New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-07-19
AS Bad As HIS PARTY.

Mayor Chaplin, since MS elecuon W HIS pres
ent office, has traded successfully on his rcputa-
ton of being considerably better than his party.
He has proposed various schemes of public
works and financial policy, and has solicited
the aid of influential Republicans in securing
the co-operation of the Legislature. His vari-
GUS improvement bills would not have been
enacted If strenuous exertions had not been
put forth by philosophical Republicans to
counteract the opposition of the General Com
mittee. The appropriation of 100000 for
new parks and of 100000 for permanent
improvements in Prospect Park would not have
been secured without such assistance. The
scheme for the improvement of the Gowanus
Canal would not have received legislative sane
ton without similar aid. The Republican adj
yiSers who have been consulted by him have
been high minded men, who have discerned
the necessity for comprehensive policy based
upon the future growth Of Brooklyn, and have
not deemed it wise for their own party to OBJ
struct improvement schemes merely because
Democratic Mayor proposed them. Mayor
Chapin has gladly availed himself Of the SER
vices Of these advisers and effusivey expressed
his obligations to them. As soon, however,
the field is open for municipal expenditures on
a large scale, he has consulted with his party
managers and repudiated his personal obllga-
tons to his Republican advisers and the plain
est requirements Of good faith. Men like Nc
Laughlin and Shevlin have prudently remained
in the background when the Republican Legs-
lature is asked to sanction the Mayors am
bilious measures; but they loom up well in
front when appropriations are to be expended,
and insist upon having the work done in such
a way and under such supervision as to pro-
mote the political interests of the Democratic
party.
The moral Of Mayor Chapin's first term IS
that he is only better than his party In his pro-
fessions Of civic virtue when the Legislature is
approached and asked to arm him with add
tional powers for carrying out comprehensive
public policy. When the bills passed he is
not better than his party. His practice is on a
level with it's practice. He surrenders his lib
elty Of action in making appointments He
tells his Republican advisers that he would like
to be his own master, but that leaders like Nc
Laughin and Shevlin, whom he has Ostenta-
tiously affected to deSpise, control the nom
mating conventions and that he cannot afford
to hazard his political future by offering re-
sistance to them. He submits his lists of pro-
posed appointments to those leaders, and al
lows them to strike out names at their discre-
ton. When they tell him that he is Demo-
crat and must act like one, he thinks, not OF
the welfare of Brooklyn and the responsibilities
of his high office, but Of his own political future
and of his chances of being nominated as Gov
ernor Hills successor, and he is as submissive
and docilc as one of Shevlin's heelers when
there is some particularly dirty work to be done.
The people of Brooklyn ought to be reflect
ing earnestly upon these things, for Mayor
Chaplin is a candidate for denomination in the
approaching canvass. If they will look upon
the man as he really is they must perceive that
for all practical purposes he is not better than
his party, but merely a political dummy of the
Old Man and Shev." The improvement policy
which he has advocated is wise and compre-
hensive, but he cannot be depended upon to
carry it into effect independently of the dicta-
ton of an imperious political boss and the par
tisanship and jobbery of Shevlin's gang. A
Republican Mayor should be elected as his sue
,eSSOr