New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-04-08
RROOKLYN'S NEW MAYOR
AN INTERESTING CHAT WITH CHARLES
A. SCHIERBN.

a. SCHIERbN.
HE IS NOT IN POLITICS FOR LOVE OF Pun
nrp.prvrxTs AND CIVIL sERvICE-C1TY
IMPROVEMENTS AND FINANCEs-MUCH
WORK PLANNED AND SOME ABUSES
TO BE REMEDIED.
coorva Washington with his faded face ana as
ordered uniform standing in the Prov OF 'he "''I1
yowboat which some OF his faithful ioIo"ei
steering carefully to avoid the huge CAKES u "o"
ing ice is a picture of the hrst rlo''"'' -
fam,liar IN the general mass of citizens anu Hio'
ohoractertstic of the qualities or a warrior anu
leader than many of the others that are N"'e -,
CONSPICUOUS places and which one seeS ,.o
en- time For instance in the ONCE OF Nh"'' -,
S.h,oron the Mavor Of Brooklyn. there is iu'-
length oil painting OF the Father oil MS ~
,,rressos one with the belief that the person
-onre.snted never drew a sword or fired shot' VI "
M did Il was a popgun ne hreu' anu -.
efficient in the art of fencing WIFI 10y ~,,,l.
onlv Nobody could suppose that ne was 800,
.yen much less a successful revoluuohar! ie
r,,., q, ,,os on account of the artist, or the
,ran who gave the artist the order, or the suo'
itself that this striking divergence Ho'" INV
inal is made to appear let ne WHO se'' ~,
hut the fact remains that this portrait - ~
more like that of the man "crosslhs 'le ,,,n
than the man who presdes over that once III WIZ
a. 90 hung Is like the patriot who held s"a! 'ie'
M TO within a few short months ago. Ioi nooUs'
DOODLE and the Democratic ring Ihere 10 ~
thing decent and businesslike ABOUT 'he ~
,here of tho Mace now You feel 1t as soon DIS
Won have reached the big fight OF maroie S'ep'
leading to the City Hall Your pathway Is no' III,
nedad nv political "heelers' and ploddlhg 4a~!
men, who believe that the taxpayers Vi '"0 ~
churches we're especially designed IN the e'oio'"I
NJ Providence to see that they shouiu never ~
for any of the good things of life while there was
n dollar in the treasury or "he'hei ''N-N 49,
dollar In the treasury or not 49,, l.,
The heads of departments at the present tiiHe Il.
the municipal government look upon tnis me-
ofice-holders and applicants Tor once III
light They look at it in serious hsht. lileY 'Oon
AZ e az responsible men willing TO shoulder anu
,.,u,no 70 sbirk responsibility. In the Mayors
Office from His Honor down, the servants OF lhe
peope are uniformly courteous nut ouslhes9l
and prompt. His secretary, {. !. DMoh' Hl''oNu''9
people who desire personally 10 see the Mayor, anu
holds converse with others regarding whose alia"'
no is empowered 10 express the Mayors oplloh
rhere are two assistant secretaries and young
woman typewriter and these four constitute 'hV
effective force for the disposal of immediate ceii
and other matters incident 10 'ha' WI"
They occupy a well-lighted room overlooking
(,,,v Hall park and openng from this is an inner
roor where His Honor sits. He cannot turn IN ms
chair to look out of the window without meeting
the firm gaze Of the great Beecher IN ms sta'ei!
and almost ma jestc pose upon the granite PeueS''i
nd
the sparke of a fountain Of pure water, to reHlhd
him ~ bv chance he should ever happen to forget
~ the qualitative designation by which he mas
nrom,sed that his two years of administration shai
no hereafter known and referred TO in the MS
tory of Kings County
POLITICS NOT IN THE MAYORS LINE
After some comments on the speeches OF Mr.
Cboate and other well-known Republicans at the
recent mass-meeting in Cooper Union at whch
no himself spoke to the effect that in city seek
ing the overthrow Of a political ring 1t was not
wise to refer slightngly TO Republicans VINO Vo'e'
for Mr. Cleveland. on the principle that you cdilo'
abuse a man and at the same time nope tha' he
will cooperate with you, Mayor Schieren said 'hat
he was really unused TO political Office and would
much prefer 10 be at his own business politics.
said he cor at least politics the term Is some
times understood is really not in my hne' put IL
by filling a political office or the Mayors chair II
Is meant that l should apply the same methoos
which have found adequate to the successiui con-
duct of a large private business then am a.
much Of a politician as any man TO whom the term
has been applied. In so far as circumstances VIII
\ allow me- intend to apply those methods 10 'he
u conduct of affairs in this great department. ana
wberever n deviation from this standpoint seems
evident pledge you that it will not be on account
If anv w-ful derelicton OF duty on my part what
ever else 1t may be-
And you will be Mayor again, surely suggested
the visitor.
don't want to be Mayor again, He dHS"Nit-
with a touch of warmth for am out of my Gle
ment in this place, as l said before and have re-
sponded merely TO the call Of patriotism ana dutS
in the hope that l might be an humble means u
an end in elevating the hopes and lettering II
aome degree however small the condition o
my fellow citizens.
As no finished these remarks he from hi
aeat and advancing to the other end Of the room
shook hands with man. saying as he ana so
GOOD morning, Mr.. Commissioner The man wa
Frank SQuier. a Park Commissioner Cnroinng
big map he spread it out before the Mayor, ana IN
two men examined it carefully for some time. l
allowed the proposed route for the new boulevard
TO connect Highland Park with Prospect Park
"If YOU proceed on these lines" said the Mayor
indicating with sweep OF his niger wha' IL
meant you will wipe out whole lot OF houses
and n will make the work more costly still
but they are not much; they are sheds an
wooden houses at the best ana TINS IS an ora pla
that has been adopted" the Commissioner sug
~ do not care" reiterated the Mayor firmly
'''we must look to the interest OF the city ana
the taxpayers first and above all Just lay the pla
aside for the present, Mr.. Commissioner, and Wi
drive over there with you myself to-nofro" ID"
Commissioners Squier went away and the Mayo
came back and resumed his conversation with IN
.How have you found matters within your cor
krol during your brief tenure OF Once Mr. Mayor 9f
10 public office, and one OF such high resp0nslDii
Y as the chair b cdy at @ Eer
thing entirely new 10 me- for you are awa ar
I
publican party for the last thrty,four wears
never held a public Office of any kind As a matte
of fact, 1 never aspired 70 hold any public ofhc'
nor even 10 attain position OF prominence In IN
marty TO which | belong. largely for the reason.
suppose that my whole time was devoted TO IN
own business interests. 1t did not however, pr,
vent me from taking part In all active matters
connection with the party such as general war
work and also in the work such as that In whc
the Young Republican Club has been engaged
which do not hesitate TO say Is at this momer
one of the most effective Republican organization
in this city State. with its two thousand or MOI
members" 49,, $50 l., ,,.s, O.. .,
applications OF ofice-seekers?'
NO oFFICE-sEEKERs IN THIS CLUB
The Mayor regarded his questioner for mi
snent and then smiled pleasantly. 81 am going