New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-10-09
worth while to get unnecessarily excited be-
tween elections.
4 SAMPLE or TiMMANl.

II now appears probable that criminal prose
cutions will follow the report Of the Commits
sioners Of Accounts on the Registers office, two
employees charged with larceny having surren-
dcred and demanded trial. The sum of money
specifically involved is trtng but that does not
affect the merits Of The case. II they are guilty
they deserve punishment; If they are innocent
the community should be as anxious for their
acquittal as they themselves can be- But the
trial Of this particular issue ought not 10 DC
permitted to obscure the broad disclosure OF IN
doicncc, ignorance, incompetency ana eXtrava-
gance in the administration of an important
office The management Of the Registers Office
has been for many years not only in the hands
of Tammany but in strict accordance with the
Tammany ideal Of public service whether OF
not the two individuals accused of larceny
actually appropriated money belonging TO the
city in such manner as TO bring them WITHIN
the reach Of the law, there Is ample evidence
to show that the conduct Of the department with
which they are connected has been substantially
and persistenty dishonest We do not say that
the men chiefly responsible for this state OF
affairs are fully conscious Of the real quality OF
their dealings with the people. They were
brought up in a school Of politics which teaches
that public business should be transacted pri-
marily for the benefit Of those to whom 1t mas
been intrusted; that as much money as possible
should be drawn from the public treasury Tor
distribution among placc-holders; that the dill
gcnce and faithlulncss which are exactcd from
employees in private life are not essential or even
desirable I'm the service of the community. Act
ing on this principle, Tammany has established
a record Of deliberate and continuous .niidclity,
not punishable in most cases except AT the polls
but in:rinscally as base and shameful as any
fraud which the law is able to reach.
That this is the way in which Tammany has
conducted the peoples business has been gen
orally known for long time We don't sup
pose that a majority Of the people ever liked IT,
but il was extremely difficult to array majority
against it at the polls. Last year, however, the
feat was accomplished and we see no reason
TO doubt that the results are agreeable 10 most
of those who helped to bring them about. But
they are extremely dsagreeable TO Tammany
and that strange institution Is ready TO employ
all the resources at its command in order to
drag the city back to It's own level. 1t happens
that the Registers Office is one Of the strOnghOlds
still retained by the enemy and now at stake
Tammany longs TO keep 1t; not for the public
advantage. but because of the patronage that
goes with it, and for the influence which It's re-
tention might have on the course Of politcs-to
keep it just what it has been and now is,
refuge and prize for champions Of corruption
and inchiciency. an object-lcsson in Tammany
administration. We do not believe that 1t will
suit the inclinations Of the people to crafty this
anxious wish. If they have been in danger of
forgetting what sort of government they partly
overthrow last year, the report of the Commits
sioncrs Of Accounts on the Registers office will
inspire them to complete the operation next
month