The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1904-10-01
DODGES ROAD GRAFT CHARGE
INSPIRED ODELL STATEMENT
WHICH ANSWERS NOTHING.

SAYS Intt SOF. FtOWef AppTONcu FIHHs
way Manual Bill-DOesnt Say That
Flower Forced the Book on Townships
at q Pront OF $40. 900 to the Con,pt or.
Governor Chairman Odell, having got
tired of challenging Attorney General Gun
neen. caused this statement to be issued
last night from Republican State head
quarters In the hope OF softening the charge
Of Attorney General Cunneen that Charles
H. Belts OF Lyons, Odells State committee
man for the Thirty first district as COM
pier Of Highway manuals had job in
which there was s2O,OOO Of graft:
Attorney General Cunneen, for partisan
effect. asserts that the act OF the last Legis-
lature providing for the compilation. publ
cation and distribution of the State highway
manual is unconstitutional.
The facts relative to the highway manual
Of this state may be briefly summarized as
follows: In 1898 the state Legislature.
Democratic Legislature, passed an act pro-
viding for the compilation, publication and
distribution of a state highway manual
The bill was signed by Gov. Roswell p. Flower.
Prof Charles A. Collin. head of the statutory
revision commission and legal adviser to
Gov. Flower and Gov. Hill during their terms.
was appointed as one OF the compiers and
publishers OF the highway manual under said
act.
This was in 1898 when the question OF good
roads had hardly begun to be discussed:
in the subject of good roads as there is to-day
and yet Democratic Legislature saw ~ TO
pass an act pIoyidng tor the cSS t hI9b
way manual, and Gov. Flower signed the
bill The Democratic statutory revision com
mission passed upon and approved It's con-
Prof. CHARLES A. Collin. William F, shechan's
law partner, who was at the head OF the re-
AZ communication not only passed UPON the
cons;itntionallty Of the act. but accepted an
appointment under II a. one OF the HomphseTis s
Democratic associates on the statutory re-
vision o,mn,isslon. Judge John Il, T. L iin;on
or o9 me AVS onnstititonality and also received
nn appointment under the act: o,.,o,,.,
is In direct conflict with the opinion expressed
By Attorney General Cunneen. Charles II,
Belts. who is at the head Of the revision
20 Compile. pubiish and distribute the hlsh-
way m annual under the act OF 1904. precisely as
Prot thss Son 6e ~ bs
ment he was at the head of the statutory
revision com mission. ,..,oa l.,
1908 ss"G nearly s ali the good roads laws have
been passed and nearly one hap edbact ne a
ef which' together with all the highways Of
re State 9ontsinsd in The neT
on good road building,
Tbis abatement does not answer Attorney
General Cunneen's last charge OF graft
which declares:
This morning ] have several letters from
town officers and Others stating that AIge
number OF highway manuals are being as hs.
tributed TO highway and town onSers ~ ,his
State which have not been ordered and ask
inc me by what authority it is being done
and who is expected to pay for the books.
The history Of this enterprise anoras
another and an excellent illustration OF the
process OF "perversion of public funds under
the color Of law:
IL appears that Mr.. Belts farmed ont the
work OF compiling the manual to Messrs
Gilbert Cummings. attorneys OF Albany
n Y | am informed that he paid them
$500 for doing the work. He had the DOCK
printed and bound In Rochester. y. Y. HIS
neiehbors inform me that the entire cost 70
him OF the As. 600 copies is In the neichborhoo
OF sl4 Ooo: that he has fixed the price OF these
books to the town at 3 per c3py an and ~ mat
As to the charge AGAINST Belts, this state
ment OF tho Governor Chairman merely
savs that Gov. Flower and his legal adviser,
Charles A. Collin, believed such hill to be
constitutional. Attorney General Cunneen
declares that such legislation Is uncon-
stitutionA and that he 80 protested to Gov.
Odell. II IL not the first time that lawyers
have differed over constitutional questions.
Governor Chairman Odell's last state
nent, moreover, does not utter svllahle
against the OFFICIAL or personal integrity
OF Flower or Collin. during whose admins
tration there was not even hint OF graft.