New-York tribune., 1909-12-30
COMBINATION EXTORTION.

1t is encouraging TO find justice of
the Supreme Court dealing as frankly as
Justice Howard did on Tuesday with the
scandal of extravasant condemnation
proceedings. His criticism of the waste
full use of public money in paying the
salaries and allowances of condemnation
commissions was unsparing, and he
matched his words by deeds in cutting
the compensation sought in the case be-
fore him about 80 per cent. Justice How
ard may not have calculated with abb
solute exactitude the excess charges
likely to be saddled on New York City
! for the services of condemnation agents
appointed to acquire lands for the
Ashokan Valley reservoir, but his esti-
mate that with proper management un-
der a rational system Of condemnation
proceedings the city would have paid
only $4,000 for services which promise
TO cost il 81 100000 is entitled to serious
consideration. To judge from the great
reduction in expense effected in bank re-
ceiverships since the old system of dis
tributing appointments as political per-
quisites was abandoned. the indicated
overcharge in condemnation proceedings
in the Catskill region may not be very
wide of the mark.
The fact is that commisSionerShipS and
receverShipS of this sort were long re-
garded as more or less legitimate forms
of political patronage They constituted
a link between politicians who controlled
nominations for judicial offices and
-ho ROT can nna ion f1VOrS
by naming friends of the party managers
for places involving the minimum
amount of labor and the maximum
amount of compensation. The depositors
in failed banks used to see their hopes
of partial distribution of the remain
ing assets fade as gantly paid
receivers. with extravagantly paid coun-
sell ate up what the directors of the i'll
stitution had left. 1t was considered
one of the unavoidable hardships OF
bankruptcy that receivers should profit
inordinately at the expense of the nm
lucky creditors. But one day the public
woke up to the fact that there was no
need Of employing receivers named by
the politicians 10 fatten on the mis-
fortunes of depositors and stockholders,
and the odious system passed away.
1t is time to abolish the equally odiouS
system of throwing condemnation COM
missionerships into the hands of political
appointees. who look upon their compen-
sation as a gratuity obtained through
influence. not as remuneration for which
they must give the public an adequate
return If judges did not have these
prize packages TO distribute the politi
clans would not keep so close an eye on
condemnation appointments or be so
eager 10 create situations neceSSitating
condemnation proceedings. Judges would
be freed from an obnoxious pressure in
behalf of favored applicants for these
sinecures and would he better able 20
accept nominations without incurring 4
moral obliga ton 10 look with kindlineSS
Oh the suggestions of bosses able to con-
troll judicial conventions. The politicians
love nothing better than to compel the
community TO pay five TO ten times over
for service out of which they and their
friends can make a profit. Justice How
ard bluntly SAYS that the OyerCharge on
public enterprises averages 40 per cent.
On condemnation commissions ii rises
far above 40 per cent, and nowhere along
! the whole line of honest graft is the
openness of the oyercharge more appar-
ent. MayOr-elect GaynOr has declared
war Oh condemnation sinecures If he
| can get the courts and the Legislature
10 cooperate with him in rationalizing
| the process of condemnation and prop
erly reducing its cost he will deserve
/ gratitude for having helped TO abolish
| one of the most exasperating forms OF
political eXtOrtion.