New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-01-06

The Mayor OF New Ork was eNIucH'I III d
cheerful frame of mind when he put ms name
10 his annual message. As he casts a buoyaht
and limpid glance around over the various
municinal DEPARTMENTS his heart expands with
satisfaction. since he sees the fat kInc oil am
many browsing Oh the Sncculent hcrbd4o OF
patronage on every side, while the lean kline
of the County Democracy, with hollow Hanks
and wistful ewes gaze with ineXprcsSiblc long
ings from afar of beyond the barred gates ana
without even "A tiny cud 10 chew, contemplate
with horror and despair the seven years Tor
more) of famine which they are doomed TO
suffer. s. sturdy 1ammany partisan as the
Mayor naturally finds little to crticiNc or con
denim in the municipal service 50 long rs 1t Is
used 10 swell the revenues ana enlarge inc
prosperity OF the faithful followers of the WIG
wam Even the unSpeakable Bca'ue mis- MN
with hope. lie expects Bcattic 70 accomplish
great things with his increased appropriation
No doubt l}eat.ie will accomplish great things
for 1ammany.
II seems to the Mayor a subject of pride and
CONCENTRATION that the rate of taxation Tor
1890 was l97 per cent II j. twc that III the
Tweed DAYS, and even since then. considerably
higher rates Il taxation have been known IN
this town. But Boston succeeds in carrying on
its affairs with tax-ratc of les, than Lao, and
Boston is better governed. rs a rule, than New
York is. Boston has not the control Of 81
enormously valuable franchises rs Ncw-lorl
has and Boston has public library to sup
port Ncw-l York has no great library nam
tanned at public expense although few II any
cities need one so much. However, while tins
metropolis continues 10 be the loot Of the I'M
educated hordcS OF Tammany, she Is not likely
10 get a great public library sustained by the
city. nor a satisfactory superntendcnN OF her
schools But even II she has no such library
and has a Superintendent OF schools IN SYM
pathy with Tammany Hall, She has some re-
markable features that no other great capital
can match She has patched, botchcd and
broken system OF pavemcnts. in which il-lald
blocks of stone vie III damage and injury with
lev and ephemcra asphalt. She has the cool
est and most impcrturbabe failure aS a Street
Cleaning Commissioner that the world has yet
seen. She has the largest army OF oycipaid
and underworkcd political mcrcenaricS quoted
upon her payrols that the circle Of the globe
can show. She has the hiShcSt-priccd SyS-
TEN of police courts, differed and headed by
the most incapable lot of partisan pensioners
that any civilized country can be ashamed of.
She has many other faults, defects and abuses
for which her respectable citizens are COM
pcle'l to blush.
But all these vices turn to virtues in the
ken of our Tammany Mayor. If You look
through his spectaclcS You will discover that
Newly DIRK under Tammany rule is in fair
way Of becoming new Eden. And yet, as
Mordccai sitting ut the gate brought bitterness
to the heart Of the naughty Ilaman, the Tam
many Major of the Palace in his day, so the
head official Of the Tammany court of to-day
feels ycXatlon in his soul that there still re-
mains one part of the city government in which
his faction does not control the patronage. The
Aaueduct Commission is still out of Tammany
hands so the Mayor wants the Legislature
to abolish the Aqucduct Commission and turn
all is affairs over 10 the Tammany Depart
ment Of Public Works. II is not probable that
the Legislature will consent to do the people
Of New York 50 grlevOuS an injury. The De
partment OF Public Works has already more
duties than it can fulfil properly or does fulfil
Let the Aqueduct Commission alone.
It has been doing much Soundcr ard better
NNIh lll'lI MUM VI Ahh' h'H' ~ NV lNDdIl-
mcnt Of Public Works, and Mr.. GiIroyS de-
partmcnt i, excessively mWicdy a. il is. The
Legislature would be u unWise to abolish the
Aqucduct Commission * il would hc 10 take
any steps toward Carrying ont the Mayor wild
and fantastic scheme OF removing the public
institutions from Blacltwcl's Island. a scheme
that would involve an-appalling outlay.
OF course the message touches upon rapid
transit. The Legislature ought 10 act prompt