New-York tribune., 1902-02-09
CANTOR READS A RIOT ACT
SHEEHAN HAS BEEN TOO FREE WITH
BOROUGH PRESIDENTS PLACES.
MEN SHOWED IN THROUGH HEADS OF DE-
PARTMENTs AND ECONOMY PLANS ARE
SERIOUSLY INTERFERED WITH.

trouble OF a rather serious nature is brewing
oe'"een John c. Sheehan and Borough Presi-
oeht cantor over the distribution of patronage.
II was learned last night at The Pequod Club
mat there had been an angry outbreak at Presi-
oent Cantor's regular cabinet meeting at the
N'ty Han yesterday afternoon. md that the bu-
reau heads had been taken to task by the Bor-
ough President for allowing Mr. Sheehan such
iree rem with reference to the appointment of
men in the various departments in the iurisdic-
ton Of Mr. Cantor
AS near as could be learned from con1 ersatiou
with some of Mr.. Sheehans friends at the club.
MI cantor objects TO the practice which has
suddenly sprung up among the friends of Mr..
Sheehan. The district leaders of the Greater
New-York Democracy of late have gone direct
TO the heads Of bureaus and obtained places
without fully informing Mr.. Cantor about what
was going on.
II seems that when Mr.. Sheehan found that it
was slow business getting some of his friends
appointed he had his friends go direct to the
heads Of bureaus representing that they were
all right" Ordinarily this has secured from
the heads and from the engineers an informal
appointment which would be quickly sent to
Borough President Cantor for formal action.
The names, coming they did apparently from
the heads of departments, had the appearance of
/ being selections that the heads of departments
could not do without. and Mr.. Cantor put them
through. Last week he discovered that the
salary rolls were filling up with alarming rapid
ity and that it would be impossible . make
much of a showing Of economy, as compared with
the Tammany administration, unless an unme-
diate halt was called in putting men 20 work.
This is what he did yesterday
No had the cabinet meeting been
called to order than Mr.. Cantor began to censure
certain of his subordinates for taking for
granted that the suggested by Mr.. Sheehan
TO be accepted without consulting him
/ (Cantor). He told his cabinet that hereafter
the business of appointing employees would be
concentrated absolutely in his office and that
whenever any one was to be appointed the head
of department must not take any ones word
for ii, out must report the name to the Borough
President Mr. Cantor demanded explanations
from two or three of his subordinates, and when
they admitted that they had not maintained
strict supervision of the appointing power he
read what one of them described as the riot
act" to them.
The session Of the cabinet lasted from =
O'Clock until ,, and little but the matter of ap-
pointments was discussed. All the heads Of
departments and bureaus were on hand. They
were Public Works Commissioner Livingston.
Perez NJ. Stewart. Superintendent of Buildings;
Sewer Superintendent Michales Superintendent
Collins of the Department of Highways. Super
intendent Walker of Buildings and Offices, and
Engineers Loomis and Webster.
Mr.. Cantor is on the speakers list for the
Sheehan dinner N Tuesday next at Sherry's,
and it matter of lively gossip last night
as to whether he would be present.
Mr.. Sheehan's friends said that, while the
patronage and appointment matter had been
thoroughly thrashed over at the cabinet meet
ing. Mr. Cantor did not so much blame Mr.
Sheehan as he did the men who took il for
granted that whatever Mr.. Sheehan wanted
was to be approved without full consultation
with the Borough President. They said that
Mr.. Cantor justified in standing for the
prerogatives Of his office but that Mr.. Sheehan
had not overstepped proper bounds in securing
the appointment 10 office Of Greater New-York
Democracy men,