The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1873-07-23

many and two Apollo Hall men have seduced
two of the Germans in the Board, who were
elected by the Republicans, into an alliance
with them. 1t does not seem TO be generally
understood. what they are seeking to accom-
plish. They give various and not very CO.
herent or logical explanations of their course.
Perhaps as this is the last bit of patronage
they will have voice in dispensing, they want
to cling to it as tenaciously as possible. Per-
haps they are waiting to see what terms they
can make with the respective commissioners,
already in place. for such crumbs as have not
yet fallen from their tables. On any hypothe-
sis the spectacle is by no means an edifying
one. But the New Workers have become so
accustomed to humiliations in connection
with municipal administration, that there is
very little pride left in them to be humbled.
The greatest miscarriage of the times hap
pened when the Reformers and the Republic
cans raffled for a candidate for Mayor last
fall. The contumacy of the Alderman is the
natural sequence of the stupidity and senility
of the Mayor. If the latter had a respecta-
BILE public opinion behind him, if there was
any longer the slightest confidence in his in
clination and ability to make unselfish and
judicous nominations, the Confirming Board
wo1ld not venture uponthe extreme measure
of treating his nominees with the contemp.u-
Gus indifference of inaction.
The Republican party being most seriously
compromised by Havemeyer's treachery nat
urally holds him in the deepest detestation.
But in reality, he has not conciiated the Dem
ocrats by betrayins the Republicans. He has
simply been enacting in smaller theatre the
role which Andrew johnson played on the
National stage. The results to himself will
be equally disastrous. As long as he has
Office, to bestow,or favor to grant he will be
surrounded by coterie of flatterers who will
cajole and delude him to such degree that
he will be utterly oblivious of the contempt
in which he is held by the mass of the people
After he has fretted his little hour on the
gle with the supernumeraries, remembered
only as the incumbent of a station far above
his capacity.
IF the memory of the mistake he has made
or its consequences, could be as easily effaced
it would be well. But unfortunately he has
been-no doubt MISUNDERSTANDING the
way for the restoration of the governing class
which it cost such an effort 10 displace. He
has not only killed reform, but made its res
direction apparently impossible.
Whan fha y,,oda of boSfouipo tho onDo;,,f
ing power, was under consideration, in the
State Legislature, Havemeyer was profuse
in his promises, that if that function was YES
ted in him either absolutely, or subject to the
advice and consent of the Common Council,
he would exercise it with scrupulous regard
to the wishes of his party whence he derived
all his support at the polls. He named four
leading Republicans, all ofthem gentlemen of
approved integrity and character, whom he
volunteered to consult In reference to selec-
tions for offices to be filled. He declared he
would make no appointments that were not
satisfactory to them. --.
Relying upon his word, these gentlemen
used their influence with the Legislature to
persuade it to adopt the charter as it now
stands, Their voice was potential. ANY sim
gle one of them could have prevented its en-
actment. The four combined were able to
override the original intentions of the Sen
ate and Assembly and to secure to Have
meyer the patronage which he sorely coveted.
Mark the sequel. These very gentlemen
united in soliciting single appointment
two of them limiting their request to the one
candidate. He paid net the slightest atten-
ton to their wishes, and not one of the four
has received an atom of consideration from
the Mayor. On the contrary, he has made
appointments grossly Objectionable in them
selves, in offensive defiance of the dissua-
sions of all of them He foisted one boon
companion upon the most important commits
sion on the civil list, by an artifice so trans
parent that nobody could fail to detect it. He
bargained and traded another into the Exec
utive chair of the Police Force, with an open
ness which would have brought blush to
the cheek of Tweed.
His mode OF dealing with the Park Com
mission was singularly characteristic This
was an honorary Board. Col. Stebbins, a
gentleman of wealth, leisure and taste, had
been a Commissioner for many years. He
was removed under the Tweed charter but re-
appointed in Difference to universal public
sentiment, by Hall, after the collapse of the
Ring. The charter provided for his reten-
ton. Mr.. Wales was appointed by Havemey-
er himself, shortly after he came into office.
He is first class man in every respect, He
is Republican, retired from business, is pos
sessed of an abundant fortune and has all the
requirements for manager Oft the Park. He
was selected at the instance of and to concii-
ate Republicans. Col. Stebbins and the May
or have been friends for years. He naturally
expected to be consulted on the personel of
the new Commission. The Mayor had prom
ised to do nothing that would not be agreea-
BILE TO him. And yet when the names were
sent in, he was as much surprised as any
body. Wales instead of being honored with
the five years term, as was his due, was coclly
snubbed with two years tenure. The three
new men, constituting a majority of the
Board, were comparative strangers to the old
incumbents, and one of them holds only for a
year, so that the Mayor has in hts own hands
the option of superseding him if he finds him
disposed to act counter to his wishes. He
may not be influenced by eubection to such
an alternative, but there is at least a POSSIBLE
ity oft.
OF course the initiated understand what all
this maneuvering and dickering means. Mr..
Havemeyer is ambitious to create a personal
government. He designs to control not mere
ly the appointments, but the Commissioners
after they are appointed. I have no idea
that this Utopian scheme originated with him
self, but with advisers behind him. We hear
a great deal about his Clutch courage but
| fancy that it is myth. He does not lack
obstinacy, but it is of the sort that impels
him to follow with unquestloning readiness,
the instruction of his chosen counsellors
Such advice is never dlsinterested, and rarely
wise. In no other way is it easy to account
for the repeated instances in which he has
gwen his pledge without any very urgent So
ilcitatlon, and violated it without word OF
apology or explanation. His treatment of
Ne n. onaler Is one of several cases in point.
Inc General hello the office of Fire Com
missioner. de was one of the few incum
oeuts unuer the old regime who was
eminently tit and capable to succeeG him.
self. The Mayor expressed this onin;on With
decided emphasis, declared he had M ttom Will
OF superseding him, babe him give h;m,saiS
r