The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-10-30
REFORM REVIEWED.
MOn-Partisan Government and
Its Benefits to the City.

ticcd by tho present Republican Reform Admin.
istration. has not benefited tho Taxpayers or
any other class Of citizens in any material way.
Ithas been narrow and bigoted in al its branches;
it has filled the City offices with inexperienced
and incompetent men, many of them non.rcsi-
dents; II has Increased taxation without visible
benefit. This government, instead of being nom
partisan. has been partisan and factional to a
degree unknown under former administrations.
No man has been appointed to any important
office because of his fitness. Almost every APP
pointmcnt was an open reward for somo real or
imaginary political service. After thrco years
OF fair trial. non.partisanships stands revealed as
a mockcry-a living ie-masquerading under
the stained and tattered cloak of reform-a gov
ernment aiming less ut the public good than tho
liberal reward of those claiming credit for its
existence. Men ignorant of the laws they are
supposed to administer and uphold, mon Of no
experience whatsoever In city government have
been placed Mt tho head of important depart
ments, and their sole aim has been to take caro-
Of themselves and their friends. Laws have
been ignored or defed in the name of reform.
Red tape and useless formalitics have taken the
place of business methods in tho conduct Of
municipal affairs.
The Department OF Street Cleaning has been
set up as the one shining example OF reform. ID
has been cited as n department where there was
no shadow Of politics or partisanship. The up
pointment OF the present Commissioner was tho
reward asked and obtained by the Editor OF the
Evening Post" for his support of tho reform
ticket of 1894. The employment of the editors
son as attorney for corporations doing business
with the department may be called coincidence
undera reform F" government, but Mt any other
time 1t would be called "a political bargain"
The present government is costing $4,000 900
a year more than a Democratic government
cost. II has increased the bonded debt of the
city 1924, 600. 900. Tho man who pays $2l4 o
year in taxes now where he paid $l79 under
Democratic rulo may not be enough of a re-
former to accept the change without question.
He may be curious to know in what way he has
been benefited. II he investigates closely he
will find that he has not been benefited. lie will
find that the city, as a whole, has not been bene-
flied; but it may satisfy him to learn that q
large number ofmen, of whom he never heard,
have obtained good offices; that certain BUSH
ness houses have obtained n monopoly of the
trade OF the city, and that many ambitious young
lawyers who belong to n certain political faction
have secured easy and lucrative business in the
way OF commissions tor the opening of streets
and for acquiring property for various city pur-
poses.
If the curious taxpayer seeks details he mighe
begin on the water front. He will find at the
head of the Dock Department n young man who
is almost n stranger in the city. This young
"a "oS III ioNhi SNl iNi NAS S"iS - SOoA
from the mines of Senator Elkins Of West yir-
ginia. Steamships require docks and coal. Tho
coal trade and steamship business might BIO
classed as allied. The dock improvements,
much advertised by the present Administra-
ton, were planned and begun under the
administrator Of n Democratic Mayor and
Democratic Dock Commissioners. The young
man now at the head of the department caused
the city to employ three expert engineers to
hunt for flaws in the plans that had DeCp Dro-
pared bv n Democratic Board. The experts re-
ported unanimously in favor of the plans. and
the report was suppressed for months.
A carpet merchant was placed at the head of
the Department OF Charities. All departments
of the City Government began at once to buy
carpets at his store. The Commissioner an.
nounced that he was out OF the firm, but tho
firm name remained unchanged. and the fact re-
mains that tho city had never before purchased
carpets at that particular store.
A member of the Committee of Seventy OF
1894 is at the head of a large mercantile estab-
lishment. The city is n buyer of a great variety
Of goods. Many Of these goods are purchased in
small lots, without competitive bidding. 1t had
been the custom OF the city for years, under
Democratic government, 10 ask the leading
mercantile houses to submit samples and prices
OF goods needed. In this way informal bidding
was secured. This was changed by the Reform
ers, and all departments were told 10 buy their
small supplies from the store OF the member OF
the of Seventy. Its estimated that
his firm has sold the city 100000 to 81 100000
worth of goods n year.
A member of the firm that has a monopoly OF
the business of selling fertilizers in the city was
made Commissioner OF the Department OF Cor
rcction. At once this department OF the City
Government hogan to buy the fertilizers in large
quantities, not from the Commissioners firm
that would have been against the law-but from
John Smith. John Jones. and other persons
never before heard OF in the trade.
This method was extended to every depart
mcnt. Factions were openly rewarded for POI
litical services when appointments were made;
and when there were no more offices to be dis
tributed. every man who had been active IN
putting this government into power sought, and
usually obtained. some indirect benefit. Before
the present administration had been in power
six months cx.Mayor Grace, a shrewd observer.
said in "A public speech: "Non-partisan govern
mcnt is Il fad
1t has been a government without responsible
ity. After Mayor Strong had filled all the Offices
with inexperienced adventures. or brokcA-down
and defeated politicians. he said. in a speech at
q public dinner. ~ have no influence with my
own administration Tho boys will not do what
/ tell them"
This was true. The men appointed by strong
knew that he was RESPONSIBLE 10 no party or
organizations. lntS knt" lHAl IH 'ohlu hpb
remove them, and the result has been IA govern
ment divided against itself. There has been
constant clashinG between departments. and
no unity Of purpose or action for the public
good. BOARD meetings in the Mayors office hnv"
been notorious for clashes between heads OF
departments over public business in which thcro
should have been united action for the public
good.
The Police Department, the Dock Department.
~, -, A. - Ip,l1in
Works-cnrh has been Il local government unto
itself, ignoring the Mayor, and without rcspon-
sibility to anybody. Tho head Of each depart
ment has been II law unto himself. his chief aim
having been to obtain the largest POSSIBLE APP
preparation and pend all the money he could get
Before Mayor Strong had been IN office TWO
years he was publicly rrpudia,ed lbs every party
and nrLnLLLuILnL- ILuI -mnLnrlnl hmm IL ls.l.