New-York tribune., 1903-05-29
COMMISSIONER sTURGIs TIyDTC4TED.


Mayor Low has taken a sensible view Of the
charges made by Controller Grout against Com
missioner Sturgis. From the first the Control
ler's letters and interviews on the subject dis
played an acerbity and pettiness Of disposi-
ton They followed a bitter controversy, in
which many firm friends of the administration
took sides against the Commissioner So alto
gether, there was reason to feel that Mr. Sturgis
was being pursued in a spirit Of unfriendliness
and his removal sought on account of techni-
calities. Such appears to have been the case.
according to the Corporation Counsel's report 70
the Mayor.
In the early part OF his term there was some
uncertainty as to the law respecting the letting
of small contracts. Mr.. Sturgis followed the
practice which prevailed when he was in the
department under Mayor Strong. On December
81. 1902. the Corporation Counsel gave an 0pin-
ion that this practice was not correct, and the
Commissioner Immediately ordered that opinion
TO be followed. The Controller has asserted
that In the next January the law was also vio-
lated but Mr.. Rtves takes a contrary view OF
that transaction. At any rate, the point is
purely technical, the city did not suffer from
the course taken, Mr.. Sturgis was evidently try
ing to obey the law he understood it. and
there was not the slightest ground for his re
moval.
The Mayor also justiies the hose purchases
which the Controller made the basis Of charges.
The bids which Mr.. Grout limited could have
been passed over for no good motive were
passed over owing to the connection with them
Of the notorious Marks, whose ''rake-of" on Fire
Department supplies under Tammany Is the
basis of one of the indictments on which ex-
Commissioner ScannelI is now awaiting trial
In view of the scandals under the last admin
iHo9 IN r1al iTC~
new investigations, testing different sorts Of
hose even though they we're already in use in
the department, and his action in the premises,
instead of being valid ground Of criticism. was
prafseworthy and in the public interest
Inasmuch as Mr.. Sturgis has been made the
target of much preiudiced criticism, some Of it
manifestly of a political character. some of 1t
probably the result Of his somewhat unfortu-
nate official manner. it is only fair that the real
achievements of the Commissioner, as set forth
by the Mayor, should receive public notice.
Under his administration the fire losses have
decreased remarkably. In 1902 they were
S1775OO0 less than in 1901, 81 100000 less than
in 1900 and $5,4O0,0O0 less than in 1899. The
average fire loss in Manhattan and The Bronx
last year was the lowest in ten years. Compared
with the average Of the four years of Tammany
rule. it was so per cent less, and in Brooklyn
average loss 10 per cent less. There Tam
many for four years absolutely neglected to pro-
vide new fire apparatus to keep pace with
building and naturally Mr.. Sturgis has not yet
been able to make the Improvement there which
he has here On both sides Of the river how
ever he has done more in a year and half
than his predecessor did in four years to fur
nish the city adequate protection against fire
That achievement far outwe CHS little mistakes
of Judgment and want Of tact which have made
Mr.. Sturgis a convenient target for persons who
were seeking opportunity TO attack the admin
istration and create prejudice against It His
case is a perfect illustration of the truth OF Dr
Parkhurst's remark the other day about "the
exaggerated appreciation Of what the present
administration has not done and the grossly
inadequate appreciation Of what # has done
He justly said:
shortcomings get a hundred times as much
advertising as longconings- The good thing
that an administration does not do makes
larger figure before the popular mind than
ninety-nine good things that it does Go. This
is outrageously unfair, and tells disCouragingly
1Ipon those who are doing faithful and honest
work but who know that sometimes they are
going 20 make mistakes in their work