New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-06-12
THE NEXT STEP.

The examination of Mayor Van Wyck and
his associates in the Ice Trust has completely
torn to tatters whatever fabric of responsibility
this petty and irascible official has managed to
hold about himself. Not even Tammany men
profess anything but contempt for a man who
will put his foot in it, and the opinion of the
spectators who would gladly applaud sue
cessful plunge well expressed by a man
who in public place on Saturday night loudly
declared: Good enough for the fellow! He
Ought to be kicked out for doing such thing.
IF he was going into such a deal he should
have taken the stock in the name of some
friend. It's outrageous, and he ought to be
removed" Honest men and rascals seem to
be agreed about the Mayor as the result of his
confession of having been carried" to the tune
of 100000 by the Ice Trust, and his pretence
that when he accepted this favor he did not
know the trust was to operate in this city, that
it would sell to the city or that it had acquired
leases Of city docks.
The inquiry before Justice Gaynor should be
something more however, than a sensation to
excite the sneers of the cynical and make the
judicious greve over the dishonored government
of the metropolis. 1t should be the incentive to
vigorous action by those having proper author
ity to take action. The charter provision under
which Justice Gaynor took testimony was
meant to accomplish just What 1t has been made
to do. 1t was intended merely to offer the peo-
pie chance to secure authoritative information
concerning the conduct Of their officials, to make
government under a blanket" difficult. 1t has
put beyond hiding the broad outlines Of this Ice
Trust deal, which involved the Mayor, other
city officials and the leaders of Tammany Hall.
The scandal is no longer a matter of inchoate
rumor and more or less well founded suspicion
fu1 nd official
might hesitate to notice The facts clearly sug-
costing corruption are matter OF court record,
amply sufficient to warrant attention. True,
they do not prove that the Mayor has committed
q crime They are not intended to. They do not
even prove that the Ice Trust has prohted from
having a large stakeholder at the head of the
city government. Any question OF crime Is
matter for jury; any question OF malfeasance
is matter for the Governor. All that Justice
Gaynor's hearing has done is to give the Gov
ernor and possibly a Grand Jury, the strongest
reasons for probing to the bottom transactions
which in the light Of sworn statements are sus
picious.
The Mayor ought not to be prejudged in any
matter involving his right to office whatever
opinion we may have of his moral character as
revealed by himself. He is not to be removed
on his admissions with the mere assumption
that his explanations are disingenuous. He Is
entitled to fair presentation Of his side of the
! case The hearing of Saturday was in no sense
| trial It had nothing to do with the innocence
| or guilt of anybody as to anything. 1t merely
| established the existence Of a certain situation
! about which 1t the right of the people to
| know AS matter of fact-namely the interest
of their officials in a private corporation having
relations to the city government Whether that
interest was proper or prejudicial to good gov
| eminent Is question for other tribunals And
| Il is question which must be considered by
| them.