The New York herald., 1878-03-06
Nav Rroom. md Old.

The old adage that new broom sweeps
clean is applied figuratively and appropr-
ately to persons who are new in any trust
to the highest and lowest of public officials
as we'll rs to domestic ''help" There are
very few ladies at the head of household
who have not experienced how excellently
the dinner is cooked by the new cook how
thoroughly the dust and cobwebs are ex-
PEELED from their resting places on the tops
of doors, mirrors and bureaus and in out
of-the-way corners by the new housemaid,
and how patiently and lovingly the new
nurse bears with the domineering temper OF
little Maud or submits her cap frills and
collars to the desperate clutches OF the
baby. When we leave the domestic circle
and rise to the sphere of public life we can
command the testimony of the Whole
community as TO the sweeping re-
form the new Governor or the new
Mayor is always resolved to accom-
plish in the State or municipal gov
ernment. 1t is, indeed, but yesterday, MS
it were, that new President was to make
our civil service model of honesty and
efficiency and to inaugurate the millen-
mum of political ofice-holders. What
becomes Of the 'clean sweeping" after the
broom becomes little worn is also matter
of notoriety.
The .adage to which we have alluded
might very we'll be supplemented by one
illustrative of the spasmodic effort to sweep
clean made by an old broom that is threatened
with consignment to the dusthin. The ap-
positeness of the one proverb s.as marked
as that Of the other. Every one knows that
''notice to quit" generally produces
surprising revival of the original efficiency
of the broom and leads to a remar kable tenn
porary amount fclean sweeping. The Police
Department is just now threatened with
loss OF the street cleaning patronage, which
it ought never to have controlled, and
straightway we behold a most astonishing
activity among the old brooms of the bu-
reau which have for months been rotting
in idleness. The Police Commissioners,
under the Indictment Of "notice to quit"
become suddenly aroused to the impor-
tance of sweeping clean," and pass o
string of high flown resolutions in favor
of letting out the work of cleaning the streets
and removing the refuse by contract, and Of
proceeding meanwhile to "thoroughly test
the 'block" system, which they say ''had
to be discontinued when the snow came
and before its usefulness could be deter
mined" 1t appears singular that the pres
ent Police Board should have been in exist
ence SO long without sooner discovering
that some "system" was needed by which
the street cleaning could be properly done,
and that although there has heretofore been
no such system, although the bare experi-
ment Of system chad TO be discontinued
when the snow came, just as much money
has been expended by the Street Cleaning
Bureau as if the work had been properly
done Certainly the people would be dis
inclined to trust any longer Board that
has shown itself incapable, unfaithful and
extravagant even If the public judgment
did not condemn the union of the Police
and Street Cleaning departments. The
''old brooms" Of the present bureau may
make spasmodic pretence or attempt at
clean sweeping, but it would cease with the
adjournment Of the Legislature. They had
better be thrown into the dustbin at once.