New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-08-02
MP GOLFER AND INFRINGEMENT.

Controller Coler is in great danger OF losing
hi, popularity with his Tammany associates
He is already on record AS believing IN the
hated Civil Service reform and favoring COM
netitjye examinations wherever they can he
practically employed. Such a policy does not
in the least fit in with the ideas of Tammany,
which considers the Civil Service law as an
evil 10 be endured when necessary and evaded
when possible. But the faint OF Civil Service
reform is not the SUM of Mr. Coler's offend
ing There are worse things TO follow. He
is contemplating changes In the public service
which cannot fail to bring distress to every
patriot who is for Tammany Hall and a sal
ary It is reported that he Is preparing a plan
for a reduction Of salaries In many depart
ments, the scaling down Of the force employed
and the requirement Of an actral days hard
work for every days pay received from the
city.
He may not carry out this scheme. 1t IS diff
cult to see how Mayor Van Wyck can permit
him TO carry IL out, for 1t violates all the rules
held sacred In Tammany and is n direct insult
to Mr. Croker, who last winter defended the
wholesale increase Of salaries, saying: Don't
you know that these officials have been get
"ting the salaries attached TO the places in the
"old city of New-York? Now that the city is
NEARLY doubled in size the work imposed on
1.-The men Is very much greater. They are hard
working officials, critics to the contrary not
"withstanding and they ought to have higher
Salaries accordingly. We want to keep good
"men. and that can't be done unless we pay
them" Bearing this In mind we have been
content to see salaries raised. When a hospital
helpers pay was increased we said, Of course.
the hospital has twice as many patients now
the city Is twice as large and the helper has
to work harder. SO with all the messengers
and doorkeepers and stenographers. We ac-
cepted the fact that they were hard working
officials, who must be kept The idea of these
faithful men becoming so weary Of their I'M
prepayment as to leave their places in the pub
lie service and 60 to work in counting houses
or at trades was too appalling for contempla-
| ton, and we felt they must at all hazards be
kept even though the burden of keeping them
rested heavily upon the taxpayers. Yet here
| comes Controller Coler threatening to overturn
our confidence in Mr. Croker with his notion
| that many city employees are overpald and that
many of them really render no honest service
to the city.
His plan Is said to contemplate system
which will cut down the number Of employees
| when all are actively at work for n full day
every day This much suggests the Civil Ser
! vice Commissions requirement that all pay
rolls bear the certificate that each man actually
/ did the work he is rated as doing, against
which the Tammany offceholders are making
such vigorous protests 1t would establish a
sort of Chinese system, and compel patriotic
! Democrats to do their work under discipline
! instead of in the free and easy manner befit-
ting liberty loving citizens. Such a system
would seem to cast doubt upon the honor OF
these bard working officers to whom Mr.. Gro
ker pays such tribute. Are they not all faith
full sons Of Tammany, and is Mr.. Coer going to
spy on them like criminals keep them in lock
step and set stop watch on their movements?
| And as for salaries, who is Mr. Coler that he
| should dare to think the city paid too much
for certain kinds Of work? Mr.. Croker has de-
| clared otherwise, and even If he had not Tam
many is well known as the friend Of the poor
man, and the poorer the man the more does
the city owe him support at the public crib.
| Mr. Colcr had better give up his scheme Of re-
| trenchment unless he Is seeking for a new ex-
cuse for resigning.