New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1854-02-27

incspscitsted and il very badly attacked he wouidb
transferred to situation IN the hospital "here Hi'
case could be properly cared for.
How much We in this country differ from Europe IN
the management of public affairs, apparent from the
fact that instead fproyidng hospital for our Cretlns'
we choose them for places OF honor proft and power
over US Some of them it is true, do not manifest the
rsvsres Of the disease until after election and then II
does not show itself much in swelled neck as IN
peculiar and more dangerous affection vulgary known
as swelled head but the disease affects the whole
system in most remarkable manner
Its worst forms are manifested in New York. In
deed this City il affected with this dreadful malsdy
that BY some nexplicabe means it peryades and con-
trolls almost every department of the public service
If anybody doubt this let him look out of the window
or take FIVE minutes walk in any thOroughfare Of the
City. stranger might almost fancy himself in that
Asatic city of Tashkeni where nobody safely ven
ture out without rail to pry himself Odt Of the mud
with Ii is said that the state of things is the fault OF
the Commissioner of Streets, who resigned his Of
fee the other day amid such general reOicngs. 1t is
true that all the time he has been in power he seemed
to be suffering under chronic and we fear incuribe
attack of Cretinsm and to such extent did the i'm
becy by which it is attended get the better of him,
that be permitted kitchen garbage cOalashes and
other filth to accumulate in some streets and places,
over two feet deep, and all the City TO such de-
gree that the streets were for days together almost
impossible by pedestrians
But so they are to this day notwithstanding the Com
ssoner has resigned and is about to retire Opryate life
away from the sound of the City enjoy the handsome
bai IN nv off eal
Cretnsm Though be has resigned there change in
the condition OF the streets His mbecilty and his dar-
ling mud remain and for aught we can tell, will remain
Oreyer. But what other people would ever tolerate
for month after month streets foul and lOathsome
those Of New-York' Alas il is all Cretinism. We
are told that this mud is the monument of Arcularus-
whom every body now sgrees to pronounce Cretin,-
I'VE beg careless reader will mistake this word for
CHEATING and that the contractors have failed TO carry
il away But suppose the contractors have failed to do
their work What they have What necessity for
any contractors What would an individual not of the
Cretn family do if be had just such piece of work to
perform as keeping the streets Of this City clean
Why lie would advertise in hafadOzen papers that he
would pay any and everybody fair price for scrapng
up and cartDg away any dirt TO be found in the streets
or give any portion of il that was good for ma
nure, to whOmsoever would remove it from the City.
Or what private man of business not an imbecile of
the lowest order having aquanty OF animal carcasses,
bones and other Oal TO dispose Of all actually worth
money at auction would hire Individual at the price
Of $4,000 year, to come every week and take away
those matters from his premises And yet such is the
mode Of conducting affairs in this great City.
We do not seek TO explain this fatal imbecility-we
merely recognize the fact. 1t seems ncurable nfec-
tous and contagious. Men have genius. energy and
efficiency in New York for the prosecution of their
private business but all municipal affairs struck
with Cretinism. There is complaining enough, expo
sure enough of evils, effort enough for reform and i'm
prOyement but it all amounts to practical result
Nothing is done to-day, nothing done yesterday,
and nothing will be done next week. Probably moth
ing can be done. 1t is imbeclity all sides;
breathe it, see it, smell it. buried in it,-aad this
at aggregate annual expense Of millions over AMI
above what decent government and clean town
would cOst The municipality OF NewYOrk is an
egregous illustration Of long.standng Elective Cretn
lem II is study for naturalists for its laws of trans
mission altogether beyond the grasp of the
lightened understanding. Does anybody suppose it
will ever come to an end Orwll history record that
as Ierculaneum and Pompe were buried in ashes,
so the great and rich City Of New York disappeared in
the year lSj4 under hopeless accumulation of
mud Should hat be its fate, Heaven forbid that so
dirty place should ever be dsinerred.