New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-11-13
DOCK DEPARTMENT DISCLOSURES.

The general effect of the disclosures concern
ing the Dock Department must be to create inc
conviction that great deal more remains W
be told. There have been rumors to the ais
credit of this branch of the city government
in circulation for years past, but they have not
made much impression on the pubic mlnu'
partly because, 10 their own shame ana INJURY
the citizens of Newly ork have lost the haoiU
of watching their own affairs vigiEantly' ana
patly because the system of dock management
enioined or permitted by legislation is system
If mystery and concealment. The present IN
vestipation is doubly important in that 1t may
result not only in bringing rascahty TO lgh1'
but in the introduction of radically dileieht
methods of administration, under which the
city will have some sort of guarantee Of honest
service.
Thus far the inquiry has disclosed bogus
lessee. a bribe- giver, a bribe-taker, two worth
less sureties ridiculous if not, at some point
o. collusiye differentiation, an ignorant and
worthless secretary, twelve irresponsible ana
unmatched dockmasters, three commissioners
who evidently did not know, ard apparently
did not care, whether or not the city was chedu-
cd by their negligence, and a general system
If maladministratOn which would inevitably
wreck q private business in short order. we
have no idea that the present Dock Commas
sioners have made any direct peouniaiy prom
ont of their own delinquency. But we thihN
they will find it hard to deny that they nave
profited in the items of unearned saianeS, OIL
ease. of leisure for the pleasures OF lie ana
time for remunerative operations Of private
character. They are commonly assumed to have
done deliberately nothing that they perceived to
be wrong but they have failed, as most Guy OIL
Gals fail to comprehend what the pubhc mas
right to demand of its servants. 1t IS the
same old story of neglect and lndli1 erence' OF
a total lack of pride in doing public work well
Of confidence in popular apathy or contempt OF
popular resentment A majority Of the Com
missioners--two constitute maJorlty-are men
whom their friends and the community in gen.
eral are accustomed to think of as upright, ELI
Gent, highminded citizens. They must be aware
if they will stop to think, that no man in private
business whose heart was not set on bankruptcy
would tolerate for single day such indifference
10 his interests as they have displayed to tho
interests of the city. If they do not know this
then thew are victims of that strange disability
of mind and conscience which almost invariably
aficts municipal officeholders.
The Commissioners of Accounts promise many
startling exposures to come. They are charged
with feeling certain degree Of exultatlOn when
they make this promise-we believe unjustly
But the people care very little whether politics
are involved or not. They want to see the
probe driven deep into this scandal. If any
man whose conscience is clear is nevertheless
timorous, and breads the effect upon his party
or his faction, he can console himself with the
reflection that the election is over and that this
is therefore particularly favorable time fol
housecleaning If any man whose conscience
is not clear is in a tiutter we hope the Com
missioners of Accounts may be able to get him
| on the witness stand.