this letter Mr.
,avies said:
81 have carefully examined the answer and find
hat the same contains specific denial Of each
nd every charge involving any cri,nirality or
ioral offence. and detailed explanation as TO the
rcumstanccs set forth in the charges from which
ich criminaity or moral guilt might be inferred
.ln my judgment the mayors answer should
OF be made public at this time. As ! have
READY stated lis dciiials and allegations arc
ear and explicit, and it might at be -iig-
.sicd. either that the clIITgcs should be dismissed
that commission should he at once appointed |
I'd the mayor given speedy opportunity 10 ex-
leiate himself
"a speedy opportunity to exonerate
mself' was no part of the OdelI- Roose-
lit programme. II was considered good
olitics" to suppress the truth that the
cident was, in fact, closed, and TO take
her liberties with the truth in campaign
'eechcs. Sixteen days after receiving the
port OF Attorney General Davies, in an
dress delivere' at Kingston, New York
October %, Governor Roosevelt said:
81 know that Mr. Bryan doesn't like the oour,s
Il ] can inform him that the Attorney General ,
This State is proceeding against the Ice Trust l
d also that he Is being lampcred BIZ the law. | G
Ia for Croker, Van Wyck, and others in their
rpofate capacity"
And Theodore Roosevelt said this,
lowing that proceedings had been
opped and the result of the invostiga- 4
On smothered because the unvarnlshed il
nth would exonerate MIR. Van Wyck, as
torney General Davies had strongly
nted. and would imperil party chances
the Empire State, as Candidate odell
d positively asserted! AT last. the a
'ction being over. Mr.. Roosevelt can &