New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-03-02

There is a curious coincidence in recent
events the failure to secure the World ar
for New-YorlS, the transfer of the Police Board
TO partisan control, and the official admission
that clean streets in New-Iork under the party
now in power are impossible. Why should TINS
city expect to be selected as the site OF Ma
tonal Exposition if it is incompetent to clean
its streets? Why should it be selected II 1t
suffers even its police organization to be trans
formed into partisan machine? 1t matters
not whether any other city can present better
record, less plrtisanShip or cleaner streets. IL
New \ Ork must confess proved incompetence
in some of the most necessary functions Oh
everyday self government, what reason mas IL
to claim competence for one OF the largest anu
most difficult tasks, outside the ordinary cA-
pericncc of governing bodies, ever undertaken
by tho people of any city?
These questions are more pertinent IMAM
many people arc willing to admit with proper
public spirit animatins its many able ana
wealthy men. and welding together its vast body
of citizens and workers into one potent force
Newly could do wonders. But with such
nublic spirit would the police be partisan? With
it. would the streets be filthy? ii the VIII to
most necessary duties of citizenship, can it be
supposed to be here for great National under
taking, in which pride rather than self-protcc-
ton or sclf-interest would be involved?
When people of Ncw-Yorl awake from Their
sumbers and begin to govern themselves a.
they ought, they Will surely not long tolerate
a surrender of public safety and public welfare
to the clamors OF politicians for places III when
TO get pay from the public purse for their foi-
lowers. The difficulty in the Street Cleaning
Department is political; the Official charged
with that duty is never allowed to hire men
as he sees fit, or TO discharge men who are hoo
efficient or to select the most competent men
of either party for associates and subordlnatcS'
or to pay such wages as free and open marke,
NAV fix lie must listen 10 the whispers OF
political leaders and managers who want TINS
or that man put on the payroll. lie must Sc
lect subordinates who will consent to sacrifice
their own regulations by trying to clean streets
with a political machine. As yet, the police
force has not become equally demoralized But
the transfer of power in the Board shows what
is intended The experience of the older New
Workers will remind them what partisan po-
lice is likely to become.
Nobody need be told that all this would nave
been prevented if the good citizens OF New
York had been caring for the public interest
in any true sense 1t would have been impos-
sible some time ago, in that case, to elect u
Mayor capable of prefcrring partisan to public
interests. 1t would have been impossible to
induce any party to outrage public opinion by
such behavior rs has been seen in these two de-
partments Of the public service and in others.
Because voters themselves care less for the
welfare of the city than they care for the sue
cess of a corrupt party these things are pos
sble The more ignorant portion OF the voters
are not those upon whom the responsibility
chiefly falls. The intelligent and wealthy peo-
pie who have property TO protect and means OF
knowing day by day what is going on-lf they
neglect all public interests because they are too
busy in getting money to exert any political IN
fuoncc, or because they care more for party
than for the public what can be expected OF
men who have less al stake or less intelligence
10 guide them? If the city is not crcdi'ably
governed, if its civic administration is growing
less faithful to the public welfare. the chief re-
sponsibilty does not rest with those who ig-
norantly crowd primary meetings and swell
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