The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-06-08

of the millions yet to come?
A Portrait From the Files OF "The
Tribune"
Governor HIGGINs's appointment OF
GEORGE w. ALDRIDGE to be State
Railroad Commissioner seems to be very
gratifying to our neighbor the NeD York
Tribune. MIR. ALDRIDGE has heretofore
served as secretary to the commission.
The Tribune therefore, regards the ap-
pointment as a deserved and generally
satisfactory promotion OF an officer who
has efficiently and, we believe, without
criticism been for several years the actual
executive of that department. 1t has
been watching with interest the evolution
Of Mr.. ALDRIDGE as civil service re-
former and an independent citizen with
lofty ideals as to municipal government.
1t has observed that the men he sends to
Albany, as boss Of the Monroe county
organization, are among the best men,
bers of the Legislature. Such political
leader, in the Tribune's opinion, is worthy
Of encouragement. 1t praises Governor
HIGGINS for encouraging ALDRrDoE to
further public usefulness by appointing
him to the Railroad Commission.
There is only ono fly in this pot OF
precious and fragrant ointment. Some
people persist in remembering the Canal
Ring and the 100000 steal. and the
scandals under the Black Administration
and the relation OF Mr. ALDRIDGE thereto,
and the investigation instituted by Gov
ernor ROOSEVELT, and the harsh findings
of his special counsel Mr.. Fox and Mr..
MAcFARLANE. The Tribune is conscious
of the fact that the appointment which
so delights it is likely to be criticized
because of Mr.. ALDRIDGE's conduct
Of the canal improvement while Com
missioner of Public Works" 1t family
remembers that it has itself at times
expressed dissatisfaction with his ad-
ministration of that Office" But all men
are human and liable to err and even so
highminded man and politician as the
Hon. GEORGE ". ALDRIDGE Of Rochester
may be led, through excessive good
nature in the distribution of patronage,
to make mistakes. This the Tribune
frankly admits. but it brushes aside
these insignificant errors of the past
in spirit SO noble, so generous and
so tolerant Of human imperfection in
Monroe county that we hasten to put
Its explanation Of the canal scandal on
record for the contentment Of all chsri-
table souls:
IT Is not true that the 100000 was wasted. in
the sense that the bulk Of Il was not honestly spent
and the work not done which was paid for. That
abortivc enterprise was doomed failure from the
beginning through the disingenuousncss Of mcrcan.
| tile bodies which folsted on the State plan with
estimates OF cost which they knew 10 be deceptive
and utterly Inadequate. Not daring 10 tell the peo-
pie what tho enlargement would at best cost, they
| embarked the State on q scheme which was bound
| to exhaust the appropriations while the work was
| half finished and SO useless. Such waste as Mr.
AIpRrDoE may be Justly blamed for was we believe.
not the result Of any dishonesty, but OF an excessive
good nature In the distribution OF patronage and
failure 10 realize the difficulties OF his problem and
the obg to do than en- force the contracts
In a routine way. q mistake shared by the State
Engineer"
1t is quite true that the Tribune has
criticized Mr.. ALDR1DGE. 1t is not true
that its criticism of him in the past has
taken the same kindly view OF his mis-
takes" as makes 30 remarkable the FORE
going excerpt. On Wednesday, Oct. 4,
1899, for example, convention of Mr..
ALDRIDoE's Monroe county machine
adopted resolution declaring that the
then recent Fox-Macfarlane report COM
pletely INDICATED Mr. ALDRIDGE from all
those charges Of wrongdoing and NAL
feasance which have been so freely cir
culated in the newspapers OF the State
The resolution was a mild vindication
indeed compared with that which the
Tribune dealt out yesterday to the same
statesman; yet on Saturday, Oct z, 1899,
our neighboring authority on the ethics
Of canal improvement denounced the
Monroe county Republicans in this
fashion:
This Is one Of the most mcndacious resolutions
that political convention was ever reckless enough
TO adopt. The audacity OF 1t amounts TO renius-or
insanity. Mr.. ALDRIDoE must know tina, It's repre-.
sentatlon Of the findings Of the lawyers Is abso-
lutely untrue, and tina. anybody at will can prove H.
Perhaps he has such control over beth tho Repub-
lcan and Democratic organizations and the press OF
Monroe county that the voters be kept In dark
about matters OF public record which eve rybody
else understands. Ifnot would seem as II tho mis-
representation in this resolution must be brought
homo TO him with disgrscnr force TO the eec, that
people who before thought he might have been IN
Justly criticized viii be convinced that his acts must
have been bad indeed since II Is necessary to make
such monstrous distortion OF the onncial rcpor,
upon thsm."
And the Tribune went on to say:
1t 1.-The reDoru points out that the ofcisls an.