New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-12-08
HAS SQUIER A SURE THlNGf
HIS POSITION AS BOTH CITY AND COUNTY
PARK COMMISSIONERS.
EFFECT or THE LAW OF 1851 stPfLENn-Nlhp
by THE ACTION OF THE surERvIsoRs-is
MR. WtiRsTER OBLIGED TO KEEP HIM
IN oFTrCE?-TALK ABOUT OTHER
PLACES N THE COMING
MAYORS CABINET

sor u
Of denartments in Brooklyn are lying awake nights
varying over the question as to whether they Wal
no rsannolnted by Mayor Wurster. Also. so iar a
can be learned. none OF them have yet been asAeu
ny the Mavor-elect whether they Will accept reap
nolntment In the case OF some they fnahhes' '0"'
nle,e indifference In reference TO secohu "''"'
rbre Commissioner White. is we'll known. mas
nositivelv announced that he will not in any cfcui'-
s,o,ces remain at the head OF the City Works De-
partment. ,,.A
Others feel that they have served the CITY ial''
fully and that they are entitled at ieast 10 V"'"s
70 say whether or not they would Ike 10 remain ~
the offices where they have demonstrated their use
fuiness and efficiency The friends OF certain 'oii-
,,ssioners are endeavoring TO persuade MI Murs'ef
n retain them and In behalf OF some strong eoi' Is
ore being nut forth. Only in the case OF Ooiii'h'
sioner White however, has anything poeh Oono
openly and the compliment he has received III ''-r
numerously signed petition calling upon '"e "e"
Mayor TO reappoint him ana upo" MI "
cept is extraordinary.
HOPE NOT LEFT BEHIND THIS TIME
A. q city official remarked day or two ago;
.nIo-o,ofo,e tho rule has been in reference TO the
Do,artnent OF CITY Works, at least In reference
N IFS head Who enters here leaves hope oehinu'
or the men who have held this office IN the past o'
one-of course. I mean outside OF the NAlousmo'
street rinC-could have been appointed 70 any ONE
with the approval OF the peop.e after the END OF MS
torn, or vvould have stood a ghost OF chance II ne
had been nominated elective office But be-
ucve that Alfred r White could be elected win ease
N any office in the city for which he might De can
didate That is certainly so If the demonstration i'll
his behalf means anything; and think II means
good deal His administration SHOWS that coui ase
and honesty and business management of the analrS
% the city pay ana that the people Will stand by an
official who does his duty fearlessiy and thoroughly
As regards the other Commissioners, one OF theh
remarked In talking the prospects of his re-
d
cure reappontment. If the place is offered 10 me
will be without any solicitation OH my part, d.
rec,lv or indirectly. When l have been urged 10
hustle around and do something for myself have
told my friends that should do nothing OF the
kind nor should l ask them to do So Whatever they
choose % 90 mus. be done voluntarily on their part
T. I were an outsider seeking an office the case
would be different But have been at the head OF
NV DEPARTMENT for two years. and, more tnan 'ha'
have been associated with the new Mayor onciails
all that time. lie knows me and knows my work.
If he wants me to stay IS for him to ask me, and
not for me to Try to thrust myself upon hln1
MIR SOUIER'S APPARENT "C1NCH"
Aprarently Mayor Wurster will feel obliged TO re-
appoint one member of Mayor schierens cabinet
because by law passed last year he was made the
permanent head OF his Department. This IS Park
Commissioner Frank Squier. who is not only the
CITY Park Commissioner but the head ot the county
Department OF Parks. In the paTlance Of the street
Nr
though It IS understood that 1t IS matter OF In
difference with HIM whether he continues TO hold
1t or not.
lust how much was intended by the law referre1
10 is not known but It's meaning. on the face OF H.
is plain. 1t is Chapter 7jS of the Laws OF 1871 ana
was dexterously framed that while general In It's
terms II relates 10 Brooklyn alone for applies to
ANY county Of the State which contains city, the
population OF which city is In excess Of 100000 ana
the boundaries Of which city not coterminous
with the boundaries OF said county. or course that
description fits Just one county in the State and
was meant for Kings County and Brooklyn alone
Section OF this act provides as follows
"The Department Of Parks of said city is hereby
constituted a Department Of Parks of said county,
and shall have and possess all the powers and duties
now held and exercised by said Department IN Tea-
ton TO any park parkway, road, highway, bouie-
ward or concourse in said county over and relating
to the lands highways. Pathways roads or other
property, franchises rights authorized 10 be ac-
qulre1 by the provisions of this act
ACTION OF THE SUPERVISORS
In this section and those following it reference is
made several times TO the officer al the head OF
said Department the officer at the head there
Of" Apparently. the law made the Park Commits
sonor then in Office permanent offcia!; ana thai
Interpretation of il was accepted by the Board Of
Supervisors os Kings County when, on July Of this
year it passed an act creating Civil Service Com
mission for the county. The act Of the Supervisors
provided specifically for continuing Commissioner
Squier in office II says IN Section I: This act shall
not be construed giving the aforesaid Civil Ser
vice Commission any jurisdiction. not herein eX-
pressed in conflict with those inherent In the Off
Ger at the head Of said Department of Parks OF the
county OF Kings, 10 wit: Frank Squier. who is
hereby continued and confirmed. with Henry L.
Palmer and William A. Booth Deputy Commits
sioner and property and labor clerk respectively OF
the aforesaid Department of Parks OF the county OF
Kings" This section further provides that tho
salaries of the three officials shall continue TO be
5000, $3.50 and $500 respectively
AS has been said. Commissioner Squier Is not
greatly anxious to hold on TO the office which he
has filed with marked accepabi.ity for the last two
years; he has an exacting private business and If
he should consult his personal preferences, would
same Tine he cannot he Indifferent 70 the success Of
the large work which he has entered OF providing
Brooklyn with new parks and can properly cherish
work. just the OF Mr. Stranahan is INSOFAR
ably associated in the popular mind with the crea-
ton OF Prospect Park.
If CIRCUIT HAD BEEN ELECTED.
The exact meaning OF the act from which pas
has been quoted may properly be the subject of
judicial decision: and unques,ionably. if Mr.. Grout
had been elected Mayor, Commissioner Squer would
have strenuousiy resisted any attempt to GUST him
from his Office The action OF the Board Of Super
visors IN continuing and confirming Mr. Squer as
seems 20 be merely carrying the law to its logical
CONCLUSION b9t IN case Mt sqGler retres IL Is .lKey
that the validity OF the Supervisors confirmation of
Deputy Commissioner Palmer and Mr. Booth the
property and labor clerk. permanent officials will
lie tested IN the courts.
The probabilities now that Mr.. Wurster Will
reappont Commissioner Squier and enable him 10
carry TO completion the work OF establishing new
parks for the benefit Of Greater Brooklyn. Mr..
Squer's policy in this matter has been twice upheld
10y the courts. and It is fair TO presume that there
viii be no further attacks upon Il. The two made
by Pat Flynn were inspired in the first place by
personal spike. ana, In the second. BY the hope OF
snirching the admirable Schleren administration. in
ma
hard work 10 find any flaws. The CRY Court and
the Supreme Court have both passed upon the ques-
tons raised. They have Upheld the constitutOnal:y
az the law Of 1892. under which the park lands are
being secured ana have declared that the prices paid
by Mr.. Squier were reasonable and proper
THE NEW MAYOR AND HIS CABINET.
AS far outside Indications 30. Mr. Wurster is
adhering 10 his determination not to consider the