New-York tribune., 1891-12-31
CB4pTN and BOODI.

CH1PIN AM DOODi'
To-day Alfred C. Chapin's second term as
Nayor of Brooklyn comes to an end, and TO-
morrow David A. Body will assume ONCE as
his Successor. Ii must be admitted, even by
Mr.. Chapns friends and admirers, that the lat
ters four years service as Mayor ends lnSIon-
ously. The promise with which Mr.. Chapin
started on his career as Chief Magistrate oil
BROOKLYN has come far short OF being fulhllcd.
II was known, of course, four years ago that he
had been the candidate of the Mclaughlin Ring,
without which his nomination or election would
have been wholly out of the question, but by
reason of his high character and the integrity
which he had displayed in other Offices that ne
had filed it was hoped he would at least snow
some independence of the ring influence anu
strive to give the city clean wholesome honor
able administration
To show in how small degree that reasC nable
expectation has been met it is only necessary to
advert to the waterwOrks scandal, which hegan
to attract attention just year ago and resulted
so disastrously to Mayor Chapins reputation
How disastrously may be judged from the fact
that, although he begged for a denomination in
order that he might vindicate himself, the Dem
ocratc managers resolutely denied 1t to him !;
permitting him, however to run for Congress III
an overwhelmingly Democratic district, where his
candidacy reduced the normal party majority OF
over 5000 TO less than half that figure. 70
crown it all after his election to Congress by a
plurality that under the circumstances can truth
fully be termed beggarly, Mr.. Chaplin refused to
resign from the Maycralty in order to take his
seat in the House. preferring to follow the bad
example set by Governor II Jill, and to hold on to
two offices at the same tinie. Truly in his clse
it has been " the downward road to Congr s."
rs a Once-pOpular humorist called It,
Mr.. Chapin's neglect of his duties in some
respects has been marked, notably his habltua
failure to attend the meeting of the Supervisors
and the Bridge Trustees as an ex-ofiicio men,
ber His promises as TO pavementS clean streets,
low taxes, etc, etc. have not been kept, ana no
has, as a rule, preferred to consult the wishes
of an unscupulous political clique rather than
the welfare Of the community Of truth 1t
may be affirmed that Mr.. Chapin has put his
political future behind him.
And now as Brooklyn speeds the going guest
what may it expect of the coming one? In one
respect Mr.. Boody has made an excellent start.
He has retired from all his private business con-
tire time 30 the Mayors Office lie is man. as
Chaplin was, of unexccptionabe personal char
acter, and is credited with more than common
strength and sturdiness of purpose. Like Chapin,
however he was nominated and elected by the
Mclaughlin gang and, judging the future by
tho past he will not be free from the bad in
huences which brought Chapin to his undoing.
1t is to be hoped however that Mayor Boody
will show such nsolute independence, such in
flexible honesty, such thoughtful regard for the
welfare of the people at large, without regard to
party interests, that, despite the enmity oil NE
ring which he will be certain to incur, the people
two years hence may unanimously demand his
retention in Office for second term. That hope
will vanish into thin air if, as is currently re-
ported, he intends, at the behest of the "Old
Man" and "Shev," to retain in Office the heads
of departments bequeathed to him by the re-
firing Mayor There must b. a clean sweep
if brooklyn is to profit by the change of officials.
Mayor Body he's a splendid opportunity WIZ
he choose to improve it?