New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-03-22
A POOR EXCUSE.

II the Postmaster Of Brooklyn had desired
to give the public an unfavorable impression
Of his assistant he could not have done II more
effectively than by his statement published
Sunday. His selection Of the most trivial feat
ure Of the case as the subject Of ironicnl cen
sure Of his subordinate and his lnbored bun
combe about the duties of an Ofiiceholder TO
see that young men with whom he came In
contact were advised to attend primaries I'M
mediately suggest that Mr.. Taylors action
in writing letters asking politicians TO inform
him as to the politics Of posoffice employees IN
their districts-which many people would have
regarded as n small offence, TO be criticised as
a bad but natural survival Of n once universal
and accepted custom-must really have been
highly improper or his chief would not be so
confused in dealing with II. We do not wish
to let that impression operate 10 Mr.. Taylor's
disadvantage, and refuse on any such ground
TO believe that he Is anything but an ardent
politician who committed an improperly with
out realizing the meaning OF Civil Service re-
form as 1t Is enforced by the United States
Government. II he had treated The matter
frankly, said he was playing politics. and prom
ised not to make the mistake again, nobody
would have given n second thought 10 him.
He Is unfortunate in having to suffer from the
attempts Of others to throw dust in peoples
eyes.
Speaking Of his assistants sending ont on
official paper requests for this confidential"
political Information about postoffice employees
Mr.. Wilson says: "As the stationery Is fur
"nlshed by the Government am inclined TO
think it improper TO use 1t for other than off,
"cial purposes | recommend, therefore, that
"Mr Taylor pay TO the cashier of this office the
value Of the four sheets Of official paper he Is
said TO have used in search of political in
formation" Now, Mr.. Wilson Is an nte-
gent person. and he knows perfectly well that
that Is qubbng Neither the Government nor
any citizen cares about four or forty sheets Of
paper. OF course Office-hOlders use official
paper for private correspondence, and nobody
objects so long as such practice Is merely the
natural Use by n man Of the stationery at his
hand for his ordinary business and not n sys-
tematc raid on the stationery fund. IT Is only
when official paper is made TO give the back
ing Of Government influence in n matter from
which Government authority should be cxcud
ed that the act is reasonably open to objection
Mr.. Taylors offence was interfering with the
politics OF his subor1nates under cover of his
official place. Mr.. Wilson must know that this
IS the point and he is just neither to himself
nor the public when he avoids It TO talk about
the money value Of four sheets OF paper
Mr. Wilson is also somewhat unhappy In his
explanation Of Mr.. Taylors purpose in seeking
political information. lie says:
II tits Mr. Taylor's intention after giving long
hours of public service as he is doing here daily
TO devote his nights and Sundays to converting
these young men to realizing sense Of their
political duties. TO persuading them that # ia
sh.Gr iyho n In IN hot.
associations and take active part in selecting
for office candidates who will be jealous in their
efforts to give To the people honest efficient and
economical service, he Is to be commended Ii
would seem from the present outlook here that
the need is great and that the laborers ought
not TO be few.
like but the promise TO treat the matter az con-
fdential" was clearly intended for the recipient
OF the letter, and l presume that Mr. Taylor
had In mind the fact that many well-dispOsed
citizens. from modesty or other reasons. prefer
to do good by stealth
That's too thin. The Postmaster Is n prac-
teal politician, and that does not do credit 10
his knowledge OF practical politics, and the
common intelligence Will not be fattered by
such slight upon It's capacity to "see through
things" Mr.. Taylor was not going TO estab-
sh a Sunday school TO teach highest civic
duty and nobody Is fooled about II. lie was
going to do what office holders have been doing
for a century using their office so far ms they
could to build up political power. He marked
his letter confidential" for very practical rea-
sons which need no labored explanation. His
action was not n crime Honest men have long
done what he did. Some honest men regard Il
ms unobjectionnble, but the community comes
more and more 10 believe that office holders
should abstain from taking notice Of the poll
ties of their subordInates the ground that such
notice inevitably verges on coercion even with
out evil intent on the part of the superior. Mr.
Taylor might have been defended as a person