New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-08-25
CITY GOTERNMENT IN AUGUST

CITY GOTERNMENT IN ACGCSL
II would be a righteous retrbution if every
member of the Board of Aldermen who voted
for the trolley in the upper part OF the city
were to be transported with his family to an
abiding place right by the side of the trolley
lines. lie would then come in direct contact
with the dangers to children and adults alike
that must inevitably result from this menacing
system of Transportation. His children would
be in hourly hazard from the trolley car and
from the trolley wires lie and his wife and
his friends, in passing to and fro from their
homes, would incur the risk of life and limb
which must inevitably attend the use OF the
trolley. Their days would be days OF danger
rather than of pleasantness, and their paths
would be paths of peril and not of peace. Our
Tammany friends, who arc in so complete con-
troll of the city government, are displaying an
audacious disregard Of public opinion and CON
temptuous defiance of public convenience that
have gone further than is usually the rule even
with Tammany Hall.
The work of repaving parts of the city, which
is under the charge of the Tammany Depart
nent of Public Works, has been carried on in
an extremely listless, careless and Objectionable
manner. 1t is the duty of the department to
bility that they shall handle their work in
manner least embarrassing and obstructive to
business and to individual rights These con-
tractors have been guilty OF inexcuSable delay
and of the grOssest careles>leSS IN two such
crowded streets as COrtlandt and Liberty,
through which great thrOnGs pass throughout
the day on the way TO and fro from the Penn
svlvania Ferry and that of the New Jersey
Central Railroad. In other branches OF the
Department of Public Works there are plent-
full signs of careless and inefficient manage
ment and lack of proper supervision. 20, IN
the Dock Department, keen observer OF the
manner in which its operations are conducted
will find plenty of opportunity for criticism.
In the Bureau of Buildings the laws are laXly
enforced and hotels are not required to com
ply with the requirements OF the statutes as
to fre-escapes and as to the safety OF their
guests Recent transfers and changes, trials
and investigations in the Police Department
indicate that, while progress may possibly be
mailing in the right direction, the department
is not as efficient and as thoroughly disciplined
rs if ought to be. The existence of scores of
pernicous poolrooms in all parts of the city
that are working most serious evil and dam
age that are co,rupting both young men and
Old that are prolific of breaches of trust
of embellishments and of thefts, is constant
daily arragnment of the Tammany District
At rney's Office and Of the Tammany Police
Department. 1t is certain that if the District
Attorneys office and the Police Department
were to unite in an earnest and vigorous effort
to secure legal evidence against these pool
rooms such evidence could be secured, and
these places could be closed up; and it is per
fectly clear that there is no honest INTENTION
either in the District-Attorney's Office or in
the Police Department, TO interfere with the
| poolro0ms while these rooms can be made so
rich a source of campaign assessments for the
benefit of Tammany Hall candidates in the
coming election.
! The annual humbug of comparatively low
tax-rate upon an excessively advanced valua
ton has just been put before the public. Tam
manv's defence to all charges OF mlsgovernment
in the metropolis is to cry Look at the low
tax-rates see how chcaply we are carrying on
the syst IN of municipal administration" Mean
while. from the head of the city government
70 the bottom of the municipal pay rolls, COM
missoncrs and deputies, clerks and employees
of all sorts have been enjoying life this summer
with long and frequent absences from their
u SITS Of duty, and with the evident determine
tion on the part of them all to get along with
as little genuine hard work for the benefit OF
the city as they can well do Tammany feels
that. even if it did not succeed in nominating
its candidate for President at Chicago, 1t has
a secure hold upon the city government, with
IFS immense list of extravagant salaries and Fat
Offices. The members Of Tammany Hall who
are occupying places paid for out of the money
Of the taxpayers are having better time now
than in any previous year. They feel placid
comfortable and contentcd. They look upon
the people of NewYork as the easiest and most
mdulgent of taSkmastcrs. They arc subjected
t, very little severe and pointed criticism, and
no shadow OF evil days in local politics appears
upon their path 1t is a wonderfully easy going
city. this Ncw-York Of ours, and it bears every
sort Of cXaction, imposition, burden and abuse
with smiling resignation, from death dealing
trolleys to conscicncclcss Tammany Aldermen.
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TEACH THE TOThES ROW TO T0TE.