The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1902-04-20
War on Mayor Low
BY JoHfl MARTHoL.

New York, April 19.-The press of this
city has decided to make war on Mayor
Low and his administration Each and
every commissioner has been attacked In
turn, and the statement has gone out
that he would be dismissed for incom-
ing Commissioner, Mr.. Partridge. the Po-
lice Commissioner, and now Mr. George
L. Rives. the Corporation Counsel, have
been each in succession roasted on the
journalistic broiler. From certain Sec
tions these attacks are to be expected,
but scarcely from the press.
The attack on Mr.. Rives is certainly
malicious as 1t is founded on intentional
mis-statements of facts. Mr.. Low In Sc
Getting Mr.. Rives for the position was
mindful of the enormous influence for
good or for evil the Corporation Counsel
exercised in every department of the city.
He was reminded of this power by the
rise. of others who held office, from pro-
erty to great wealth. and he determined
to select a man who stood high in his
profession, whose integrity could not be
questioned and who would accept the
post of corporation counsel as the city s
counsel, and in the citys interest. Mr..
Rives makes personal sacrifice In serv-
ing at this most important post.
But the best interests of this city will
not be served by bounding the admin
istration. 1t is becoming unpopular day
by day not by reason of what it does. but
rather by what 1t does not do. Patron
age is the cry of thousands. They would
wallow in dirty politics and feed at the
city trough and because as yet their ef-
forts have proven fruitless they pick
flaws in every act done by city officials.
Even though the administration is DOOM
ed, 1t will be proven clear honest and
efficient. But that is not the kind of adj
ministratlon the citizen" Is interested in.
A pretty warfare will be waged by the
members of the Low cabinet In pursu-
ance of request for reduced estimates
the heads of departments put them in.
They aggregate about eighty-four and a
half millions The comptroller cuts the
list down to about twenty-seven millions.
He hands in a summary of the requested
bond issue and states that the city, can
not spend the money in eight months.
On July l, the city will be $37, 900, 900 with
in the debt limit and he believes it should
be at least eighty millions within the
limit at all times in event of emergencies
Heads of departments are now growing.
They state they cannot conduct their de-
partments successfully without they re-
ceive the amounts asked for. The differ
ence between the comptroller and bor-
ough presidents and commissioners is fif-
ty-seven millions.
For years, in spite of all efforts, the
Italian immigrant who has been TEN pied
to try his fortune In this land of the free.
has Jared badly. He falls, shortly after
arrival, into the hands OF his fellow coun-
tryman who has got on in the world"
From laborer he has passed on to the
proud position of a contractor for labor
Such men are styled padrones. They seem
insensible to any human woe. They gath
er the immigrants together on their ar
rival and impose upon them conditions
that are in every sense those of slavery
in the worst forms. They ship these I'M
suspecting and guileless men to South
American and Central American ports
and to the mines where they pass under
the control of men who handle them with
less care than they do their mules and
horses. These animals have value, tho
man none beyond his labor The women
are sold into slavery that is worse than
death. At last society has been formed
mot by their own countrymen--to pro-
tect the immigrant on his arrival. 1t Is
about time.
The city payroll shows Tammany nailed
its flag to the mast when 1t went down
before the November cyclone. 1t found
the much despised civil service a verit-
able glue pot, and when 1t was evident
that the Fusionists would come into pow
err. Tammany used the glue to fasten
its loyal adherents in office to their
places. In spite of all the blow and the
buster the Tammany men in office re-