New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-04-24
MR.. L4UTERBACHS DISAPPOINTMENT

With his usual alacrity Mr. Edward Lauter
bach has plunged into print with what he no
doubt intends to be understood authori-
tative expression of the view taken by the Re-
publican County Committee Of the appointment
of Mr.. Moss as Police Commissioner. THE ap-
pointment." he says. is to me, as president Of
1.-THE Republican County Committee. very Sc
we're disappointment" He pronounces it "a
elbow not only to the organization but to the
Republican party itself. advisedly admins
tered and one which will tend greatly to It's
injury" BY "advisedly administered we pre-
sumo ne means that Mayor Strong made the
appointment with a deliberate purpose to in
jure the Republican party In the absence Of
any conceivable motive for injuring his own
party the statement would seem 10 require
proof. but none is offered. His reason for con-
sidering 1t an injury to- the party is in brief,
that Mr. Moss is not a Republican, or at least
is not 80 affiliated in sentiment with Repub-
lcanism or with organization Republicans" who
will make the nominations for Assemblymen
and other officers TO he voted for in November,
"that he will have that reasonable partisan bias
"in favor of the Republican party that the spirit
"of the law contemplates he should have"
After descanting at some length upon the mo-
Nervousness of the charter election. at which,
he SAYS the vital issue between Republcanism
and Organism will he fought, he tells how i'm
portant ii is in such a state Of things that the
election should be guarded against the posi-
"bility Of Tammany frauds either by colonial
"tOn, registration or Naturalization: adding
that as the Board of Police Commissioners IS
now constituted, 1.-THE great principles Of the
Republican party will be represented only by
Commissioner Grant"
Now the appointment of Mr. Moss may not
be an ideal one. 1t is doubtless as good as could
be made in the circumstances. There is this TO
be said about It. that he is and always has been
a Republican,: that he is honest and truthful;
that he is fully as familiar with the Police De-
partment and its workings as either Of his col
leagues; that he is certain not to countenance or
approve wrongdong in any form on the part Of
the police and that he deserves some credit for
the courage and public spirit with which he
takes up task from which many other good
citizens shrank. and whose rewards will be no
compensation for the sacrifice he makes. But
Mr.. Lauterbach Is distressed because he lacks
reasonable partisan bias" and consequently is
not likely 10 cooperate with Commissioner
Grant the only representative Of the great prn-
ciples of the Republican party in guarding the
election against ''Tammany frauds" Indeed.
And who in the Board does Mr.. Lauterbach
think will oppose Mr. Grant in his heroic en-
deavors to prevent 'Tammany frauds? Not
Commissioner Andrews. certainly. His host-
ity TO Tammany is well known. Not Commits
soner Moss; his record. too. forbids any such
suspicion. Commissioner Parker is the only
member OF the Board who may reasonably be
suspected Of leaning toward Tammany and
Parker is Grants close friend and confidential
adviser
But since when has Mr. Lauterbach become
80 s0licitOus lest the Police Board should act In
collision with Tammany? II Is only a few
days ago that he was saying: Better far that
there should be placed In power true Demo
"crat, even a Tammany Hall Democrat. than
that we should aid to elect to that state of
power and place a man OF no party, whose ad-
ADMINISTRATION is responsible to no party and who
has no party at his back" And now. because
Police Commissioner has been appointed, who,
even II he has no reasonable partisan bias in