The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-04-16

like that of jefferson or one like that of
Tyler.
Mayor Ely Asks for Explain atoms.
We are glad to see that our worthy Mayor
has followed the advice of the HERALD and
taken practical step toward thorough in
vestigation of the cause of our dirty streets.
He asks the Police Commissioners for q
statement of their expenditures for street
cleaning during the past three months.
This demand for an account Of their steward
ship gives the officials an opportunity Of
explaining how they reconcile the steady
disappearance Of the money with the
equally steady accumulation Of dirt on
the streets, for the removal of which
the money has been appropriated. The
figures they give US for the month of
March, as published in the HERALD Of Sat-
urday, explain nothing beyond the fact that
the street cleaning fund has been reduced
over ffty-two thousand dollars in four
weeks. Doubtless their accounts, to DO
rendered to the Mayor, will be equally un-
satisfactory; for it is the easiest thing pos
sible to say that they have spent the money,
the difficulty being as to how it was spent.
We are satisfied that, 80 far as street cleaning
is concerned, the Police Commissioners
cannot accuse themselves of any ex-
travagance. If it turns out, as it probably
will, that the more money is expended by
the Street Cleaning Bureau the dirtier and
more neglected the streets become, the ques-
ton will present itself whether it would not
be we'll worth while to reduce the appropri-
alton, in view of the possibility that with a
less sum at their disposal the officials would
do more work. There is always danger to
the public service when irresponsible men
get large amounts to spend for public pur-
poses. According to the statements of the
Mayor and the Comptroller the Street Clean
ing Bureau is independent of their control.
Therefore we must regard it as irresponsible
and consequently unworthy Of trust. If
the officials had shown any ability or desire
to do their duty we would recognize the
force of their arguments respecting the
difficulties they pretend to contend against.
But when under their system Of operations
large sum of money is expended without
we are forced to the belief that these diff
culties are only the creation of their imagi-
nations, put forward for the purpose of
covering up their delinquencies.
Excise Laws.
Our Legislature has. rightly judged that
the beverages Of the people IRE of the first
importance. Hence the care taken to Sc
cure by every material and moral guarantee
in regard to the persons licensed to sell
liquor that the liquors shall not be bad
through the dishonesty, want of knowledge
or other delinquency of the dealer. To be-
come liquor dealer one must pass a sort of
civil service examination in several branches
of related art. First, he must prove that he
is of good moral character. This prevents
man palming upon the public camphene
under the specious name of gin and aqua
forts for corn whiskey. This was a wise
provision of law. Another provision is that
the dealer must satisfy an excise board that
he has sufficient ability to keep hotel"
This implies the highest order of intel
ligence. Liquor dealers filling this
requirement will not be imposed upon
by dealers in ''bonded warehouse
liquors." and inadvertently poison their
customers by the processes referred to.
Another important requirement of the law
is that the liquor dealer must always keep
ready "three spare beds with good and suf-
fcient bedding" 1t may be remembered
that
Willie brcwed a peck o. maui,
An Rab an Allan cam to prec; .
Three blther hearts that lee LANG NIGHT
Yc wad ma find IN Christendic.
Remembering this and foreseeing the in
evtable consequence the Legislature pro-
vided that the liquor dealer should be pos
sessed of the means to put his customers to
bed when they could no longer sit up
Hence the three beds. There are great
many other requirements about the dealers
keeping hay and horses, &C., and some of
them certainly do keep very fast horses.
But it is alleged now that nearly all the
liquor dealers have been licensed without
regard to the provisions of this law; that
they are men who cannot and do not keep
hotels-have neither hay nor horses, nor
spare beds, nor moral character. This is q
startling disclosure. But there is one con-
ISOLATION in it. 1t is provided by the law
that any excise commissioners who license
a man contrary to the above provisions are
guilty of misdemeanor. There is hope,
therefore, that we may see all our precious
functionarIes of that sort in close quarters.
This would compensate for a great deal OF
confusion in the liquor trade.