New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-12-04
THE pLTM CROP.

The plum crop is in danger. The cold snap
NJ last Election Day has fallen on u IKE
deadly blight Only heroic efforts on the part
of those who hope to subsist In future on pi"iiiS
can save anything like a good supply 10 SATISFY
tbcir wants There is daily increasing posi-
bility that many gentlemen Of most luxurlous
and exauisites tastes will be compelled to go
entirely without refrcshncnt from the public
,oble mr. content themselves as best they can
with political bread and butter, and even obtain
that with the sweat OF their brows An era OF
plain living and perhaps high thinking appears
70 he dawning for the oficcholder. Pllims are
not popular with the people just now.
The Iong-continued living on high fare has so
undermined the constitutions Of the greater num-
nor Of the Tau,many officials that they have for
gotten that plain food and healthful exercise
are at all possjble. Most Of them canning
what plums they happen to have on hand and
Manning to exc out as comfortable an exist
cnce as possible until the arrival Of another
abundant crop The most noticeable exception
n this rule is that Of Mr.. Ferdinand Levy, who
for some time past has presided over the dis
,ribu,ion OF plums in the Registers office and
performed that function with generous mana
which commended him to the good will OF the
frult-loving boys. All his plums were ripe ann
Juicy The boys did not have to climb trees or
work hard to obtain them. They Just went
around on pay day with empty baskets anu
went away with full ones. And. like other bad
BOYS. they were quite ready with impudent an
swers for all who asked questions That. nj
least. Is the condition implied by Mr.. L'vys
statement Of his future policy Many OF the
.employes here seem 10 think that their CHIEF
..tufv * 10 come 10 the office and draw their
"solarics I propose to remove this impression.
.,vs the Register. and he adds: Political pulls
won't 90 any longer and will see. too. that
every man In this office Is polite 10 all visitors
There have been many complaints OF rudeness
con the mart Of employees here but don't think
there Will be- any reason 10 complain III future.
Hereafter the boys in the Registers office VIII
do a full days work from a. m 10 u p. M ana
Il is announced that there viii be no further
distribution OF plums. Mr.. Levy has evidently
learned the lesson taught by the election OF
Colonel Strong However lavish his previous
bcstowal OF sweets. he realizes that they are
no longer TO be on the city bill OF fare ana he
proposes TO keep up with the times.
There Is another set Of boys who should learn
the same lesson. They are laboring under the
Impression that the free gift business Is to he
continued. only the Christmas tree Il for an
other school and the plums and popcorn are TO
MI the pockets Of children who toot the Kepuo
llcan horn. They have supreme contempt Tor
reformers and say frankly that II they can help
IL the Republican party Is not going to relin
oulsh any of the spells OF victory for purely
sentimental reasons They did not join the
school for sentiment or 10 learn morals and re-
ligion The object OF the attendance was to
drive away the other boys from the tree and
gather the plums for themselves. Conse
uucntly. they object very decidedly 10 any
dIminuton in the fruit supply. One OF their
Spokesman says that an otiiceholdcr Is not "A
wageearncr He receives his salary for hold
Ing his office, not for the work he does. and ne
is entitled To It whether he works or not. This
Il proved by the fact that men have drawn
salaries when they have spent whole year in
Jail you cannot" exclaims the boy. get the
same amount OF work out Of public place
holder that you can out Of a wage-earner in
private business enterprise, for the same rela
"tionshp of employer and employed doesn't ex-
list" Perhaps II does not. But the average
voter Is not inclined TO look ut ofiiceholding In
that light. He cares no more for Republicans
than for Democrats who take his money for
services they do not perform.