New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-04-16
that she has not. and that she has become mad
as preliminary to her destruction
TIE SYMPTOMS AND THE DISEASE.

THE SYMPTOMS AND The DIHEhHH'
The action of the Brooklyn Union League
Club in condemning the dishonesty OF hepup-
lcan officials as revealed In Inc coh'ic'ioh
OF Coroner and in the indictments OF persons
connected with the Department or lily WorkS'
one of whom has pleaded guilty anu received
sentence. is Just what was TO be expected from
n body of honest and loyal men who are Re-
pubcans from principle, who desire to make
the Republican party an instrument OF good
government, and who feel keenly the disgrace
and danger brought to the party by the camp
followers who abuse it's confidence. The club
declares the only fit and proper rule OF political
LOYALTY one which is the exact opposite OF the
Tammany and Machine principle Of unfailins
obedience to party organization demands wheh
It declares that the best evidence OF the high
"est party fidelity on the part OF our ofhcc-hoid-
''ers is fidelity to official trust
The Union League has done well. II only
remains for 1t to stand firm in its detestatioh
Of all that makes for corrupt politics TO Keep
the Republican party in Brooklyn from ever
again being rcprOachs al as ii is AT present. IL
Is easy TO dcnounce corruption when II IS re-
vea,ed but it is not so easy In the absence or
specific evidence of wrongdOng to oppose p0-
litical methods which from their nature pre-
pare the way for corruption Mr.. Willis Is to
he presumed innocent Of crime. since he IL
merely under Indictment, and his department
IS to he regarded only as the lurking-placc or
the frauds which it Is confessed existed there;
but. whoever Is innocent or guilty. the iact re-
mains that Mr.. Willis at the beginning OF MS
term established a regi'n' which could not but
encourage fraud. He substituted for non
partisan business administration. which under
a Republican Mayor had won the praise OF all
good citizens. a machine for rcwarding potl-
cal services and building up individual political
fortunes That he intended TO give the people
their moneys worth OF public work may be as
sumcd. hut he none the less made the depart
ment something besides n public servant: he
made it the engine Of personal and factlonal
aims. There was the. root OF trouble that me
honest Republicans Of Brooklyn should have
seen without waiting for the fruit OF evil to
develop
If we are going TO have our party learn les
sons from the faults OF lis representatives. III
Office must 90 thus 10 the bottom OF ques-
tons. And concerning this Brooklyn matter
we cannot ignore the stories which were COM
mon talk for some time before tho present In
vcstigation was begun. that before his nomina-
ton for Mayor Mr.. Wurstcr gave TO Mr.. Willis
an absolute agreement TO appoint him Commits
sloner Of City Works and carried it out in
spite OF the protests of friends as 10 the pro-
priety of the promise and the fitness OF the APP
pointmcnt This talk may do Mr.. WurSter
great Injustice II II does. lie should know
what Is being said and relieve himself and the
party responsible for his administration Of the
blame Of having been bound beforehand 10 toll
eration OF methods which resulted In practices
bringing party shame which is unpleasant
enough to endure. even II properly guarded
against. II there Is any basis Of fact In the
story II Is only another illustration OF the evil
inseparable from the Machine theory Of bar
gaining for office and making party candl-
dates the agents OF organization will in tho
performance Of official functions. At any rate.
Il IS evident that an office-holdcr responsible 10
party machine 10 make his official acts serve
the personal purposes Of party managers can
not be sure OF giving first attention the wants
OF the community as whole. That IL the les
son OF the Brooklyn scandal. However pure
his motive Mr.. Wursters mistake was in TAX
Ing the conduct Of city work from the hands
Of business man and intrustng It 10 poll
tician However honest Mr. Willis may be. his
mistake was in making his department tender
10 political ambition. The dishonest schcmcrs
never fail TO take advantage OF such A situation.
II these troubles are 10 10 avoided by exercise
OF resolute party sentiment such as that Of the
Union League club. the effort must he directed
to the disease not the symptoms. Stealing Is
only the symptom. Playing politics with pub
lie office IS the disease.