New-York tribune., 1902-05-24
AN ANGEL WITH NERVOUS PROSTRATION."

"4N ANGEL WITH NERVOUS PROSTRATION."
A person suffering from nervous prostration
is hardly fitted to diagnose that disease IN
others clergyman who is compelled TO spend
part of the winter at Lakewood under reStric-
tons by his physician which forbid him even
the excitement of casual conversation with
strangers, and then has TO flee TO Europe for
long rest at the beginning OF summer. is not IN
position to know we'll enough what Is going on
in New-York or 10 Judge correctly enough the
meaning of what comes TO his ears to be a valu-
able or trustworthy critic of affairs DR..
Parkhurst has so long been in the habit of
scotching the city with critical eruptions when
ever the pressure on his superheated nerves
became excessive that the phenomenon no longer
creates surprise 1t relieves him and it does not
hurt anybody else He cannot help it. He has
not been able TO since the strain upon his system
of his first spectacular entry into politics by
way of the sewers made him temperamentally
unable TO do cooperative or constructive work
and left him only the wearing and thankless
role of a uniformly carping critic If in the
course of the last seven years DR.. Parkhurst had
ever found it possible to commend heartily any
administration or any political movement not
utterly quixotic his present criticisms might
warrant serious consideration. But the Strong
administration ulQ not suit nlin Inc tllHeliS
Union movement OF 1897 rarely, if ever, sue
ceeded in being impracticable enough to meet
his moral standards. And now he falls foul of
the Low administration, and concludes that "a
healthy devil is more impressive than an angel
that is down with nervous prostratiOn"
We rather think he is right, and that is why
the world fails to be impressed by him. For
several years he has been an angel down with
nervous prOstratiOn. We may believe in his
honesty and pure motives, we may sympathize
with him in his affiiction, but it is impossible
to give weight TO the statements of man whose
nerves are awry and whose judgment is so i'm
paired that he publicly repeat solemn and
unqueStiOnable truth any malicious and idle
gossip concerning men whose actions or Opn-
| ions do not happen to please him. Nothing in
public affairs has pleased him for long while.
He once shocked New-York into a realization OF
| the unspea kable evils it was toerating, and in
| spite of his dangerous and questionable methods
he is entitled to be gratefully remembered for
what he did TO make the defeat of Tammany
possible in 1894. But from that time to this his
| narrowness, his Intolerance, his bitterness and
| his mpracticability-due. we suppose, to his
| shattered nervous system-haye put him entire
| ly aside from helpful movements to better con-
| ditions in this city. He has rather been voice
at command OF the enemies of reform, almost
| always at critical times saying things which
| those enemies diligently and gleefully made use
| of against those who We're accomplishing as
much for improvement as circumstances al
| lowed.
| We do not mean to say that the police situa-
tion in this city is satisfactory. 1t probably is
| not satisfactory to Mr. Low. Shortcomings
perfectly apparent It is easy to say that Com
| missioner Partridge ought to do this or that
| But no friend of the administration has yet
| come forward and outlined policy which could
| be adopted under the law and put in force with
the faulty Instruments at command which did
| not threaten TO bring worse evils in its train
| than the present confessedy imperfect perform
| ance of police duty. There are doubtless many
| laws which are not strictly enough enforced
| There are also some laws left on the statute
| book which il would he outrageous strictly to
enforce. Nobody yet has succeeded in saying
just how the letter of the law could be faithfully
lived up to without involving the government
| I'm n practical breakdown. Improvement is be-
ing made. It is slow, perhaps TOO slow, but it
| is sure. There have been no steps taken 10 be
| humilatngIy retraced. No spectacular balloon
! of enforcement has been sent up 10 burst In
| tleee weeks. There has not been much nervous
ness in the conduct of the Police Department, it
| is true, but there have been nerve. steadiness,
refusal 10 be disturbed either by the plots of
| enemies or the Mysteries of friends. Dr. Park
peace. Reform VIII not go TO destruction while
| he is absent.