New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-12-03
CALLS BRONX CORRUPT.
CiUac League Report Charges Of
fciaLs Nth Wholesale Graft.

AZ a meeting OF tha Civic League of The Bronx.
he'd at Bells Hall, 1T5th-st. and 3d-ave. last night
the report of the committee investigation. signed
by Albert L. Davis as chairman, was unanimously
accepted
TnAreport starts by saying that enough subjects
for investigation have been called to the attention
of the committee to produce revelations that VIII
startle The Bronx It says there have been mis-
directed expenditures of the public FUNDS ana
charges OF bribery are freely made
1t charges the levy1ng of campaign contributions
upon public employees. No definite charges are
made against any individual The report follows;
Enough subjects for hsye on BEEN
yestigaffon within ore week to indicate that there
Is ert i to p pr re1eations that viii SaFe
COMMITTEES and more than Justify the Wsd sTaga OF
tOns made many Of them publicly ana not T9IuSe1
have been WanfonIy souandered in a saturnalia of
wasteful extravagance ,,...-. .. ~.
Long continued control Of the expenditure 81 hne
public moneys OF a community in which pubic I'M
paps1Ieed scale has Created careessness Of the
disposition of the accumulated savings OF the tax
Sciences of men nigh IN authority into scandalous
ne6TasSl 6e pnv of the unscrEpulous to arass
private fortunes at the public expense
made to drag into the mire as many people ,i OF
prominence in the community as were sa to-
fearIessly protest and expose. There is on every
ogaty bunted by bribery in its most nsdous
forms. Our trusted officials seems to have foInq
trenEied fnance,' and to have worked it for all
It is plain that the only way in which the truth
can be ascertained is by tho appointment Oh az
to subpoena Witnesses and take testimony under
oath This is course which every 0 scenes this IS
clearly the paramount duty of the CIVIC League At
Int It would be manifestly unwise to make public At
this time the specific charges of corruption whicn
c1sed parties would thus be forewarned and the
admin bs Of justice f6r to the es
lature such other body or official as may seem
For the purposes of this report It viii be sum.
Gent to say that broadly speaklng, Ie Ctls s
public work excessive cost of necessary public I'M
nI,gh ofcials to the financial loss of the taxpay-
ers: public officials engaged in private occupations
ough employees street opening proceedings. the
n2e b eyE e9XnF Of Campaign contributions upon
public employees and upon contractors for public
the PAYMENT of inspectors for more workdays than
there in the week or month. pernntLung C4I-
ing bonds1nen responsible and then reletting them
az Ioone2 ~ favored contractors; recommend
ing property in which borough of1clals nave q nllei
Gi itted to delay their work for months and
years beyond the contract time limit without en-
forcing the penalty, thus accommodating excessive
charges for interest inspectors fees to be paid
by Ine and sregard for The public welfare
The highway robber who attacks IN the open a.
least possesses courage; the sneak ther e, VINO,
under the guise Of protecting the public hG ;h
from the public treasury for MS personal eIrlcH
ment the hard earned savings of the great mass or
the people, who too much engrossed IN the
struggle for existence to watch his every move
ITent is the most contemplate of all robbers. a
decent respect for the good opinion Of the other
boroughs and our own self-respect demand that
The R-onx eyildoers be ferreted out and the Dor
ough thoroughly cleansed Of these moral lepers.
The committee was empowered to employ
stenographer and an expert accountant TO aid 1t In
It's work of investigating the books Of the public
of7cials The next meeting will be held at the
same place on Monday evening. December H John
p Eustis, chairman Of the league, presided last
night. #z ..# E.E - Ez