New-York tribune., 1901-06-20
uR COLER'S APOLOGY.

If II Is uniust 10 sIlsnPct Controller Coler OF
an ardent desire 10 get the Tammany nomlha-
ton for Mayor this year there Is nothing IN his
article in the current number of The lndepen-
dent TO indicate the injustice of such sus-
Dicion IL bears all the marks of an anxious
attempt TO put himself in n position where
Tammany. finding itself under the painful
necessity of panderng 10 virtue. could scarcely
fail to be favorably impressed by his appear
ance In form il is not defence OF, or even
an excuse for. Tammany government; but IN
essence il is a disingenuouS attack upon the
forces which are seeking to organize an honest
movement for the overthrow of Tammany
which are the only enemies Tammany has TO
fear. and of which in point Of fact Tammany IS
becoming afraid.
We cannot say. however, that Mr. Coler
effort is slxilful. On the contrary. it is in the
main curiously inept. The Controller is by no
means destitute of respectable mental powers.
yet he resorts with grave satisfaction TO the
feeble device of inventing a state of facts which
bears no resemblance 10 reality in order that he
may gain credit for discernment and sanity by
holding IL up TO contempt. He says OF "the
professional reformers''-the obvious reference
being 10 those citizens who are now preparing
10 go into action against Tammany-that when
they enter politics they present platforms built
Of stale platitudes which, reduced TO their sub
stance, mean something like this I'VE would
suppress gambling and the social evil. eradi
''cate vice of all kinds. enforce all Sunday laws
make the city good and virtuous by force.
reduce expenditures and taxation and conduct
1.-The public business honestly and economi-
"cally" OF course, Mr. Colers purpose is TO
make the present anti-Tammany movement
ridiculous: but the actual. creditable and
encouraging fact is that the present antl-Tam-
many movement is not based on any such
propositions. Thus fan those responsible for its
inception and progress have shown excellent
sense in merely insisting on the fundamental,
imperative necessity of turning ont the govern
ment which has betrayed the city and putting
into Office men whose established character
creates a strong presumption that they can be
trusted. Nobody has proposed the partly mean
ingless and partly imbecile programme which
Mr.. Coler finds a childish pleasure In exhibiting
1t is Just foolish little thing of his own fab
rication.
1t is quite characteristic of the mood in which
Mr.. Coler undertook TO make the opposition 10
Tammany appear puerile and futile that he
should have followed up his allusion TO the
'stale platitudes" of reformers with series of
remarkably trite observations on the subject of
economy. Thus: Economy IN city government
docs not always consist in reducing taxes and
expenses" "Any large business house can
reduce its expenses. but IL is not ALWAYS good
business 10 do So" We have too favorable an
opinion Of Mr. Coler's natural Intelligence 10
suppose that he would ever dream of defending
or excusing in the management of a business
house, large small. the ways OF reckless
profiigacy which have debauched the public
service OF this city and put an intoerable
burden on ifs people.