The times., 1899-08-14
OFFICIALS IN NAME ONLY
Sharp Censure for New York
Board of Statistics.
The Members Have HeId a Few Un-
important Meetings, But 1t Is Al
legged That They Have Produced
No Result and Have Performed
None of the Duties They Ought To.


which the municipal government OF New
York is being carried on provided for a
Board of Municipal Statistics. Similar
boards are in operation in other cities of
the United States and in Europe, and the
benefits derived from them were known
to tle trainers of the New York laws. But
Mayor Van Wyck evidently looked upon
one for which there was no practical use.
In keeping with the law he appointed five
men as members of the board, but not with
view to their fitness.
Tammany Hall, or the new mayor made
the slate as far as paying Offices were con-
cerned, and they were doled out to the cap
tains Of thousands, hundreds and tens, or
their friends, in keeping with their i'm
portance in the councils of the party and
TO suit the whim OF the master, who held
court in the Democratic Club. The Com
missioners of municipal statistics were to
receive no pay, and it was natural that
there should emo strife for the honor nor
anxiety on the part of the master as to
who should fill the places. The Tammany
officeseeker and politician wants office for
what there is in it," and looks upon the
man who takes a place having neither pay
nor pull with feelings OF mingled pity and
contempt.
But here was a chance to show to the
world that Tammany has a respectable end,
an opportunity to get names of undoubted
respectability on the Tammany roll of
officeholders. Mayor Van Wyck appointed.
because he wanted them and not because
Croker dictated the names, Henry Payne
Whitney, Richard Wilson, jr., Frederick A.
CRUDE, Thornton NJ Motley, and Julius
Kugelman.
At the time of the appointments it was
understood that these names had been
handed TO the new mayor by the boss and
that the mayor, in his capacity as clerk
for the ruler of New York, had made the
appointments. But since then the mayor
has declared under oath that he received
no orders from the boss as to appoint
ments, and the blame for the appointment
of the first board of statistical officers has
been transferred from the Democratic
club to City Hall. One Of the commits
sioners was named because he was the
son of his father; another because he was
the son-in-law of his father-in-law; one
because of his well-sounding name, and
one, dry goods clerk, because he was the
intimate friend of andy" Freedman.
The commission was expected TO do moth
ing, and it lived up to expectations. Whit
ney, Wilson, Motley and Kugelman re-
signed, other men were appointed TO fill
their places, and two weeks ago the board
finally awoke TO the realization of the fact
that ii had duties TO perform, and it passed
resolution to hold meetings at stated
times.
In view of the neglect of duty on the part
of the Tammany Hall government, 1t Is
interesting to note what is being done in
other cities by similar boards. The model
board is that of Boston, where the members
have been chosen because of their interest
in some branch of the subject. One is a
leading manager of trust estates, and a
member of the board OF estimate and appor
tionment; one is a manufacturer, one is
a physician who was formerly Secretary of
the Massachusetts Board of Health: one is
a broker one is a civil engineer and one is
a professor of economics and statistics. All
are men of education and standing
Dr. Edward NJ Hartwell, the secretary
of the board, has made vital and educa
tional statistics a study, and did special
work in Europe as the agent of the United
States Government for the Department of
Labor, and the United States Bureau of
Education. This board publishes bulletin
publications keeps the city Informed on th~
subject of statistics pertaining to all the
municipal departments.
In report made to the mayor, DR.. Hart
we'll the secretary, mentions the following
as some of the matters which the commits
sion consider in its work Meteorological
statistics, statistics relating TO the move
ment of population; that Is, changes in
number and character of the population
through deaths, births, marriages, divorces;
immigration statistics, statistics showing
the number, character, and movement of
the defective, criminal, helpless, and pau
per classes of the community as shown by
the returns from hospitals, prisons, re-
formatories, asylums, etc; educational sta
tistics, labor statistics, commercial statis-
tics, and financial, market, and charity
statistics. The prevention. detection, and
punishment of crime, statistics relating 10
public works, parks. laying out OF streets,
erection and alteration of buildings, trans
fer of real estate, and many other subjects
are covered by the commission. DR.. Hart
well says:
THE United States Weather Bureau the
immigration Commissioner, the Collector
OF Customs, the Boston Chamber of Com
merce, the Boston Stock Exchange, the
Real Estate Exchange and Auction Board,
the Massachusetts General Hospital Board.
and other institutions have kindly agreed
to Cooperate with US by furnishing
monthly statistics from their own records;
and the various city departments have
done the same.
Our attention has not been confined to
the financial statistics OF the city fsr al
though IL appears that these now occupy
more OF the public attention than other
matters Of statistical interest, yet in other
cities II has been not infrequently found