New-York tribune., 1899-07-30
DANGEROUS THREATS.

When Controller Coler the other day passion
btely appealed to the public to hold him fast lest
he should do himself a mischief, his excitement
over situation which might have been
amended 20 his liking more quietly and simply
was charitably set down TO childishness and
nerves But apparently the resigning threat Is
a fever and is catching. Bridge Commissioner
Shea has ii. He does not like the conditions
imposed by law upon him, and unless they are
changed he is going 10 resign. We have not
heard that the Municipal Assemblymen who so
decidedly dislike the conditions imposed by the
Court upon them are about to resign, but Prob
ably the germ of the disease is in the air, and
the chill draught from an open prison door
would very likely bring them down with the dis
ease The maady seems TO be one that deludes
Tammany office holders with the notion that,
unlike most public and private employees, they
are expected TO make the terms of their service.
If the laws under which they work do not suit
them, so much the worse for the laws. They
must be changed or the people will be punished.
If the Civil Service rules are not fixed TO suit the
Controller or Mr.. Shea they are going to resign
a proceeding which reminds one Of the small
boys familiar Then | sha'nt play and pro-
vokes the retOrt "WhO cares?'
Perhaps in the case of Mr.. Coler somebody
does care He is too good a little boy to be
turned adrift without sense of regret and de-
sire 10 have him learn better manners. Mr.
Shea may be a good boy, too, though he has
trained longer with 7icious companions and is
not looked upon so indulgently by good people
Certainly in his case, and possibly in the case Of
Mr.. Coler. worse things than resignation could
happen so far as the city is concerned. Indeed
# their dissatisfaction is really catching and
fI-aI1, III, @I,a
Mayors office and into the other departments
they cannot be too sure that the popular anxiety
10 keep pen and ink from their hands will not be
best comparable 10 the zeal of the French ofl-
GERS 10 remove all ropes and knives from the
vicinity Of the late Colonel Henry at the time Of
his arrest. OF course. nobody wants Mr.. COler
10 manage his department without adequate
trustworthy assistance and everybody will sym
pathize with Mr. Shea's desire to have a practi-
cal engineer rather than a glib graduate of a
technical school TO superntend the new East
River Bridge. Civil Service Commissioner Burt,
who is a Democrat, expresses the intention of
himself and his colleagues TO remove all reason
able objections 10 the rules, and is frank TO say
that Mr. Coler had no need TO make scene II il
was really and simply notifications of the rules
that he sought But If the people Of this city
should happen TO gather the notion that prevent
ing MIR. Coer and Mr. Shea from securing what
they ask. no matter how reasonable IL may be-
would really precipitate food of designations
there Is no telling how outrageOusly annoying in
their treatment of the municipal officials they
might become Sorry as they might be TO lose
Mr.. Coler, they might conclude that the game
was worth the candle. that the resignation OF
Van Wyck and Devery and Sexton and Asa
cbp nj no
We warn the reslgners that they are treadng
a dangerous path. Somebody might chance t0
take them at their word. They would better fol
low Mr.. Gardeners plan in running up against
adversity. Mr. Coler and Mr.. Shea have been
carried TO the skies on fiowery beds OF ease In
comparison TO Mr. Gardiner. who, ever since he