New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-05-28
CONGRATULATIONS TO COLONEL WARING.

Aside from a certain pleasing effect rs spec
taclcs u may be said that the ordinary street
parades. whether of the military or the ponce
or any other department or organization nave
little influence and no permanent effect upon the
public mind This. however. cannot be said Oh
the parade Of the Street Cleaning department
under Superintendent Warning on Tuesday. ror
that was something more than snow II WIS
n revelation II was known, in n general W"''
that under Colonel Warnings administration our
streets were cleaner than ever before. 80 mu'h
had 10 be admitted by citizens. who, having
taken offence at some Of Colonel Warnings m1r-
dIcious utterances ut the beginning OF his ad-
minis,rptjop were lOnth to believe that he pos
sessed the cnpacIty TO conduct successfully me
affairs of so important a municipal department.
And even the politicians who scOrncd the pr0p0-
sition that any municipal department could be
managed without It's being used by themselves
for portisan PURPOSES were forced to Nckn0wl-
edge that under this mans management nj least
the streets were kept clean. But the admission
was made in a careless, casy-going way MS
Though after aIl II was matter of not much
importance thc main thing being not to keep
the streets clean. but to use the money appro-
priated for that purpose to make the party
strong. healthy and vigorous.
Nor did tho average citizen seem to take much
stock in Colonel Warnings methods, or to he very
much impressed with their Enthusiastically sue
ccssfnl operation On the contrary. II was
deemed rather good joke that this iinicky thco-
rist and impractical dreamer had put the en-
ployrs of his department In uniform-and n
rather striking uniform ut that-and thrust them
into the face and eyes Of everybody The poll
Il and
statesman senator Grady devoted much Of his
time and talent during the late session Of the
Legislature to procuring the passage of bill
compelling Superintendent. Warlng To wear the
same uniform and partakc Of the disgrace Bat
the Joke got 10 be II little stale as citizens saw
that the men In uniform were doing days
works with something like industry instead Of
sitting on curbsioncs. smoking pipes and talk
ing politics: and even Grady got tired with trv-
ing To make It appear that the uniform was n
disgrace So criticism had pretty much ceased,
and citizens were taking II for granted that the
streets were kept clean and were MOI bother
Ing themselves about how It was done.
The parade Of Tuesday was m object lesson.
Whoever saw ii was Impressed with the fact
that here was the visible and tangible evidence
that one municipal department had been admin
much above that OF ward politics and with I'M
doubted success: that It had been thoroughly
organized and systcmatizcd. and that for once
the taxpayers had The worth Of their money.
Nothing could have served we'll 10 demon
stratc beyond question tho Importance Of the de
partmcni. It's numerical extent the high stand
ard Of discipline maintained and the excellence
~ H. work We take no risk In saying that. in
the opinion Of all classes OF citizens Tuesday =
demonstration has not lly set at rest all doubts
rs 10 the efficiency of Colonel Warnings admin
istration. but has put his department In The re-
lailon Of being the most conspicuous success In
the whole movement for municipal reform.
And We say this with the more hcarilnes be-
cause The Tribune very frankly criticised Colo
| mel Waring M the outset Of his administration.
| and. In common with the majority OF citizens
may have failed 10 give him the credit he de-
served for faithful performance OF duty under
| adverse conditions. We congratulate him most
cordially upon the results Of his patient and
conscientious discharge Of uncommonly wrighty
| official functions