New-York tribune., 1875-07-01
UISCTTETOTS FOOLISHNESS.

This is the first of July, and the entire body
of our city firemcn remain yet unpaid for their
services during the month of May. The Con-
trollcr insists that the Mayor shall sign
separate check for each individual fireman.
The Mayor refuses and insists that the iiremen
shall be paid az city employees everywhere
else are, by general check for the amount OF
the pay-roll, to be given to some member OF
the Department, who shall, if nccdful under
proper bonds, assume the distribution of it.
The Mayors position is perfectly business
like. and commends itself to the common sense
of everybody lie proposes to make the pay
mcnt exactly as such payments are made in
private business, in every large establishment
In onr own, for example, we hand over to the
foreman of the CompOsing-roOm the amount
due on his payroll and hold him responsible for
its proper distribution. We do the same in
each of the other departments. In every large
business Systematically conducted the same
course is taken. Why should we refuse our
Mayor the advantages of business-llke system,
ard try to make him mere check
signing dludge3 We do not elect
our Chief Executive officer that he may spend
his time in signing individual checks for the
multitude of city employees. There is no
valid reason for requiring him to do it in
the case of the Fire Department any
more than in tho case of the Police De-
partmcnt, the Park Department, the Dock
Department, or any other. The obstinate de-
mand that he shall do it, and the refusal to pay
the iiremen until he does, is piece of down
right honest mulishness.
1t is by peryerstics of this kind that Mr..
Green forfeits the regard he has heretofore
so fairly won. 1t is pity that he
is not on good terms with the Mayor;
but he has no right to harass and
bedcvil him in this way. Mayor Wickham
takes the precise ground about it which Mayor
Vance took. No man has occupied the office
for years who has not protested against the
increasing drudgcry to which it has been re-
duced This effort to force the Mayor into
still greater drudSery by abandoning the sys-
tenn which has been pursued since he was in
Office is as vicious in tendency as it seems in
motive and the Controller should be taught
that there are limits beyond which he cannot
safely presume upon tho indulgence with
which his quarrelSomencss has hitherto been
treated.
The Mayor is now compelled to countcrsign
nearly lOuI tllouSdlu NdlluHls tdtl HlOulU III
addition to the licenses, certificates, bonds,
transfers, etc. 1t is fair to say that
on an average he has to sign his name
to ,ome document of this sort two hun
dr'd and fifty times every working day.
Ii there is any object in getting the Mayors
signature on these papers, it is that he may
give personal attention TO each, and sign it
only when he knows that 1t ought to be
signed. On the supposition that it takes
an average of just one minute to decide
concerning each case, he thus has to spend
say four hours and a quarter every day in
signing his name. Mr. Green thinks this is
not enough, and demands that he shall now sign
a separate warrant for every fireman in the city.
Why does he not get him to sign separate war
rant for every big pipe man, and every little
pipe man, and every street-sweeper and let
them all starye until the Mayor succumbs
and does 1t