New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-05-08

easily got at. easily kept watch upon, The real
business of Tammany Police Justice is 10 see to
1t that an effective hold on this element OF voters
is maintained by means of the maelsterlal au-
thority imposed in a iudiclOus admiXture oil pen
alties and clemencies. by employing mercy as
bride and punishment club.
In composing the Board of Police Justices lam
many makes the same fcint at dccency which is
observable in the constitution Of many city com
missions. 4 small and wholly Intellectual minority
OF the Board is. In way, rcspectaolc; ah1.mt i
part is as it were, passivey bad. When Koch
was appointed, for example, one of his colleagues
on the list was Charles E. Smms, lr a young I!
lawyer who had been one Of Mr.. Nlcolls assist
ants in the Dstrct-Attorncys Office, ana wiuse
record there exceedingly good; >lmms mas
conducted himself well on the bench Tic Is the
sort Of man who would do whatever duty psf in
his way honestly and ably Surrounded by men
similarly minded. he would be- an active and ener-
gctic agent of good government But he is that
kind Of good man who is willing to hold OiiC,
az the hands of bad men and with bad mon rs his
colleagues, and he puts his disgust along with his
salary into his pocket and waits for better days
With him and Koch were appointed two other
men, one of the sort that may be cal led "passively
bad" and another who is just passive. William
H. Burke has never been arrested or indicted.
lie is Tammany district leader, and Tammany
district leader is n man who gets votes OF cleo
ton day and provides for the district gang he
tween times. How he gets votes is, Of course.
not TO he told in a sentence. He gets them the
Lest way he can hut he either gets them or he gets
out. He must be friendly to the ,barrooms and
other resorts where votes 90 for the purpose of
being got, and he must handle the money allotted
TO his district 1t does not need TO b. said that
Tammany does not scrutinizc accounts until after
II has scrutinized returns, and then only TO dlS,
cover why the investment has produced so small
a result The least consideration of the functions
of q Tammany district leader Is enough TO snow
that they are wholly inconsistent with the proper
performance Of the duties of Police Justice
that, indeed, they render such performance I'M
possible.
Thus is that body composed whose minis
trations primarily depends the moral health of
the city; In it sit drunkarls and makers OF
nj, dc. h. ala hr
clutches of the lay through loophoess
and by having oopholcs especially eon n,,insi
TO enable them to escape; men whose ofncai
conduct Grand Juries are compelled 10 arralgn
as blockade and subversion Of justice; men
who have no other business than that Of running
a section of the political machine, OF paying
court 10 liquor stores and houses OF ll-repuc ana
gambling "dens.' These are the graduates OF
vice before whom the honest must ask justice
against the vicious. TO whom misfortune must
plead and of whom misery must ask rehcl.
They are the gifts OF Mr. Ur93HtG n IN RANK 10
his subjugatcd town. How long can such condi-
tons be endured? 49,
Tammany's policy of giving the public a, sort
of moral antidote after choking down its throat
something especially foul and noXious in the way
of an appointment was illustrated in the creation
ago He appointed the assassin ana CO, collector .o
Of thank offerings Scannell TO the fun term
of elk years in the Fire pepartmePt mad va Tben
he transferred Henry Winthrop Gray from thS
PARK Department to fill Scannells uneXplreo
term of two years Mr. GRAY Is man , OF ZOO LOO
wEO thankfully accept favors from Iamlnany anu
who manage 70 keep their r,spectabll;ty so lar
in the back ground as to render II ana mem ~
offensive TO 1ammany and unservlceaoie 10 tn" |
public. Mr.. Gray must he presumed TO know
the history of Scannelrs dastardly crime pui he
finds no difficulty in sitting with Scannell IN |
public body, and he actually aided IN cec.lhht ,
him TO the presidency of il. The thiId member
of the commission is Anhony EeShot, a Ors
OF honor and power. Bossship has never iiiiic'e"
Oh New.YcrI q darker disgrace. .o.. no.,
The Fire Department has been Tor Years a con
Quoted on something like business principles as
non partisan establishment made up oil 'raihci
and experienced men, holding their places as long
as they performed faithful service How II Is 70
recent dismissal Of physician iii tie Eoard en-,
ployment because, Scannel said with brutal
man lie Went 10 great pains to make it clear
that the doctor had done no wrong. hnt. on me
contrary had been pa Pmr ra''n Pen Mhe
lean. said Scannell, "and we must have your
place" Mr.. Gray. with his knckerbocker AMI
Century Club affiliations aids TO make this man
his superior officer anC the voice ana rlght mana OF
the commission.
The significance of such step is plain on the
face of IT, The Fire Department is to become as
mcnt Of the city government. The employees OF
it are TO become ward workers first and iiremen
afterward They are to be made TO understand
that the salaries they receive from the city are
given primarily for political services rendered 10
Tammany Hall at election times and incidentally
for their work in defending the city from fire. II
is part and parcc, OF the grand schem" Of political
rewards and puniShments. Scannel is selected
20 DO the business because he is firm and tough.
because public clamOr will not Brighten him or the
injury done TO honest and deserving people move
him. He will supply the poNtics OF the depart
ment. while Mr.. Gray supplies the respectability
and interposes his reputation TO deceive the public
into the belief that things are going along fairly
and honestly.