The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1902-10-31
Hill REVIEWS ODELL CHARGE.
SAYS FTGI RES PROVE FAVORIT-
ISM TO MATTHEWS & CO.
IntIn,s,es That Governor Holds More Than
a5O.tkbO stock IN Ncwburgh Firm and
Alleges Phenomenal Increase In Its
Business since Became Interested.

The Hon David Bennett Hill addressed
a large audience at Prohibit Ion Park.
Staten Island last night on what he per
sists in thinking il the real issue Of the
campaign. The meeting was presided over
by Judge John J. keEr ey and Mr.. Hill war
escorted to the platform, a little late, 10y
q delegation Of Richmond county Dem :
Gratis, headed by Edward NJ. Muller
Enthusiasm was not intense, notwith-
standing that Mr.. Hil directed all tho
thunderbol,s Of his eloqusnce at Gov
Odell. reciting figures like a school master
to prove that the Governor was intereste
il the concern # Matthews & Co, of New
burgh, and had assisted that concern &c
fat things in the line of grocery contracts
for the various State institutions.
1t was thought that Mr.. Hill would hav,
something 10 say about his young protego
the hardv-warblng Bird, but he confined
himself almost exclusively to his subject
the derelictions (alleged) Of Gov. Odell
The sting. If sting there were, was in the
tail of his address, the latter part Of which
was as follows:
The question of commerciali-m in our state
Government /, one that will not down. II
can Ueither he ignored nor pushed aside.
nor helittled. II involves the issue Of COM
mon honesty in the administration of pubic
affairs. H. solution will determine whether
public Office j. still TO be regarded "a "A
public trust or merely a. a means Of per-
-oual enrichment of the official who tenn
porarily fill the place. II j. an issue above
the consC ienCe of The electors to their sense
OF propricty-.to their inherent integrity.
The evil Of oommercialism IN politics is 2
growing abuse. II l. wrong which must
be reuediei IL our free institutions are TO
he preserved in their purity.
The temptation to use official position for
personal or business ends l. very great. The
higher the office and the greater the power
the greater are the opportunities fol, pri-
this true in great State like New York. with
it, vast patrona ge under the control OF on
cal> Who derive their power either directly
or indirectly from the Governor. am not
now referring TO political patrona GO in It's
| strict sense-to the control or disposition
of ,onlc"s.. but TO the patronage involved
| in furnishing tho necessary supplies to our
| various State institutions.
There was expended for the last fiscal
yeHr ending SEPT g" 1907; N 0uf Stats ,f chsT
| for provisions a.ons the sum of s286.3sl SIS,
| and fol, provisions and supplies in our state
| insane hos pital- the enormous sum Of ST. 1853,
| 3oi o. and IN our State prisons for the same
! purpose there was expended last year the
sum Of s?Si.s?i77. making grand total OF
This immense business patronage is all
under the virtual control OF the Governor
| OF the state who, through his ablol1tet-
| or their subordnates, can direct the husi-
| ness channels where IL shall flow.
In the disposition of this vast patronn 60
what opportunities for plumber and enrich
ment are presented
II has been recently demonstrated by evil
denCe which j. absolutely conclusive that
| GOV Odell has been interested in grocery
| concern AZ Newhurgh which during his ad-
| min~tration has been engaged in furnish
ing immense supplies to various state ln-tl-
| tution- When this exposure was first made
he allowed II to be understood that his in
| tarest was only $4,000. but he has since been
| compelled 10 admit that his interest was NJ
| len-t $50 600 acquired, as he says, about
April. 1901 Ia few months after his elect ion
| How much more that interest reallyi> may
| be- developed later.
lie also as. rtsd in mitigation Of his con
| Germ by state institutions had been Insight.
| fcant" in amount and much loss than the
purchases which had been made in prioi
| years before he acquired an interest therein
Both these statements are untrue. II has
| now been shown that the purchases made
from this firm since Jan. I, 1907, amount Il
| the enormous sum Of about $50. 100. and th'
| invest cations are still progressing.
II Is also shown that the purchases made
] in prior years were the insignificant" ones
| but the moment Gov Odell became interested
| in the concern to the extent of $4,000 OF
more and his Official influence began to h
eXer,ed in its behalf. the purchases have
| lea ped up to the sun OF over $4,000 since
| that date
! Take the Hudson River state Hospital TO
| an example The purchases for this insti
! tuition from this Matthews concern were a
| 70 lows.