The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-06-10
A Prostitution of the City's Power.

Tho very low level on which the Tam
many city government operates was made
to appear on Thursday in the Board of Est-
mate and Appointments vote to appropr
ate 81, 900 for the construction OF perma-
nent sterilized milk booths in Central Park
and Tompkins Square. Mayor VAN WYCK's
small spark Of public spirit flashed in protest
for moment, and his sense of what was be-
coming to public officials in dealing with
private citizens asserted itself in oppos-
ton; but whisper from Corporation Coun-
sci WHALES, particular pillar of Mr..
CRoKERs power in this city, wiped out the
Mayors Independence with a single rub,
and the vote was unanimous.
The sterized milk business has been
known for some time as charity of Mr..
NATHAN STRAUs. Sterilized milk may be q
very excellent article Of charity; it may be
better than meat or fresh vegetables or
very many other things. Mr.. STRAUs may
have been moved by humane spirit
when he began its distribution. But from
the first that has been carried on with &C.
companying provision for publicity such as
has attached to no other charity in town.
When the first booth was erected in
City Hall Park it even had the name OF
NATHAN STRAUs" painted over the counter.
To put the matter bluntly. we know that
1t was largely the capital OF philanthropic
reputation accumulated through his gifts
to the poor upon which Mr.. STRAUs ven
turcd to ask for election as Mayor as the
Tammany candidate in S94.
The nutoriety side OF almsgiving is for
the taste of the individual philanthropist to
regulate; but when the latter gets such
hold upon public officials that they use
their control of the cityto serve him partic-
ularly the case is different
In the organization Of the city govern
ment the Department OF Parks, the grounds
set aside for common recreation, is distinct
from the Department OF Charities. The
fewer the buildings put in parks to meet
their special needs the moro useful and
beautiful the parks are; and public parks
have their own peculiar character which for
bids their prostitution to private schemes,
or to public schemes foreign TO their pur-
poses or capable OF satisfaction in other
ways. But when u heavy subscriber to
the Tammany fund and special personal
friend of Mr.. CROKER applies to have build
ings put into two public parks, one Of them
Central Park, to be turned over to him
without the ordinary competition, and to
be devoted to his own ends, Mayor VAN
WICK and his colleagues submissvely
adopt the proposition!
II it is desirable that sterilized milk
shall be dispensed in the Central Park,
there are ample facilities there already for
putting it before the public philanthropy
wants to distribute sterilized milk around
Tompkins Square, rent on an abuttng
block Is not SO expensive that the park
land need be encroached upon. And il
Mr. STRAUS is marked to receive at the
hands OF the municipal government special
favor for the promotion OF his philan-
thropic enterprises. it will be more COM
patibe with the city's dignity if he be made
part Of the machinery Of the Department Of
Charities than that he should have practi-
cally permanent grant OF space and OPP
portunity in the public parks.
The whole affair Is n very type OF vulgar
abuse of public power.