New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-12-02
THE WORKMAN AND HIS TOOLS.

Mr.. Mcclellan. who is a good talker made an
attractive and promising address at the Nc
Carren dinner He pictured 10 himself a high
ideal of municipal government, and, in spite Of
the fact that lac showed himself unable TO recog-
nize an exceedingly bad municipal government
when il was in power, but found the Van Wyck
rule something in which TO glory, we are ready
to believe that be really means TO live up to
that ideal. lie declared:
Party differences must he forgotten. Demo-
Gratis must not forget they are Democrats. but
they must remember they are citizens OF New
York, and that true Democracy is to give to the
people honest, efficient good government for the
% benefit Of the whole people.
Highly promising indeed. But Row is Mr. Nc
Clelian 10 give Us honest efficient. good gov
eminent for the benefit of the whole people?
What are the perfect instruments at his COM
mand for so delicate and important a piece of
work? Mr.. Murphy kindly removed all doubt
about that by announcing on the eve of th>
McCarren dinner that the offices would go to
the Tanmany district leaders. We knew the
instruments before we received these assur-
ances Of the character Of the work they were
10 perform. Mr.. McClellans task as laid out
by his leader, Mr.. Murphy. is 10 make body Of
district leaders give honest efficient good gov
eminent for the benefit Of the whole PEG e" in
stead OF corrupt inefficient. bad government for
the benefit Of the district leaders He must
transform men who. under The tutelag e OF Rich
ard Croker. long ago learned how 10 work i'm
politics for their own pockets all the time into
men whose sole ambition is to work for the tax
payers all the time
We have head of workmen who with q
broken jackknife could accomplish more than
he average person with a complete kit of tools
Perhaps Dir. Mcclellan is one OF that sort
Maybe miscellaneous assortment of saloon
keepers and racetrack gamblers viii be efficient
tools for good government I'm his hands II so
be is wonderful man. He corId make figs
grow from thistles Ne less miracle would II
De 70 turn Tammany district leaders 10 whom
Mr.. Murphy promises 'he Offices into ANYTHING
but the spols hunters and 'erafters'' that every
body has long known them 10 be. Nothing is
10 be- gained by going over the record Of these
men for efficiency and honesty in city office
Their waste and ineiiciency ard neglect of the
whole people" for the benefit Of themselves and
heir friends are matters Of history. Every self
81 interest which found worE for ifs own par
Secular pocket interfered with by an administra-
ton which tried to consider the whole people
rose up 10 put these district leaders back in
power The genius who can make them give
any other kind Of government than that which
they have been trained to give IS far too large
10 be hid lOng under the bushel Of the New
York City Hall
Mr.. Grout. who used 10 lac great reforner
and advocate Of government OF the city with
an exclusive view 10 the citys interests. now
appears 10 think the chief duty Of the incoming
administration is 10 give such a government in
'the next ten months that the Democrats in