New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-04-20
MAYOR AND CONTROLLER.

II is predicted with considerable particularly
that today's meeting OF the Board Of Estimate
and Appointment will produce what has been
variously described by Mr.. W. S. Gilbert as n
pretty pass" q how dye do" and state OF
things The scene. It Is said, will primarily
involve the Board Of Education. and the chief
actors will be Mayor Van Wyck and Controller
Coer. 1t Is one Of several well-known facts
concerning the relations OF the present admins
traton and the hold-over branches Of the city
government that the Mayor regards the Board
Of Education with extreme dislike. His an
tipathy was not mild when he went into office,
and II was raised to at least the NTH power
by the discovery that Governor Black had CT
fectualy blocked the Tammany scheme for get
ting rid Of the Board. In this mood he has at
tended several meetings Of the Board Of EST
mate at which the educational establishment
was under review, and 1t has appeared to the
dspassionate observer that he was getting hot
ter all the time. The source Of this danger
ously high temperature IS the condition Of the
school estimates for the current year. which
have never yet been presented In q form salts
factory to his mind and conscience. Hereto
fore, nevertheless, he has consented to the
granting Of temporary supplies, though under
toward those who were coercing his virtue
But on the last occasion Of this sort he posi-
lively declared that he would never yield again,
no matter what happened, and instructed all
present to make note of the fact that he had
spoken.
Ii happens that the school estimates, which,
for reasons satisfactory to the Controller, are
not yet ready for presentation to the Mayor IN
that complete and attested form upon which
he insists. are to come up again for discussion
at to-days meeting, and 1t Is understood that
the Controller Will once more advocate an al
lowance Of public money for the payment Of
overdue salaries and other pressing require
ments. Thereupon 1t is confidently predicted
that the Mayor will break his own remarkable
record and launch hideous objurgaton at the
Controllers head, to which the Controller will
respond In a highly interesting manner. This
belief Is derived from the general understand
ing that Mr.. Coler has become exceedingly tired
Of being treated as II he were a clerk in the
Mayors office, or the head of q department
whom the Mayor had appointed and could re-
move at any time prior to July l, instead Of
an officer elected by the people and no more
responsible to the Mayor for his Official conduct
or his personal demeanor than to any other
OF the half million electors and three million in
habitants Of New-York.
We have no means OF knowing that such Is
the present disposition of the Controller, but we
are inclined TO hope that 1t may prove to be-
For one thing the reputable people Of this city
do not particularly enjoy seeing anybody who
isn't pickpocket treated like a pickpocket by
vain and irascbe Mayor and II they did,
their chief financial officer would be about the
last man whom they would select for such
spectacle. For another thing, 1t might do the
Mayor a great deal Of permanent good to be
calmly and firmly called down by a self-re-
speeding official. And that would not be an in
significant gain. We are presumably destined
to have three years, eight months and ten days
more Of Mayor Van Wyck. and II viii be