New-York tribune., 1901-12-25
GRUBER SEES AN OBJECT LESSON.

Abraham Gr,,ber. Republican leader Of the XXIst
Assembly District said yesterday that the defal-
cation by Charles P. Chtpp. of the Bureau of Ar
rears. afforded object lesson Of the unwsdom OF
a life tenure IN public Office
NO private corporation in this city handles and
spends as much money the public corporation
known as the City Of New-Y York said Mr.. Gruber.
The latter is everybodys business and therefore
nobody's particular concern. which may also be
said Of the government of the United States The
Incentives the personal interests and watchfuness
present in private concern are, in the nature OF
things absent from the public Offices Private
business and public business done from differ
ent points of view. controlled by different needs
and causes and IN their management ought to be
controlled by different methods. It goes without
SAYING that both should be honestly and econom-
icaIy conducted. or in other words, that the same
good ends should be sought in EACH but the ways
of running them must be unlike, because the busi
nesses are not the
In the conduct of the Boer the English
armies the field have been injured and hampered
by nothing so much the oficialism' or bureau
cracy' of the English War Department, where cob
webs became chains. and the rings Of office
holders, with life tenures, prevented prog
ress played in with favored contractors, and dis
regarded and laughed at the sentiment the pub
lie whose hard earned money the only capital
on which the business was being done.
The defalcations in the Tax Collectors office in
this city just brought light, although honest
er capable Controller than Coler ever
the people, Tnade possible only because
of the system which allows life tenures A new
broom sweeps clean. and is needed in the public
offices every years, just much II is in the
household every spring. But" says the bureau
crat '9f has only two or three years to serve
he will surely that he may make his Office
holding profitable The complete answer this is
that men steal when they do not fear detection.
Stealing is Improbable If you going to be
found out When the risk of detection is small the
more readily will the dishonest take the
| What head of department can supervise the
| work of the subordinates? None. They work with
| each other and into each others hands Squeal-
| ing on coemploye is worse than treason. How
| many lasting reforms opposed to Tammany Han
| methods will be carried into effect II only the
heads of departments are changed? See the many
| defalca tions In banks and business houses. For
one that gets into the newspapers five are hushed
nm Not even business methods can prevail against
| the absence of the new broom. Appoint tments to
office under the best non-cOmpetitive Civil Service
| system ever devised Will not bring capable and
| honest administration long the Job is a life
| one Constant inspection is the price of honest
| government and that is best which is made with
! eyes. -.- =,
| system II is alien to republican form of gov
| eminent Where II exists II is the master, and
| not the servant II Is not a government by the
| neonle No one believes in it. excepting its bene-
| fciares and out of office