New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-12-30
THE COMING MAYOR.

Opportunity comes to few men in the measure
that 1t has been placed in the hands Of Robert
A. Van Wyck. Before the week Is over he Will
become the chief magistrate Of three million
people. exercising power In their government
not eQualled by presidents and kings. He will
hold the greatest municipal office in the civil
lied world. London and Paris have no officer
who compares with him. The average mayor
is more or less flgurehead. but the Mayor OF
the new city Of NewYork Is clothed with almost
autocratic authority possessing an unchecked
power of removal and appointment which
makes his Will the dictator OF the policy OF
every department Of the city administration.
He has upon him great responsibility but
with that responsibility goes n splendid oppor-
tunity. Will he rise to II?
There is no use Disgusting the fact that the
majority Of intelligent citizens look forward 20
Mr.. Van Wyck's rule with apprehension and
distrust. He Is a minority Mayor, as far as
mere numbers go. while arrayed against him
almost unanimously were the forces making
for order. morality and civic virtue. The his
tory of Tammany Hall, the past associations OF
Mr.. Van Wyck and the present prominence or
Richard Croker as the ruling power In tho DOM
inant party do Lot encourage optimism. Yet
there are those who say that. once in office. the
new Mayor Will put In practice his pledges TO
give the city an able and honest government
that his sense of duty will outweigh his sense OF
gratitude that his loyalty to the new city Will
surpass his affection for old friends We
certainly hope they are right The Tribune has
fought sturdily against Tammany Hail. believ-
ing that the welfare Of the people OF the city
would be jeopardzed by its return to power
but 1t does not purpose to regard the chief pub
lie functionary Of New-YOrk an enemy. At
the outset of his 1t wishes him pros
perty and SUGGEST it Is prepared to form 5udg-
ment on his actions and motives as time shall
unfold them. and it will give him honest credit
for every good work that he may perform. We
greet Mr. Van Wyck in substantially the same
way In which last year we greeted Thomas G.
Plat, to whom Mr.. Van Wyck is so largely in
debted for his coming power, when that gentle
man was raised to the exalted post Of United
States Senator. Then we declared
1t only remains to say that II Mr.. Plat recog
nizes his opportunity to make himself n reputa-
ton sagaciOus and clear-sighted politician.
and even a statesman, and embraces II by
forgetting factions and rising above the petit
ness Of patronage and the function OF distrbut
ing II, he will receive the cordial congratulations
OF The Tribune. and find in it a steadfast friend.
We deeply regret that Mr.. Plat did not take
character becoming that high honor. In
stead Of deserving the generous support
which all reasonable men were ready to
give him II he earned It, he has shown
himself to be still, even in so exalted place
rs that Of United States Senator. merely n
schemer, the malignant boss Of a faction rather
than the great leader Of party. the plotter Of
defeats where he should have been the organ
izer Of victories A year ago some critics
thought 1t strange that we should prepare 10
Judge the new Senator with an open mind.
They may have learned since not to attribute
readiness to help man do right to n willing
ness to excuse him in doing wrong. At any
rate. we still continue to hope that men who
enter office with opportunity will make OF the
past ladder to rise to higher things. We shall
rejoice il Mr.. Van Wyck will do this. If he
takes the Mayors chair simply to execute the
behests OF Croker as Mr.. Plat went into the
Senate to further the blind and narrow schemes
OF his personal faction, he will make n failure
as lamentable as that Of Mr.. Platt and will be
condemned by The Tribune as Mr. Platt has
been. But TIL he forces us to do otherwise we
prefer to hope for him a better future May he
be equal to his duty and his opportunity.