New-York tribune., 1902-06-23
1 HALF YEAR OF REFORM

AIayor Low has been in office not quite SIX
months. and no unpreiudiced observer can study
the record OF his administrations accomplish
ments without realizing that vast improve
nlent has been made upon the conditions Whlch
prevailed under Mayor Van Wyck. In another
column this morning The Tribune reviews some
what in detail the work of several departments
and from the facts presented it is evident that
The people of this city are reapinG substantial
benefits from the change of government. PROP
ably they do not half realize the value OF the
service rendered TO them. They have been too
mucb inclined TO look for spectacular trans
formations and to pass by unnotced the multi
farious improvements in details which must be
attended 10 before the superStructure OF model
municipal government can he reared
The wav 10 save million dollars in the city
administration is 10 stop the waste of thousands
in every direction 1t is the aggregate of small
reforms which really makes the difference be-
tween good and bad government. Tammany
under Croker did not risk Indulgence in the
gigantic frauds of the Tweed regime. 1t had a
safer system. but one not less harmful. There
were waste and abuse through all the ramitca-
TionS Of public work. The heavy task Of Mr..
Low has been TO take over the city government.
manned as il was and controlled by minute
legal restrictions as it was and infuse new
spirt through the whole system and compel
honest performance of duty in every part. 1t
would have been comparatively easy TO sweep
away some particularly glaring abuses and
make the city appear to be well governed 1t
was not, however a case for a local operation.
Diseased members could not be cut off. The
whole body polite was i'll of blood poisoning.
and the cure must he sought in slow purification
Of the whole system.
Tho ,,-orI- of 11urjtic3rioD is by no means com
plete Many looking at what is yet TO be
complished. think that nothing has been done.
Perhaps they expected the impossible, and
should have known before election that they
would be disappointed Perhaps they are
merely captious critics who want to believe
reform administration a failure. When the
work of the departments is studied in detail
even the latter must admit improvements.
Take for instance. the collection of arrears of
personal taxes. In less than six months over
S237. 900 has been collected. as against only
S157.316 in the whole four years Of Tammany
rule The water revenues were increased in
the first quarter of the year more than $4,000
over the Tammany income by mere honesty
and alertneSs. One-third more paving is being
done for dollar than Tammany secured, and
that means the saving of about $1.oG0,o00 a
year The city's printing bill has been reduced
about 80 per cent and so it is through all the
departments The aggregate of the items means
/ efficient service to the people.
In the Police Department blackmail is being
put down. That the force has been entirely
| purified nobody will pretend. The evil is too
deep seated. The problem of law enforcement
is too complicated; bat progress has been made.
| neveryism no longer faunts itself. The city is
! more lawabiding and more decent than it has
. been at any time in four years. The streets are
cleaner: life and property safer; more in
telligent attention is given to the care of parks
and the building Of baths and to other works
which stand for civilization. IL every way life
| in the city is made better worth living for the
honest citizen and less endurable for the crimi-
| nal classes which before held sway. fattening
| On the rich and terroriZing the poor. At the end
of its half year in office the Low administration
| can truthfully make a report of progress.