The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-06-06
The Ice Trust.

One of the marked 0lUereHCes 'pSe"SSh1SA
fersonian Democracy and Hannaism is that
| the former runs down and ruins and destroys
its rascals. without the slightest reference to
temporary political effects or consequences
, while the latter protects and whitewashes
its black sheep. An illustration OF thls
proposition is to be found in the crusade
of the New York Journal" a Democratic
that city.
But 1t is not the first instance OF the
kind. The Tweed regime in New YORK
was nominally Democratic. with It's ieaa-
ing opponents in secret collusion WIN the
Republican machine of the day. II was
the Hon. Samuel ]. Tilden, aided by Demo-
cratic counselors like Charles OConor,
who hunted the Tweed criminals to their
doom. 1t is Democrats who are driving
the Ice Trust with its political stockholders
to the wall
Readers of The Times are familiar with
recent facts of notoriety in the connection.
The mayor of New York, the president
| of the municipal council the chairman oil
the dock board, are all shareholders OF
can Ice Company. The law does not aiio"
| public officers to be interested in enter
prises or concerns, corporate or Otherwise
| which make contracts with the city. ihis
! Ice Trust mono2olizes the business OF sup
plying the public institutions OF the
metropolis with Ice Through the dock
! hoard. II is able to monopolize wharf priv
leges and thus to prevent competitors from
selling ice in, any Of the boroughs. Again.
under the charter Of Greater New YORK
! and laws pursuant to or amendatory Oh
the same whenever-it shall appear to the
Governor of the State that public officers
Of the city are interested In firms or Cor
porations having valuable contracts with
it. he may suspend or remove them.
Under this power 1t is expected tnat
Governor Roosevelt will shortly remove
Mavor Van WICK and Mr.. Randolph
Guggenheimer. 1t is within the char'er
authority of the comptroller. the Hon.
BIRD s. Coler. to declare the dock priv
ileees OF the trust forfeited and to put an
instant end to its monopoly, while the
courts can and are likely to declare the
Ice Trust criminal and to prohibit 1t from
transacting business within the Common
| wealth.
| 1t is a significant md sinister fact that
| the attorneys for the accused mayor anu
other officials are trying to save them
| from the results of their course by IN
| sisting that they cannot be compelled 10
| incrjmipate themselves on the witness
stand In a decision handed down by JUS
tice Gaynor of the State Supreme Court
on Monday. that learned jurist heii that
| while IL was the constitutional fight OF
| witness to refuse to answer discriminating
questions. he could not anticipate such H.
terrogations, but must appear and sep
arately answer or refuse TO answer each
question put TO him. The consequence OF
this judicial opinion will be that Mayor
Van wyck and others will have to take
the stand on Saturday, and either tell how
where and under what circumstances
they secured their American and knicker-
booker Ice Company shares, or take refuge
| in the plea that to answer would be TO
| expose them to criminal proceedings.
The whole movement against these ice
L fNN.
| iugly in evidence of the Democratic policy
| of treating all enemies on public policy
| and all malefactors alike. In similar cir
cumstances the Republican party man
ayers would break their necks in an Ell
fort to suppress the truth and shield their
campaign contributors. We remember
how this was tried in the case OF the rot
ten beef horrors and the Alger RELIEF
Commission, and how the facts OF the
general corruption and bribery, If not
worse things in the imperial colonies are
being covered up as far as possible. But
Democratic offender is hopeless OF mercy
when in the clutches of the law admins
tered by men of his own party. Demo-
Gratis pursue the guilty. whoever they may
be. and are not deferred by threats OF
| their unworthy servants to pull down
the pillars of the temple