The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1896-05-31
FEW CATHOLICS CHOSEN.
TINE MArOR'S CHoICE or SCH0OE
INSPECTORS CRITICISED.

"F. X. H." sny- the List or Appointces q.
CunSpiruou- tor the mr. nee from II al
CnthoIic Nnnra-An Accident, Says ,oI.
strong. and One That May Dc Remcdied.
The following letter has been received by
TUT SuS;
In looking over tho list Of those appointed
rs school inspectors by Mayor Strong | noticed
that II was conspicuous for the absence of Cath.
oiic names. Though some were selected who
belong to that great religious body. yet the
small number does not confer that recognition
which a powerful association demands. 1t 10
evident from history that Catholics have con.
tributcd their share TO the cultivation ana
progress uf this country. George Wash.
ington himself complimented them on
their great love Of country when Mt the
close of the Revolutionary war he declared
that the Catholics had done their duty in the
great struggle for Independence. The lato civil
war also gives us nm illustration OF the fidelity
OF this religious sect. A large number OF the
Generals. Coiotcls. and non-conmissoned
officers Of the Union army bore Catholic names.
and never wer" they tarnished with the least
sta n of dishoEor as regards the performance Of
their duty.
Coming to our own State or city. We see that
It's advancement has always been encouraged
by the assistance OF this religious body. Repro
sentativcs In Congress and the state Legislature
have lnbprcd INCREASINGLY for its welfare. They
in many cases have sacrificed personal ambition
and success for its good. Never yet has II Catho-
lie. both in name and spirit. been censured for
intentional neglect in his official duties. They
might have erred, yet their mistakes came not
from the heart, but from the head. This being
so, the good work OF the Catholics in this city
demand that they should be recognized. In the
Thlrty-sccoud district three members Of tho
committee are physicians, but not one of them.
or of the whole Board, Is affiliated with the
Catholic Church. In this locality, as well as in
the whole Of the north eide, there are many
prominent Catholic doctors whose services have
ALWAYS been ready for the promotion OF the
city's welfare. some of them were trustees
under the old law. but now have been COM
plet-ly ignored ny his Honor Mayor Strong.
This action on the part OF the MAJOR excftes
s viz. tHst it II w ss" an % un niinttepetHi ns@al t omission. ,iHno" or
else that he wa- In collision with some party
of New YORK. For the former 1t may be- par.
doned, but for the latter there. is no argument
, ,inu. , ,ran f for nrhold iny h hur'R in b anu co o"nSe'epnt
would be well for the Mayor To deem it his duty
as the Iepresent9tlwr OF the people both Catho-
methods he has pursued in his selection. His
failure to do 50 Will only cause honest men TO
believe that he IL governed by some party or
association oI poS'd TO the Interests = ttIs mu-
nicipaIity q, Vel as {" iha: sect q which
This letter was read to Mayor Strong y@,e,ster-
first replied to that part which refers 10 the
number of old truete,s who were not made in
spcctOrs. He said:
THE lists OF names from which l was to
choose the inspectors were made up for me by
the Board of Education. and selected from
them those who were appointed only after con-
sultation with men best fitted to judge the re-
q%uiremrnts. 1t was my desire. and followed it
out rs far as possible, to appoint the old trustees
that is. all Of them that | thought Lad shown
themselves fitted for the work. As a result ct
TINS. taking III. whole city through. there is. an
average ~ TWO or three old trustees and In.
spectOr+ in each district.
I'm doing this. however. | met with n dif1cul-
~ which in some cn-es was not able TO over.
come. The "lh trustees were, appointed Ivy
wards. the new in sptctprs by districts. Now,
when we looked over the list of the old trus-
tees we found TINT in certain districts there
more than could possibly be appointed. This
fact in itself accounts Tor the omission of so
many old names from the roll Of Inspectors.
They are not there either because there were
none III the district. ~ because there were too
many If them, and they Al could not be mp.
pointed. Now, IN The Thirty-second district
sicians, Ir. Mclvor and DR.. McElery; and in
that district Mrs. McIvor and Capt. Samuels
were old trustees; Now :" run 3ysf
there were three trustees appointed; in
the Second. one old inspector and two %trusteess
in the Fourth one old inspector and two old trus.
and three were appointed in the Thirty-fourth.
three trustees and one old inspector were ap-
pointed: in the Thirty-tifth. one old trustee was
appointed: in the Twenty-ninth. ono old inspec-
tor was appointed: and in the Tlirtieth not .
single trustee lived. The sam was true in the
Twenty- fourth.
will say AT once that there WAS absolutely no
Discrimination on my part. | recognize what an
important factor they are In our population, and
IL was my intention to have at least one. ana
oftener two or three. in each district. Where
this has not happened endeavOr Will he made TO
remedy II as time goes on