The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1902-04-05

AN/ and commented upon the
fact that the reform adj
,ninistration of Mayor
Low in New York has pleased neither
the regulars, who believe in taking
their politics like many Of them take
| whiskey, straight, nor II good many OF
the reformers, who seem to have anti
cipated an instantaneous revival of the
age OF miracles. In q speech made the
other evening before the Republican
editorial association Of the state Of New
York Mr.. Low shed some interesting
light upon why his administration has
not moved more rapidly toward the
correction of long-standing abuses. He
said:
"The problem we have been called
on to deal with is not easy. and as q
rule this is not very we'll understood.
There are two provisions contained in
the charter whick have proved them
selves especially fruitful Of embarrass-
ment. The first Of these is the clause
fixing all salaries as they were at the
incoming Of. the administration until
changed by the concerted action Of the
Board Of Estimate and the Board Of
Aldermen. No previous administration
was ever 50 hampered. 1t has always
been left to the heads Of the depart
ments to fix the salaries as long as
they did not exceed their appropria-
tions 1 don't know but that much
might be said for the new system. but
it must be deemed unfortunate, to say
the least. that it was inaugurated at
IL time when the city payrolls had been
swelled to an unprecedented extent.
| The other provision is quite as bad and
also as novel. 1t provides that when
| ever an office is abolished the in
culnbent shall receive q preferred place
| on the waiting list and have the first
chance when Il new appointment Is
| made The consequence is that after
| "A number OF positions have been abol-
ished, we are now taking back for
other positions the men already cast
| of. Whatever is to be done, in other
words. has to be done With the as
sistance of men put in by the former
administration.
1T might be supposed that these en-
ployes would prove loyal to any adj
| minlstration, but such is not the rule.
I'll give you an illustration from the
street cleaning department.. A deliber-
ate attempt has been made to tie up
that department ever since the new ad-
| ministratlon came in. Commissioner
Woodbury. Is u man Of resources and
the department has not been tied up,
but l will tell you about some Of the
| obstacles he has had to contend with.
| The department possessed four steam
| bumpers. which the Tammany admin
istration for some reason or another
laid up. Instead of being of use they
were only a source OF expenditure be-
cause two wutchmen We're employed to
f, look after each one Of them. Other
wise they We're permitted to rust away.
Commissioner Woodbury. found all Of
| them out Of repair. He decided, how
ever TO put one OF them in running
ORDER in order t. see Of what use 1t
might br. Well, one day n load Of
ashes was dumped into the funnel Of
burned out. The captain declared that
| he dared not go to sea with 1t, but he
went, Of course. when the commission.
er said he would find some other cap
| tain who did dare. In one month five
| deliberate efforts We're made to prevent
that boat from being used. And yet,
| with all those Interruptions, that boat
| has already helped to reduce the cost
Of dumping dirt from 30 to II cents a
| cubic yard. Just think OF the state OF
affairs when an administration has to
| contend with such difficulties! There
! is "a way, Of course, to get rid of that
| kind of men, but 1t takes time. There
are already four employees Of that par
ticular department in jail, and we are
moving along"
| The rudimentary elements OF fairness
would suggest that those who helped to
| install Seth Low and his colleagues in
| office should grant them q. reasonable
| time In which to work out their plans
| We are distrustful of their power ever
| to bring about in New York city II
much better grade of government than
| Tammany gave, for the reason that we
think Tammany gave the kind of gov
ernment that the average New Yorker
wants, except ut infrequent intervals
of extraordinary dissatisfaction. But
We do not doubt the honesty and good
| faith of the Low regime and are con-
fident that 1t will do It's part II the
citizens will do theirs.