New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-08-24
The Fosdick Report.

Ev-Controller Grout. gentlemen. has not
quite stated The true significance OF tne re
mort of the Commissioner of Accounts. II
is true that the Commissioner Of Accounts
I'm this investigation did not md the goods
iipon the city official Of whom EXON
troller Grout and Mr. Bruere has spoken
That is about all they did not ma.
, Ry that relation and by that report Con-
troller Prendergast before leaving the city
referred 10 ii as an unholy alliance. Con
troller Prendergast upon his return prom
ised 70 state the fact, If at that time n
was still necessary. in order 10 clear up
the full significance Of the PROVISIONS IN
this charter which would after 5H mas
beAn abandoned. with respect to the Com
missioner Of Charities. expenditures by the
city, except the expenditures OF the com
missioner Of Charities for or 10 private IN
Let us take a purely hypothetical case.
Give MS a city official who represents IN
public office a number or lnstltutons III
stead of representing the taxpayer; let US
assume for the sake 80 argument that no
IS trying 10 boost the amount that private
institutions shall receive; let us assume tVr
the sake of argument that II Is desirable
TO paw him a fund of $500 and let US as
sumo for the sake Of argument that II is
10 somebody's interest to make the pay
ments that this particular thing referred
to to help public official out OF business.
Embargo Upon Inquiry"
Gentlemen. wouldn't It be a very simple
thing to keep the public from ever finding
out II you put an embargo upon an inquiry
by the Board of Estimate and Apporton-
ment into the right pocket and only audlt
the left pocket? Why, that Is the sinlPlest
thing in the world
Next came Eugene A. Philbin, who
said that his attitude had been expressed
by Mr. Grout. Then he added:
But I would like to say to you, gentle
men of the committee that have probably
a little more OF personal feeling IN TINS
matter than Mr.. Grout has, because be
long TO an element in this community that
has been charged with nothing less than
fraud that has been charged with obtain
ing the money of the taxpayers OF this
city and using il for personal benefit and
to the detriment of the city
Therefore, gentlemen, | am not prepared
to speak calmly of the attitude that has
been taken by the Bureau of Municipal
Research and by the Controller. When
this matter was first Brought 10 the at
i'tention Of the Archbishop of New York 1t
was brought by a communication from the
Controller of this city, in which he said
in substance that there had been reason
to believe that there was collusion be-
institutions under his charge and the Of
ficials in the Controllers office having
charge Of the disbursng Of public moneys.
The Archbishop Acts.
That letter was Immediately replied to,
formation. so that the investigation that
he suggested the Archbishop should make
could be made. To that letter. may il
please this committee, no reply has been
received 10 this day
Notwithstanding that. the Archbishop. as
Mr.. Grout has already stated. caused an
investigation TO be made and by the very
best public accountants that he could find
| in this city
Mr.. Philbin went on to refer to the
letter written to the Controller on be-
half Of the Archbishop, saying that if the
right of the city to investigate private
funds of the institutions was made a
condition of receiving city moneys the
city children would have TO withdraw
from the institutions He added:
Mr. Grout has already told YOU that
these Institutions have invested to-day
s23.000,000 in plant and equipment II
means that If you release the Catholic
Church of the performance Of this public
duty OF taking care Of the wards OF this
city, not that $4,000. 900 will be expended.
but that an additional increase Of 5000.
900 will be expended.
Furthermore. with regard to this So
called Fosdick report, I would like to say
that no one that | know of connected with