Has Mr. Fairbrother Become a Jobber?

New York, 1895

Supervisor Pople of Flushing is conserving the public welfare by opposing the expenditure of public money to build a highway for the special benefit of a city railroad company that is said to have secured a franchise over it corruptly. We are glad to find Supervisors Everitt, Underhill, Wood and Denton supporting Mr. Pople, for whatever the latter does proceeds from a good conscience.

The headline to this article suggests that Assemblyman Fairbrother does not stand in a friendly relation to the Supervisors, and that he stands in a friendly relation to the job which this railroad company has afoot. We are sorry to have to say this of Mr. Fairbrother, because less than a month ago we expressed the opinion that in all matters of legislation affecting this county he would be found on the side of the people. Some queer influence must have conquered him.

Under an existing law there is power to widen and improve a town highway and make the county pay the bill. It matters not how unimportant the highway may be. Certain persons in Flushing are seeking to have Strong's Causeway widened and improved under this law. It is an unimportant piece of road and there was no thought of improving it until this railroad company wanted to use it, and then it assumed large proportions. The improvement, those who are advocating it say, can be made for $25,000, but on the other hand it is claimed, and the claim is supported by engineers, that $75,000 would be required. But whether it costs the smaller or the greater sum, it would be an outrage to put the burden on the county at large. The benefit would inure to the railroad company and a few land speculators.

To prevent this wrong the board of Supervisors sent a bill to Albany to repeal the existing law. Senator Childs introduced the bill. Very soon the railroad company appeared on the scene by one of its officers. He wanted the Supervisors' bill amended to exempt this particular bit of road. Senator Childs positively refused to consent to it. Assemblyman Fairbrother, however, accommodated the railroad people and introduced the exemption bill in the House. The were introduction of a bill does not commit a representative to its support, but Mr. Fairbrother's zeal in behalf of the bill since it was introduced leaves no doubt that he is with the railroad corporation and against the people. This conflict of bills will result in nothing, and the jobbers will succeed in putting this unjust burden on the people. It is to be hoped, however, that the Supervisors will not allow it to be done without a fight in the courts.

—The Long Island Farmer, Jamaica, NY, Feb. 8, 1895, p. 4.