New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-05-10
THE NRW CITY OFFICIALS.

In the Mayors nominations yesterday even
the most careless observer will notice two dis
tinct grades In one may be found the names
of Professor Chandler and Mr.. Stark. The
other includes William p. Mitchell, "Nick
HaugLton and men Of that stamp. The latter
class might be called Aldermen's nominations,
for they are made solely because the Aldermen
and the men behind the AldeTmen Insist on
them. 1t is probable that Mayor Edison, with
his hands unfettered, would always select
officials of the better sort But only under
peculiar conditions will the Aldermen permit
auy citizen whose first object is to serve the
city either to enter or retain Office. They re-
iected Professor Chandler yesterday, although
his services AS president of the Health Board
had earned the hearty approval OF the best
classes. He had made bad plumbers at times,
and TIE TRIBUNE had not bestated to point
them out. But he had done a great deal of
work of the highest value and importance. His
unsparing enforcement Of the sanitary laws has
saved tie city from an incalculable amount
of misery and suffering of late years. In the
hurry of recent rapid growth, there has been a
strong tendency in certain quarters to cheap
and nasty building in defiance of all sanitary
requirements, tendency which only much
vigilance and vigor on the part of the Health
and Building Departments have been able to
hold in check.
Well, the Aldermen have rejected Professor
Chandler. Let us see for what else we are in
debted to this noxious and noisy Board, 81
largely composed Of the most witless and selfish
of placemen. They confirmed Fire Commits
sioner German and Charities Commissioner
Brennan. In that they did as they were told
and on the whole it was not bad piece Of work.
Mr.. German has been an intelligent and hard
working Commissioner. Never forgetting his
fealty to Mr.. Kelly, he still has had in mind
the improvement of the department. Mr..
Brennan, too, has been laborious and energetic,
thoroughly familiar with the details of his de-
partmeut. If at times he has preferred the in
terests of Tammany Hall to those OF the public
and has labored more diligently to find COM
Portable places in the Penitentiary (but, alas,
not In the cels) for Democratic statesmen who
were anxious to strengthen the party by acting
as keepers for their Democratic brethren in
striped suits, it was, perhaps, because he
feared that otherwise he would lose his party's
support for redppointment. Freed from that
fear. he ought now to devote himself with
single mind to the benefit Of the great institu-
tons under his care. Let him remember that
after all capacity, training and skill are of
more importance In the proper conduct of our
hospitals, asylums and prisons than the Tam
many stamp on mans brow, and let him give
due recognition to the abilities and fidelity Of
those who, if they do not control votes, at least
know how to manage public institutions better
than the most brilliant of primary manipula-
tors.
In the Excise Department the Aldermen have
done all the mischief they could. They re-
jected Messrs. Welde and Phillips, whose names
the Mayor sent IN, and the majority Of the Ex-
else Board Is now made up OF William P.
Mitchell and " Nick" Haughton. The latter is
well-known as publican and a-p0litician.
Here is a precious pair of Excise Commission
ers. How "Billy" McGlory will exult and
"Owney" Geoghegan will rejoice The third
Commissioner Is a respectable man and 3 good