Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-04-06

and whose retailefS were lI' NOl3l ut"'t''
that ever had existence close under the
protection Of law IL dehed and neutral
led the VERY laws il was expected % exc
cute. 10 held in reserve q force OF depu-
ties who appeared 10 have carte Blanche 20
bleed everybody. II laughed IN the face
Of public opinion, it sneered ut inycstlga-
ton. it triumphed over political opp0si-
ton And all this time a great commu-
nitv was well aware that u was helng
robbed and defed. Like q wealthy coward
who is backmalled the community put up
with the onOrmity rather than oppose II.
PUBLIC OPINION
in New York Is o diaused and uncertain
presence. 1t Is an atmosphere rather than
a moral force. Some shock must preclpi-
tate il in storm, and then 1t RACES Tor
awhile with violence.
Curious isn't IL that q wealthy common
wealth can have an abstract and airy con-
victiOn, a sort Of fOggy ETHEREAL conscience.
that has got to be organized up 20 the
point Of virtuous indignation, even IN It's
own behalf, by some kind of melOdramatlc
operation.
was talking the other day with we'll
known congressman from the West. who IS
here looking after tire Government emil
grant depot. He SAID 10 me. Opropos OF
something | had remarked about New
Works losing tie Worlds Fair: THE bot
tom fact is that tine country d0csn'trespect
New York as she should be respected. You
have talked through your representatives
and your papers a good deal about your
being the emporium and the metropolis.
NEW YoRK's sErITsuNFss.
1.-THE imperial metropolis Mr.. Dcpow
called her. and the commcrcial capital "a
the nation, about your wealth and power.
end facilities and population, but these
things do not make character. You didn't
saw ANYTHING about your ability o. govern
Yourself wisely. economically, and non
estly. You omitted to say that your wealth
and influence and population guaranteed
You against the worst elan rule that ever
cursed a city. You laid no stress on
the fact that Kew York as the me-
tropolis OF the nation, never IN ITS
selfshuoss regarded the nation for "a
moment and IN all presidential Glec-
tions hartered and betrayed tho national
cause for the county pcrquisites. lou
might have shown W. IF it were possible
that the wealth and influence centred ~
your great city. and that We're pur forward
as a plea for a Worlds Far were capable Of
running New York or II running It ~
too general a phrase, let me say capable OF
paving II. or cleaning IL, or Watering 1t.
10. sir New York Il not run by rs best
citizens but bv It's worst. and there was no
good reason why thenationw whom 1t mad an
option should consent 20 have these citl-
zens run q Worlds FAR
cuCAGO's yBTUOUs REWARD.
II struck me at tho time that tins argyll
ment left Chicago posing on parian mon
umont as "A mlk-whito lambof n munich
ralitv. and that the Worlds FAIR had been
given 10 her as the reward of virtue. a con-
clusiou that drops the whole matter INTO
the abyss of Wild western humor.
But there is this truth IN the arralgn-
mcnt that New York. which is run so
cially by its -Four Hundred, Is run politi-
cailv bv clan. At one end potential
wealth and responsibility boastng OF Che
Imperial Metropolis IN their back parlorS ;
ut the other unWlshcd and scarcely accil-
mated citizens running the city into their
own pockets,
DO YOU suppose that because the scab
has been pulled from the cancer IN the
Sherif's Office the disease viii be cut out
Don't yOu know that it is deeper than the
SheriG's Office. in the primaries and the
clan fastnessi That public opinion to be
of any avail ought 10 be a steady pressure,
and not an unexpected tornado that down
under this reformatory spasm IS press COM
petition and partisan riyalry-not % right
cous, infloxible sense OF public honesty.
THE SCHOOL DEPARTMENT.
Sincere reform would not stop at the
SherH's Office. It would be very apt 10
examine the school department. / am
morally convinced that the next tornado
Will blow in that direction. There has long
been a feeling that there i something
worth exploiting at the point whore ward
influence laps over upon state direction.
For several years past school scandals come
to the surface of journalism. and then mys-
teriously die out. There -. ] suspect. q
connecting wire between education and
the corner gin-mil. Why do / say ! sus-
pect, when 1t had been openly shown over
and over again!
New York has tradition that il buried
its ring some years ago, but almost every
New Yorker knows that 10 lett the tail
sticking out. The rats were driven IRON
the wainscoating into the cellar, that was
all.
PIANO sCHENE.
And this reminds me that during the
Tweed rfJimc there came 10 New FORK an
enterprising pianist. HIS name was HehiL
He seized the political situation ar glance,
rigged up q scheme with then prominent
piano manufacturer, and by diut If pound
inc a grand piano for several OF the Tam
many magnates got hold Of the men be
wanted and talked them over. lie pro-
posed 10 have q superintendent OF music
appointed at a salary Of $1,000 70 super
wise all tho music IN tho public schools
and buy all the pianos Of the atore-
said manufacturer Tho schcme came
perilOusly near TO contamination, ana was
frustrated by the merest hitch. Apmtlcu-
lar chieftain had tOmake the finaldecision,
and be kicked against the manufacturer
receiving ANYTHING but cost price for the
pianos. "Wherc Is the byes ID come IN
on this deal?" said he. you GIT the plan-
ners into the schools ahead OF all the other
manner gang. Amt that enuf for yOu
Saw we don't want no Planners IN der
schools. less it pays. See ] stand n wld
der byes and don't You forget IT. Nehli
tod ne this himself
MORAL vAroEING.
recall this now that the same mans
name is figuring uniayOrably IN the Suefl
row. But he Is able t. buy his own grand
piano now. and was one Of tho later gang
who expected 10 make pot Of money out
Of the Worlds FAR.
What amaZes me when ! think OF u Is
that all the vital, conservative, and honest
desires of such q community a. this wOrh
themselves of in kind Of moral vapOrlng.
/ went the other night TO a Belamy club Oh
Lexington avenue. There was present a
most extraordinary assemblage or well
meaning and respectable citizens, VINO
wanted things regenerated on the
planet generally. and in New York particu-
larry. They read papers on future reform
and advocated paternal government that
would save people from tho trouble OF being
successful and happy by apportioplng sue
cess and happiness out TO them. Iney ap'
peared 10 think that the more they gave
. the Government TO do the less they would
have to suffer. And here they We're under
the blighting effects of a city government
in which they took no sort Of interest.
THEORETICAL sTArEsMEN.
I could not help thinking how much bet
ter OF we should all be ii these theOrizing
gentlemen would 60 10 the primaries and
take practical hand in running New lora
instead of lnvcnting theories on govern
mental salvation.
New York is hOney-combed with societies
for the Improvement of mankind. But the
Improvement of New York is left TO the
one society that calls itself Tammany
Here is feudalism glazing at polltlca
liberty from a castle. and letting down II
drawbridge every time the chleftain call
for "A municipal fOTay.
/ 90 about considerably and am apt e
know what the genteel world Of New YORK
is talking about. Do you suppose II Is dls
cussing its local robbers or its mumcipa
disgrace at this time? Far from II. IL 4
discussing Patti and Jenness Miller. Shai