New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-06-08
"BILL" AND THE BOYS.


"BILL" AND THE BOYS.
II IS enough TO make any Alderman angry
An unapprcciatiyc and suspicious public has
been for years curtang the power ana per
ouisltcs of the City Fathers. Every time Il
hubble franchise has been given away or Il Did
cry investigation has taken place some remain
ing Allermanlc function has been Topped OH
mill almost nothing remains of honor or pat
rou,ge I'm what was once IN Office of great dig
uitv. And now comes along an officer whom
Mr. Abraham Grubcr call, "Blll.' bringing
with him some Chinese puzzles and he says
that the Alderman cannot distribute any more
pums without making the candidates for III"
pulns work ont the puzzles ana that the lelio"
WHO works them ont best Is going 10 get the
puln every time, whether an Alderman says
Hes me frcu'" or not. Moreover, this same
"Eill' has been scattering his puzzles else
where He has named lao Offices OF nigh grade
In the city government, with salaries agBTe
eating S3lS.oVO. and said that those VINO mere
after fiji them must solve the Chinese puzzles.
THIS makes it practically impossible for man
10 earn a living by being patriotic on Election
Day AMI In" Aldermen ar" naturally arouaru
lest public virtue decay and liberty be lost.
In this trying time Mr. Alderman Wund.
DISTINGUISHED member of Tammnny Hall. comes
forward and gives his opinion OF "B'll ana
his works lie wants 10 know what Is thr Use
81 being an Alderman II yon can't do anything
for your friends. and how are You going 20
keep friend, unl,,, You can pay thcnF ln'h
D., Justly LAYS. II this Clyil Service sch"m" Is
"cnrr..d ont. a man who hasn't turned n hand
Tor hl, party or contributed n dollar 10 help
ut along can 20 and pass au examination ana
get 4 Job. while the men who have given their
't'rc and their money and their labor TO their
party viii he lrft out In thc cold. nd'r
such conditions L. f. convinced that men who
want offices VIII not take any Interest III gov
,ruincni. and the country Will 60 where j"
would Ike e. send "Bll" As be- thinks Of IT,
the aWfuncss II III" situation grows upon him.
aud De- says. 1T }, a shame. an Outrage. "a
"a everything that T. outrageous. 10 attack the
BOARD 81 Aldermen Ia this way. And let III"
tell YOU that this il an at'nck not only on
"fhc Board Of Aldermen. but on government hy
.ihr people. too" Then Mr. Alderman Good
win. also 81 Tammauy Hall aud who announces
that lc q. disciple II Mr.. Abraham Grub"r,
come. forward 10 say that this civil Service
business rs mn outrage on The people MI the
Boy. agrc. that when they go into politics they
expect 20 be- paid. AMI how IN common sense
are they to be- paid except 10y salaries from
thc treasury There are not enough contracts
70 ~ around and there Is a limit 20 tho amount
/ 81 hlaokmall 10 be- drawn from corporations
rs purvryors Of legislation There are any
number oi Boys who could not hope for any
thing except from city Offices ana they would
uot do thing in politics without the hope OF
reward Vet "Blll" coolly cuts them of from
special office holding privileges and leaves thc
city To- founder along under bureaucratic man
/ ngcmcut lust Ike an cfctc European city. where
Boys never have au! thing 10 say about clean
ing streets or laying pavcncnis, and whore
/ they couldn't get II law passed II they tried To
| compel an o.Jcer 10 remove all carriages from
| the streets in the daytime and let truck-OWncrs
! stand outdoors over night.
II really begins To look as II the day of the
Boys was numbered They cannot work on
the canal any more; they cannot be excise In
spcctors; the whole Federal and state admin
isralion il closed against them. and now
| 'iilll' ms some say. just 10 be- In opposition 10
| Mr. Abraham Gruber-has reduced their nnnu
| nj revenues 10y S31sO At that rate the Boys
Will give up politics entirely and coninc them
selves to pinochc With neither money nor
office to be gained 10y politics. cnucuscs and
elections will lose their attractivcness and no.
| UUly Will De ltlt 10 run llf government tN-
ccpt those who have some ideas about public
questions and convictions about policies. 1t
will he impossible to get full vote, and the
management Of affairs will fall into the hands
Of impractical people. who have foolish notions
that a public building should be built MS cheap.
| ~ rs private one, and who pay no attention
10 Keeping mp patriotic enthusiasm In the dis
| tricts The revenues Of saloons will fall off,
campaign expenses will decrease, iorchlight
| professions will be fewer parties will not find
| II worth while To fight except when there Is n
| question 10 fight over and the gayety OF ma
tons will be- considerably decreased This the
Boys see must happen If "BIll's' scheme Is ex.
tended much further. and. naturally Mr. Abra-
ham Grubcr, Mr.. Alderman Wund. Mr. Ed
ward Laulrrbach. Mr.. Alderman Goodwin Mr.
Amnsa Thornton, and al the other honorable
Boys. intent on preserving popular liberties arc
| aroused 10 defeat the Chinese system OF the
| laundering and unpatrlotlc "Blll"