New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-05-25
Mr.. WHALFN'S LATEST.

The dabt-limt farce has nj last been brought
TO an end Mr. Whalens output OF successive
opinions has finally resulted In the announce
ment that the old city OF York never ex
ceeded the constitutional debt limit, and that
consequently all tho contracts which Tammany
has been seeking TO overthrow are valid. II IN
An irlpotent conclusion OF a great deal OF fuss
and buster, the only result Of which has been
TO make the city officials ridiculous and delay
public improvements wantony. What becomes
of Mr. Coler's announcement a week ago that
the limit was reached Just a few days before
the end Of December-just In time 10 nvadate
John c. Sheehan's contracts7 What becomes
Of Mr.. Whaen's opinion that all liabilities for
future work and the cost OF contemplated street
and park opening must be included In the debt,
according TO which Mr.. Coler figured out that
Mayor Strong had violated the Constitution by
mourning SCI, 224, $40 10 Of Illegal debt? What
becomes OF Mayor Van Wyck's blingsgate
about his predecessor having left him bank
rupt city? What becomes OF Mr.. Crokcr's state
ment early in April that the city was S50,0OO,OOO
beyond the limit ne "a legacy from the reform
administration" and his threat that the old
Board Of Estimate and Apportlonment would
be indicted2 All gone into the limbo OF politi-
cal bluff and demagogy
What a spectacle 1t all has been! The three
high officers OF city OF three million people
and the party leader who rules them all con
spring for five months TO hold up public I'm
provements to shut children out Of school. TO
stop work on n great public library TO leave
outlying districts unlighted. In an unavaillng
effort to gain a few contracts for their follow
ers, vent their spite on political opponents and
block rapid transit. II Is ludicrous beyond any
farce Of government imagined for utopia Lin
ited," and it Is also humllaing to the citizens
Of this city, which. by combination just now
broken in n quarrel over spells, was betrayed
into the hands of n gang Of ignorant advent
urers so stupidity incompetent as to make their
financial and legal founderings the laughing
stock OF the country. These official blunderers
have also done more than make themselves
ridiculous They have brought serious injury
TO the city They have hurt It's credit. and
made nnanciers timid about holding securities
in corporation whose managers may be ex-
pccted TO repudiate its debts at any time their
own political objects will thereby be promoted.
Nobody can he sure what freak of opinion-mak-
ing will come next from the Corporation Coun-
sells Office to plunge people who bought bonds
property Moreover the holding up of contracts
meant not merely delays for the contractors
and no wages for their men. Tammany habit
ually left the children without sufficient school
room Mayor Strong did his best to make up
for the long neglect, and began operations
which. If carried out, would have furnished
sttings when school opened in the fall for many
now deprived Of instruction. Mayor Van Wyck
stopped work on those schools with this nom
sense about the debt limit. and even II he let's
the contractors 90 on now. II is doubtful if they
can complete the buildings In time. Every child
crowded out OF school next fall will have Tam
many to thank for deprivlng it Of education.
Mr.. Whalen grows wary as his opinions in
crease in number. and he is evidently prepared
to "clImb down. still further. He admits that
the contracts for unbalanced quantities"
among them the Cornell Dam and the Jerome
Park Reservoir contracts. need not be consd-
cred II might he interesting to know why
these two ever were considered. since water
supply debt Is specifically excluded by the Con
sttution. He has doubts about some other in
dctcrminatc contracts. but is ready TO make m
opinion TO fit any particular one submitted. He
also has doubts about contracts subject to sus-
pension, but not to utter abrogation; but still
he Is not making any final stand on anything
He II Just retreatIng In order. The excess debt
'f-<r+~ 1901 A-.-'s> 49, - $3.50 "a .