New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-04-14

terday, In Dl000sneu anu muIuoi'
should have been taken several days ago 10
puard the non-union men in the mills, who are
guilty of nothing worse than trying to earn an
honest living. Striking iron-workers are ap'
Tn use violence, as the authorities all over the
country ought to know by this time Inc
Amalgamated Association will be prompt III
depouncipg the action of their numerous
members but they cannot thus easily thro"
of all accountability for the crime at Spring
field. If the managers encourage avoidaoie
strikes. or if they fail to do all in their power 10
prevent them, they must be ready 10 sho"iue'
responsibility for the consequences. Inc aSso'
citation is slow in learning easy lessons.
The old excuse of the police that there was
no use to arrest men who were guilty oil break
ing the excise laws because the courts couid
never find time to try them cannot be pleaded
with any effect now, although it was only DAY
before Yesterday that the Police Board offered
it TO the inquiring committee OF citlzens' me-
corder Smyth has robbed the plea OF It's force
bv disposing of several hundred excise cases III
five DAYS. No indictments now remain untrieu
in the District Attorneys office except those
found by the April Grand Jury. But the effect
of the Recorders good work is in turn robbed
of much of its force by the fact that the
Assembly has passed new excise laws for this
CITY. Just as the old statute was beginning to
be enforced it was done away with. Now the
new law will have to be tried III the GOV
ernor signs it), and the lawbreakers will have
on their side all the advantage which new leg
islation, with its unsettled points, gives them'
Recorder Smyths course also shows how much
work the courts can do when they really Try
Governor Clevelands veto of the Buffalo
Fire Depar tment bill is having good effect IN
killing of some of the patronage measures
which the Democrats at Albany have hitherto
pushed vigorously. Yesterday three DIS OF
this kind were adversely reported to the AS
sembly, which meekly agreed to the reports.
One of these provided for the election OF JUS
tees of the Court of Sessions for New ork
City; another made our police justiceshlps cleo
tive and still another increased the Sheriff 3
fees. But perhaps the most conspicuous exam
Die of the good effect of that veto has been It's
influence upon Senator Herman. On Thursday
he asked permission of the Senate to withdraw
his bin which was intended to legislate out OF
Office the three present Excise Commissioners OF
Brooklyn and to keep Mayor Low from APP
pointing their successors. The Senator de-
clared that he did not think the measure was IN
harmony with the principle of home rule. That
is true enough. But tits strange that Mr.. hler-
nan did not find it out before he introduced the
measure and pressed it vigorously for weeks.
Perhaps little talk which Mr. Herman had
with Mr. Cleveland about this bill the other
day accounts for his sudden realization of its
badness. 1t is said that the Senator left the
Governors presence looking sadder and wiser
The protests against the proposed Buildings
law which was sent to Albany by Inspector
Esterbrook early in the winter were loud and
long; but the changes which the committee
of architects and builders have suggested IN 1t
are not so many or so radical as were ex-
pected. They are mostly on technical points
in regard TO construction, on which builders
might well differ-as, for instance, whether or
not estimates of height should be reckoned
from the curb or from the top of the fOunda-
tion Objection is made also to the power of
the Superintendent to delay building opera
tons until the plans have been APP
proved. 1t is urged that the work
should be allowed to begin, ana that
alterations if necessary should be made later
at the cost of the owner. If the Inspector had
enough assistants there would be no serious
delay in passing on plans, and it is certainly
much easier to alter lines on paper than to
make changes in brick and mortar Moreover,
experience has shown that when once work
has been begun the owner will not make
changes if he can possibly avoid them. On
the whole, the points of objection raised by
the committee are not so serious but that
compromise measure may be reported to the
Assembly which will be reasonably satisfactory
to all persons interested. This ought to be
done quickly. The session is drawing to a
Close and if no adequate Buildings law is
passed for this city, it will be a great pity. No
more needed legislation has been demanded Of
this TpCiSia .urc