New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-04-11
GIVE THE COMMITTEE 4 FAIR CHANCE.

4 running fire of complaints, criticisms,
sncers and tests has assailcd the committee in
charge of the centennial celebration ever Snr"
the stupendous work Of preparation began.
Some Of the criticisms may have beer useful
and some Of the jeSts have certainly been good
natured but there has never been any justlhca-
tion for the sneerS, and most of the formal com
plants have proved to be uncaled for and even
absmd. The Legislature was altogether too
haSty in reaching the conclusion that its dig
nifty was threatened and the Beard of Alder
men assumed without reason that it was going
t. be snubbed and neglected. In both cases
the committee was able to give convincing
proofs of it's fairness and good Judgment, and
the result of these outbreaks was more credit
able to those in charge Of the celebration than
to their critics. Most of the harsh judgments
expressed privately and in the newspapers have
been equally groundlesS
1t is to be taken for granted that everybody
wants to see this great commemorative jubilee
supremey successful and in that view Of the
case il is high time to stop the sort Of carplng
which has been rife for fortnight, and which
tends and even now threatens to produce real
bitterness Of feeling. The members OF the
General Committee and Of the various sub
committees are not self-appointed. They were
selected by representative bodies Of citizens in
an entirely proper and democratic manner. and
they are dcVOt.ng all their time aud good deal
Of their money to the work with which they
have been intruSted. II was impossible that
they should escape criticism from without, and
scarcely to be expected that some friction should
not be developed among themselves. But so
far as we have been able to ascertain 10 dom
ineerng or exclusive spirit has been manifest
ed, and no authority officially assumed which
was not essential to orderly and adequate prepa-
ration for complex and imposing display and
if any dsagreementS have arisen in the com
mitteerOOms they have apparently been salts
factOriIy composed. Such a task as these gentle
men have undertaken is always more OF bur
den than an honor and most of their harsheSt
critics would be very 10th to do an equal amount
Of work for nothing. As we have said they
could not expect to escape criticism, but they
are certainly entitled to decent consideration
New-YOrk is generous and hoSptable me-
trOpOliS and very apt to give good account
Of itself whenever an emergency arises; but
citizens who arc proud Of its standing and in
edge that it was equal to the great occasion Of
1889 ought to realize that they are to some eX-
tent individually responsible for the result Of
the preparations now going forward They
can contribute in many ways to the success Of
the celebration, and in no way more certainly
than by SuppreSSng the spirit of fault-finding,
and combining to create universal senti-
ment Of interest and enthusiasm Moreover,
We venture to say that the members Of the
committee will gladly receive and consider any
sensible suggestion In the face Of many
temptations to show resentment and TO retort in
kind upon those who have mSrepreSented and
abused them. they have shown a highly com
mendabc sef-reStraint, and devoted them
selves to their work with great perseverance,
and energy. 1t will be good sense and good
manners for the press and the people from this
time on TO help instead of hinderng them.