The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1891-10-22
The Bronze Face of DR.. Greeley.

Yesterday the fine. intelligent counte-
nance OF the statue at the Iribune's front
door wore an expression which made many
wayfarers wonder II the Doctor had the
stomach ache. We are ablo to announce
that the too-apparent distress OF the vener-
ated efligy was due to no physical disturb
ance. The anguish was purely moral. and
it was occasioned by the recent perusal OF
the subjoined passage from an editorial ar
ticle in that mornings number Of the news
paper which he founded:
"our excellent contemporary. THE sus. desires to
say that the interest the city debt Is not ON ordinary
expenditure and that in ascertaining the per capita
cost Of conducting the city Government the figures OF
the police should be accepted. We cannot say
either Of these things"
II our esteemed neighbor will excuse us
for pressing an inconvenient although per-
fectly proper question. We must remind 1t
that THE SUN has desired tho Tribune to
say neither Of these things. 1t might say
either Of them with credit to its sincerity.
but the question addressed by US to the
Tribune, with q request for square and
direct answer. was this, and this only:
where and how does tho Tribune obtain
the figures $3.50 as the annual sum drawn
from the pockets Of every man. woman,
and child in the city's population for the
ordinary purposes Of Administrations
That Is the information which We desired
to obtain from our esteemed neighbor. That
Is the only question we asked it. The Trib-
.,se will find no other Interrogation point In
any Of our remarks on its assertion. 1t has
alleged certain figures as the annual tax per
capita upon the inhabitants OF New York
Before proceeding to discuss the question
whether the alleged per capita tax is wick.
eddy extravagant or not, or whether 1t ID the
result Of Tammany rule. We want to know
and we think we have right to know. upon
what authority the Tribune bases its state.
ment that 1.-The annual sum OF $3.50 is
drawn from the pockets OF every man
woman. and child of the city's population
for the ordinary purposes OF administra
tion.' The sum stated Is definite. The fig
ures must have been either derived by the
Tribune from some authoritative record OF
reached by it by some definite process Of
computation. We therefore repeat oul
question: How or where does the Iribun,
obtain the figures $3.50 as the annual pei
capita tax In this town."
This Is what the bronze DR.. GREELEY
would like to know also. OF all me1
that ever lived in New York that philoso
pher was perhaps the greatest stickler fol
absolute honesty in dealing with statistics
He would tolerate no monkeying with the
figures. We cannot accept our ncighbor't
theory that the expression OF pain ant
anxiety which has been observed for sev
eral days past upon the statue 8 face Is duo tx
the apprehension that ROSWELL P. FLowEl
and not JACOB SLoAT FAssETT is likely tt
get into the Governors chair. We believe
on the contrary. that the statue would
rather SEQ FLOWER at Albany and PLATr ir
Halifax and FAssHTT in Heidelberg or any
other place beginning with II, than have Il
| said that the New York Tribune had beer
convicted Of using fraudulent statistics FOL
campaign purposes. and then avoiding ,
frank confession Of Its error.