The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-08-12

SUbitesfion rsh 10 hare Rejected drtts vsftr0'd Hf
Nnua In all edses send stamps for nat purpose
Edward H. Hartman and benjamin
j -. b. Odell.
The committee which the State has
!; appointed to inquire into the conditions
Of the Equitable has chosen Mr.. CHARLES
r. HUGHES as its attorney-in-fact to
conduct and guide its proceedings. He
il considered reputable gentleman, an
able lawyer and man inspired with a
decent concern for his self-respect.
We can readily understand that this
appointment is not a little grateful to
Meesn. HARTMAN and ODELL, than
whom there are no two persons more
deeply concerned In having the investi-
cation Of the affairs Of the Equitable
fully and fairly prosecuted. The char
acter OF the examiner, his personal
remoteness from individual interest in
the corpus de1icti, his honorable pro
feesional ambition and his profound
sense Of his public duty-all these con-
siderations should assure Messrs. HARRI-
MAN and 0pELL that their relation to
mo matter in hand will receive just and
adequate attention,
These gentlemen scarcely hoped that
their strenuous efforts to bring about
a legislative inquiry would be crowned
with success So many corrupt and
powerful influences were arrayed against
It, so severe was the pressure upon the
Governor of the State and upon the
whole Albany administration, that for
II long time it looked hopeless, and it
seemed az IL the infamy OF the Equitable
Would 60 unsoathed and a monumental
defeat Of justice ensue. The darkest
hour, however, is that which precedes
the dawn, and it was only when. Mr..
OpELL had abandoned all faith and
in q moment Of despairing but brilliant
strategy had notified Governor HIGGINS
that no would withdraw his demand for
a legislative inquiry, that that official
consented to act. We may observe
parenthetically that. conversant as we
ara with the circumstances more in
timately concerned with this action on
his part. nothing else. that Governor
HIGGINS has done has 80 excited our
respect and admiration. .....
However, the committee is now in
session and has chosen, not without
j,idicions aid, its legal adviser, ind the
memorable inquisition will presently
begin. The danger for Messrs. HAIR
R1MAN and OpELL is past, since it
has become apparent that the invesh-
cation Is to be thorough, frank and
impartial. and that there is no longer
the serious danger, as oonfessedly there
was, that it might be onesided, unfair
and partizan. In that case its effect
would be to shield the guilty, pervert
and distort the actions Of innocent or
relatively innocent persons. destroy
regulations hitherto unsullied and
achieve gross and unparalleled abor-
ton OF justice.
(. rOf course, the gravest concern OF
Messrs. HARTMAN and ODELL was lest
a malicious and corrupt inquiry, cen
Quoted under political and unprinclpled
influences, should misrepresent the rela-
ton in which both these gentlemen
stood to the now celebrated Mercantile
Trust Company loan Of $es6 ,0O0- The
latter had to far that 1t might not be
made properly apparent what abominable
influences were used to defraud and
rob him Of his property, while the former
was convinced that his heroic and un-
aelHsh efforts on behalf Of his friend
would never be known, or, II revealed,
would be so distorted as to be unrecog-
nizable. This injurious contingency is
now happily averted, and nothing can
intervene to save Messrs. HYDE and
Associates from the full disclosure of
their plot to do foul wrong and gross
injustice to Governor ODELL.
; But this is only one Of dozen ms tances
which will be brought into the light of
day, and which will serve to show, the
nature Of the forces which brought about
the fall OF the admins tration of theEqui-
table. 1t is most strangeif modifying
history. There was once capable and
successful buts somewhat emotional
burglar. He had packed up, one night,
the slverware and other valuables in
a sheet and was preparing to leave,
when he discovered that the house was
furiously. afire. Giving an energetic
alarrn, he was the means Of saving sew
eral lives and much valuable property.
His subsequent conviction and impris-
for HOUSEKEEPING was some
thing that he never could reconcile with,
his sense Of justice. From this it would
no ridiculous to argue that the public
docs not owe a. debt to Mr.. EDWARD H.
/ ARRrMAN that it will never repay.
The Japanese Terms of Peace.
Although the conditions Of peace pro-
posed on Thursday by the Japanese