The daily morning journal and courier., 1903-04-29
GAN TAMMANY RETURN.
SUCCESS OF Low ADMINISTER.
 TIoS BECOMING KNOWN.
Annual Address of Clinton Rogers Woodruff, Secretary of the National Municipal League.

Woodruff, Secretary of the National Municipal League. Last November the Citizens Union, l which had been responsible, first, for the fusion movement, and later for it's 1 conduct, publish a careful resume of the ten months of the Low administration. While confessing that the "effort to solve the awful problem of the police department had thus far disappointed popular expectation it preceded to point out the really notable achieve ments, which, despite the shortness of the time, the disadvantage of an ope- rating plant disgracefully deteriorated, and the want of an adequate measure of home rule" had been accomplished. In ten months the law department had collected twice as much in arrears from tax dodgers as during the entire four years of the preceding adn1inis- tation. The amouna collected equailed the salary list of the entire department for the year. Penalties for various vio- 1atiens were doubled over the preceding year, and the adverse judgment against the city were reduced three hundred and fourteen thousand dollars. The work of the board of education has been notable, especially in the direc- tion of making the schools of larger everyday service, not alone to the children, but to the entire population. While more than forty thousand chill dren were unprovided for under the Tammany administration, practically none -four hundred and fourteen) over six were left unprovided for in October, 1902 Competitive examinations have been made the sole basis of appoint ment and promotion for all teachers.
 The conduct of the health department has been admirable, and the death rate has been reduced to the lowest point in the city's history; the various inspections required by law have been more vigorously conducted, and the fines collected and the unwholesome food condemned, increased; and the children in the public schools have been thoroughly inspected for contagious diseases. The street cleaning depart rnent has, likewise, been most efficient- 1y conducted, as also the departments of water, gas and electricity, parks, docks and bridges The facts and fig ures concerning these are equally re- markable and convincing.
 The department of charities forms another notable instance of honest, faithful and successful administration. An account of the abuses corrected, de- linquencies punished and reforms insti- Iuted in this important branch of the cityfs activities reads like a romance. And, when we recall that it has to do with the least protected and most help less classes of the population, we may gather something of the truly great service of the Low administration to humanity and the cause of real pro- gress. @ *.s
 Certainly the Citizens union was fully justified, after reviewing at length and in great detail these and various other important accomplish nents, in declaring that it all ''promis' es a new and impressive era of munic- ipal government in New York. More over, there has been no setback dur ing the time which has elapsed since the publication of that report. On tht contrary, there has been ouch substan tial progress in all directions, and es pecially in those that were most oper ito criticism, and, notably, in the polic' department, that one is justified il agreeing with the statement that th FLOW administration is the best ad nlinistration the city has ever had. l has been absolutely clean. and none O its shortcomings have been due to cor ruption or dishonesty" or, as anothe observer puts it. ''This is the most en Ightened and unselfish municipal gov @ ernment the United States has eve seen"
 When we take into consideration tn instability of fusion movements an the compromises that they make neces sary, it is not surprising that the LoN administration has made mistakes an has not in every particular met reason able expectation. The real surprise that there have not been more. Whil f.-eater SNeo York has undoubtedly tn largest independent vote in the Unite States, not only absolutely. but rela lively (amounting, as we know, by ae tual count to one hundred and fftS seven thousand in 1S9O, nevertheless 24# these lnQepenueHlS Cdlllul ol Iiiell U" strength defeat Tammany. They nee the support not only of republicans, bl of democrats, who are not altogethe independents, and yet who cannot COT scientiously affiliate with Tamman, Such combination makes a compost 8 force, which proceeds along line di ferent from that of any one of its con moments, and so we have more need ft adjustment than in compact organ zation like that of Tammany in Ne York or the republican machine in Phi adelphia.
 Consequently, the outcome Of Il present experiment in New York
 watched with unusual interest. TT success of the Low administration
 due to the honesty and integrity of pu pose and conduct of it's chief, and
 his principal appointees; whether it w prove successful in securing a popul indorsement by reelection next N yember remains to be seen. A fe months ago this question would ha had to be answered, no; but t achievements of the administration becoming better known, and the I ynarkab ble indeed. one may say brllllal