New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-02-16


| md ton HAVING been born in salem, Mass, In the
summer Of 1890 Ills family was one OF those
| identified with the early growth OF Ncw-tnplhd
| institutions. and ne was the Youngest oil hNe
| b-o,I,cr. Each in turn served a carrier ; route
for q salem newspaper lie followed TIE bnSl-
moss from the age of ten until ne was fifteen, ami
,hcn learned a trade. Later lie went SCUM an"
engaged in business, afterward returning t. N'''"
where he lived until 1853. lie server
his native town in various o'"'i'l
canocities. and was at one time acuhs
Mayor At tie age Of forty-thrce he remover
70 BROOKLYN and in partnership with ms p'o''e.'
| Reuben W. Ropes engaged IN the South Amer
| can trade in New-Yorll IN which they arc sun
| Interested .....,,,.,.r
MIR. ROPES AND THE KIFoRN MOVEMENT
T. 1870 when 70 reform movement hrs'
| caincd Roadway in Brooklyn. Mr. Ropes was III
| duccd by his fellow Republicans oil INC f"9'
Ward TO become their candidai" i'r AIderi''"'
| lie gave close attention 10 public AFFAIRS anu as
| REGARDED party lines. believing That muhl''p"
| matter, should be settled without s'rc' aU'I"'n
70 partisanship. lis course 80 c"nn'h''' I7''.
70 both parties that he was reelected M''"'''
a,,,os;,;or in 1874. AZ that time the Aldermen
| also served as Supervisors. ami DE- wa, "'"'L'''
| into direct contact with coluly ~ well as clN
az
orhl.,n cardida,c for Controller but was de-
| lcatcd by William Burrch So the close OF MS
second term in tie Common Council IN that wear
| resolution W., offered Ly Dcna, Strong. when
| c.nrcsscd in AN emphatic manner thc esteem ana
| annexation Of his associates for his worn
In 1877 Governor Lucius Robinson appointed
Mfr Ropes a member Of tie State E~ard Of tom
mis,,oncrs Of Public Charities T." III an uh-
! c>p,rcd term. and he was subsequently app'lh'u
| for fun term hy Governor 'oln'l
| IN 1851 II was IN this POSITION '""'
| he WAS enabled 10 do much good work Tor hiiSS
| Comfy. He found the vicious and degrading
system Of outdoor relief IN fall blast Inc bo'rd
| Of Ultimate SCI apart 100000 annually To re-
| Uevc the necessities of the poor. Inc city was
| divided into four districts, each with bureau
| of clerks and visitors, who drew - daS the
vcor round. although they worked only seventy
| DAYS The system was rapidly paupcrHing the
community. and most Of the provisions ana coal
went 10 those who lid not need them
| Mr. Ropes went before the Board OF Estimate
| and had our-half of the amount that had been
before appropriated stricken of IN one year, agree
,u, ia brcouc r., ponslb If any difficulty arose,
| and the following year had the remaining S"o."oO
stricken from the appropriations, and the vicious
| system was abolished In tive years the sum
| Of 500 900 had been expended nccdcNslN. In
| this matter alone al least ~ $4,000 has been
| s,ved +, fine ttApavcrs Of Kings County IN the
| last twelve years by Mr. Ropess action. IN
other counties Of the State unsuccessful Efforts
have been made to break up the same pauper-
ling system but only Mr.. Ropes has thus far
succeeded
| ABUSES IL COUNTY AFFAIRS REMOVED
| lie also accomplished much III the way OF re-
| form i'm the care of the county charges III inc
almshousc charity hospital, and county insane
as,.lum Under the old Board of seven Commits
| sioncrs large sums of money were spuandcred ana
the inmates of the institutions were subjected
ia outrageous and abusive treatment. Mr.. Ropes
| tbrcv LIGHT upon the actions Of the
| Commissioners so effectively that their
very name, became a reproach IN the community.
| The number Of Commissioners was reduced 10
three by re" law, ana lhriI appointment was
| vested in the Supcr1 Isor-al-l@fHc. Inc men
| auilty Of corrupt and Illegal practices were IN
| dIctcd and brought t. trial, OuI escaped punish
i;v Inc rrforu methods the expenses Of main
| taiuInp the charitable work OF the county were
reduced by onc-haf, and for thc money spent
| "A full equivalent was rendered. Mr. Ropes has
not ceased his interest ~ the unfortunate IN
mates of the county Institutions, and exercises
a careful supervision over them. III lhc MONDAY
season they remembered by ghtS oil run ana
| confectionery Ills term as State Charities Com
missioner expired last ycar. but Governor Hill
has not appointed his successor, although ne has
expressed desire 10 DC nellcNcu rum 'hc uuucs
Of tie office.
In 1881 Mr.. Ropes was nominated as the
citizens candidate for Mayor Of brooklyn at a
mass-mecting in the Rink. nj which Mr.. i|ecchcr
made a stirring speech, and he accepted. The
Young Republican Club of which Seth Low was
a member, assured him Of its support But the
efforts made 10 induce the Republican nominating
convention to make Mr.. Ropes its candidate
failed and General Tracy was nominated by IT,
There were likewise two Democratic candidates
in the field Efforts were made to bring about
| "A union OF the Republicans and those who sought
| non partisanship in municipal Affairs. Mr.. Ropes
succeeded in inducing Mr.. Low 10 consent To be
come the candidate if both Inc and General Tracy
| withdrew. Then AT meeting Of his supporters
| in the Academy of Music Mr. Ropes
| withdrew his own name and presented that Of
| Mr. Low, and General Tracy did the same at the
Republican City Convention The result was a