Year: 1875

Commission more than justify the indig-


nant zeal with which Governor Tildsn has


pursued the thieves who have been 50 long
plundering the State, These robberies have
long been known in vague, general way;
yet Governor Tildens merit is not dimin-
| ished, but enhanced, by the fact that he is
not the original discoverer of this class of
frauds. Although they have been known
4 with more or less distinctness by his
\ predecessors in office none of them
has ventured to come to close quarters with
the Canal Ring and undertaken to bring
the guilt home to individual perpetrators.
So many active politicians of both parties
have been stepped in these frauds, and so
many State officers have given them either
active support or tacit connivance, that
Governor could not strike them without
wounding some of his political supporters as
well as his opponents. Governor Tilden is
the first Chief Magistrate of the State who has
had the sagacity and trust in the people to
see that an attack would be safe If it were
only sufficiently vigorous. The success of
such an attack was certain enough if the
assailing officer could succeed in making
out case strong enough to render extenua-
ton hopeless and defence absurd AS soon as
Governor Tilden's personal investigations
had satisfied him that he could fasten the
frauds on individual men and brand them in
the eyes Of the public as unconscionable
thieves it did not require courage, but only
energy to prosecute his campaign. The
/ I. Al.
vindicated his penetration, and, in spite of
all the carping at his motives, nobody now
disputes either the crushing truth of his ae-
cusations or the impartial severity with
which he has assailed democratic and repub-
lican thieves alike. This great work of vim
dictiye exposure ought to have been begun
many years ago, and it reflects credit on
Governor Tilden that he has not shrunk from
task which even so honest predecessor as
Governor Dix did not see his way clear to
undertake


But while awarding this praise to Governor
Tilden we must not be unjust to his prede-
cessors. Among the new amendments to
the State constitution adopted last year be-
fore Governor Tilden came into Office, and
which he did nothing to promote is one
which precludes repetition of the kind Of
abuses which he has been so industrious in
exposing. 1t is right that past offenders be
punished and the stolen money recovered
but security for the future is still more i'm
portant than indemnity for the past The
new constitutional provision which was
meant to give security for the future is in
these words:-"No extra compensation shall
! be made to any contractor, but If, from any
unforeseen cause the terms Of any contract
shall prove to be unjust and oppressive, the
Canal Board may, upon the application of
/ the contractor, cancel such contract" This


amendment shuts the gate against the kind


Of frauds which make the greatest figure in


the recent exposures. 1t forbids both the


Canal Board and the Legislature to come to


the relief Of contractor who has either


bound himself by hard bargain dis
honestly pretends that he has. The most
that can be done for him is to cancel his
contract if lie can convince the Canal Board
that it is unjust and oppressive. He can no
| longer proceed with the work and apply to
the Legislature for extra conn mpensation,


which is the method by which most
of the greater swindles have been per-
| petrated None of the credit for
! erecting this barrier against frauds
| belongs to Governor Tilden, and, indeed, it
| is well known fact that he did not favor
the adoption Of the amendments which
!. were proposed by Governor Hoffman's Con-
stitutional Commission and passed through
two republican Legislatures during the
administration Of Governor Dix. Governor
Tilden deserves praise for exposures Of the
past and attempted retribution, but not for
the more important work Of preven-
ton, which was accomplished before
he came into Office To Governor
Hoffman, who proposed the Constitutional
Commission and appointed its mem
bers. to the commission itself, to the two
successive Legislatures which indorsed its
proposed amendments and to the voters Of
the State, who ratified them last November,
belongs the credit of cutting up by
the roots the fraudulent system of deceptive
bids with view to extra compensation
Governor Tilden's praise must be limited to
retrospective Efforts Ior Jne punishment OF
frauds whose repetition had been made i'm
possible by the constitutional amendments
previous to his taking the oath of office
The species Of swindling for which George D.
Lord stands indicted can never be repeated
in this State 50 long as the constitution
stands as it was amended by the people at
the last general election. The praise fairly


due to Governor Tilden is rather that Of an
avenger than Of reformer, the reform having
been already secured by the adoption Of the
new amendments.


In view Of the facts now in possession Of
| the public it is fortunate that the new
amendments preceded these exposures,