New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-04-01
BROOKLYN'S REDEMPTION.
AN INTERESTING TALK WITH ST CLAIR
MKELWAY


THE EDITOR OF THE EAGLE" SPEAKS WELL OF
THE NEW MUNICIPAL GovERNMENT-MAYo
scHIEREN HAS MADE SOME SLIGHT
MISTAKES. But RING RULE
HAS GONE FOREVER.
St. Clair McKelway, the Editor or The Brook
lyn Eagle" gave an interesting talk yesterday 10
a reporter Of The Tribune concerning the new ad-
ministration of Brooklyn's government, ana MS
opinion OF the effect Of the reform victory anu ..
the McKane convictions on the voting haDit Vi
the people. Mr. McKelway stipulated that ms views
should be considered as those OF an independent
not as those Of a partisan the latter view neihs
one he had not taken for long time ana one
which in local affairs he thought now had no 5000
in II for Brooklyn. either to explain Ia'e e''""
or TO hold the benefits of those events for inc po
nile The talk was free and suggestive, ana was as
follows:
.eTbe present administration" said he. us com
rose6 ~ honest novices Its mistakes are the vices
OF It's virtues The virtues are fundamenta'' Inc
errors are superficial. There have been Dl''huei'
No blunders however, have been duplicated Inc
ratio OF them has not increased All OF them are
attributable to political inexperience None OF 'ne
would have been committed by politicians foh'i-
cal experience be acquired. The Mayor anu ms
heads Of departments are acquiring IT, RAPE
enced politicians. however, while rarely ihahnS "0
mis-
slider policy as the best honesty instead OF honesty
as the best policy. Voters here really ike the
initial gaucheries OF their rulers neter imam
the practised indrecton Of their predecessors ioi
they know the present men are honest IL not d.
way, wise. and that the former officials grew 10
believe that the people lot or mesneri~eu VI
politically hide-bound victims Of partisan superso-
tion of machine credulity. a majority OF wioh
could be successfully fooled all the time
"For instance
ooh III particularize. az you suggest lhere -
no man now in public ONCE here that was ever IN
90, equivalent Mace before The Mayor Mt
scbieren never held an elective or an appomtNe
public trust The Corporation Counsel MI NC
Donald was a Supervisor and CIVIL Service oo'''-
missioner The Police Commissioner MT "enes'
was a warden Of the State Prison at Auburn Inc
nres,dent of the Board of Assessors. MT darkness.
uas a member of the Board of Education recail
No other cabinet head who has had any onclai en-
perience whatever. At the outset the mayor S'
a message TO the Common Council that iHa'i.es
disclosed his unfamiliarity with local ahairs mat
tactical fault was prevented from DONG marin ~
che charming childlkeness with which 1t was con-
fessed People VINO knew more about those aiiaii'
had TO accuse themselves of derehctloh Oh "0'ioi.
when they charged the Mayor with dcreic'i'" u
knowledge They found him aware OF MS OWN ue
Ncencies and intent on mending them Ihey nau
.. adro,t that q more serious fault was chargeaole
against themselves for knowing more and doing less
than he to stir the popular conscience.
MAYOR sCHIEREN HAS STRONG HULL
Then there was and there is sense OF criticism
because the Mayor In the canvass ana since 0'.' -
said to have justified his frequent puDHc speaN''s
neither by the graces Of oratory nor Oy 'le s1'9
or originality of his ideas lie has two properly
,.s tbree. The necessity Of honesty, the reso-
,r,,on he has formed not to get the big head anu
his realization shat the people elected MN over 'e
poIiticians who did not want him. 1hev were JU9'
What the canvass needed for they MI WIFI '0'.
were thinking about and they avoided more ue
tailed and compicatng questions Since the can
-, .hore has been a cynical conviction that those
ton,cs could be put on the retired list People nov"
ever who compare Mr. Schieren's loyalty 10 No-
notony with Mr. Chapn's polished precision as
vrord xinder and Mr.. Boody's pedagogical! prinhess'
recall that TIE present Mayor has not piaiAe..u
! eminent from view. Neither has he omitted 10
ord,t sw,ndlng bills in haste with the result Oh
having to mourn his worse at leisure %
fhe siugle-speech Mayor OF action mas nnane hoiu
which his fatally fluent and injurlousy VerSd'ie
,ra5ecessors never had-or at most wholly lost II
no had their arts Of statement and they MS oluht
a- "a civ ~ do right the history of Brooklyn
,rou,d have been az different from what II is az
would have been that of the world had nature auoed
an inch to Cleopa tras The gods are laVIsh III
their gifts but few men have monopoly or them.
"What Of the Mayors action on the flag quesuo"'
.Jt was unnecessary TO have that question at all.
Seth Low lust waived-meaning no pun-the nag
question He preserved the passions IN II lor III u
on larger matters He was a reforIner-aru d 'a'
clan Mr. Schieren is not a tactician lie cahNo'
however be accused Of raising the question IL was
sprung on him by those who could nave oeeii heu-
traIized by MANAGEMENT. He simply met what ne
thought menace by what they were not iel'
in doubt was manhood. IN the short run the union
of some sentiments against his administration wich
WAS needlessly excited, will hurt him. in the long
run the excessive courses and expressions on those
whom ne offended Will harm them and strengthen
him The mistake. II any, was in want Oh SKILL
Imagination. elasticity and humor at the outset
That is likely to be overcome by Mr.. Scheren con-
syency ON me line he chose. and by the Nat foly
of others Mayors of other cities who overdid the
other view Of the matter. The professional native
and the professional foreigner equally the delna-
gogue The outright Americanism of a German
American such Mr. Schieren is. is relieved Of any
such irnputaton Besides enough more polite Re
publicans have differed from his views TO prevent
his action from truthfuIy being made party
What other mistakes have been laid to the new
aThe Corporation Counsel made mistake in al,
Iuding to Catholics as 'Romaniss' or 'Pap!sts.
Niger is not more offensive to an Afro-Amerl,
life life. Of roleration and his manly Of his mis-
take quickly overcame it, The pepPery tax against
Interpretation than DESTROYS to stand trial on
criminal indictments for public punderng also nap,
President Hardness, Of the Board Of Assessors.
,n sfter thirty years Of faithful
service and that Commissioner Wellcs should make
tn 10 used for cause in his discretion not one TO
operate mandaoriy. These incidents tend to affect
fhe sentiment Of some Democrats toward the adj
Immigration Of Democrats who sank party belong
ings to make It. Such voters, however, Will con-
finue to fight the Democratic machine just the
same. It's offenses not reduced or condoned
by Republican mistakes Of small sort
Are there other grounds OF complant?'
DEPARTMENTS on A BUSINESS BAsIs.
None to recall These are not many.
They are offset by solid merits. The Police and
Fire and Health departments have been taken out
of politics That fact IS incontestabe. The gain
of II is great. do not say that the former heads
of the Police and Health boards deliberately put
them into politics. They had power TO take