New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-03-08


There are indications that Mayor Mcclellan
IS feeling very uncomfortable In the position
in which he has been put by The renewal Of
The Pu5lic Library fence advertising agree
ment with NCNamara & Co Ii would be dis
courteous 10 hurry him unduly. but he has
now had the matter under considera lion Tor a
fortnight or more, and il Is not easy 10 see
why he should need more time. unless in
decd ne is hoping that the public memoir WI
prove 10 be short IN this instance, as in 80
many others. II is not intrinSically "a e~--l'H-
Gated question. The Park Commissioner, re-
versing the well approved policy OF his prede-
ceSsor. gave a Tammany favorite the right
10 cover the library fence with advertisements
IN disregard Of intelligent public sentiment and
at the sacrifice OF municipal dignity. IL that
had been all. the general condemnation OF tie
act would have been abundantly justified. But,
as a matter Of fact. the transaction has a much
more serious side to IT, 1t looks like 4 clear
case Of graft"
The privilece granted TO Mcnamara & Co
puts 81 500 4 year I'm the city treasury. How
much il viii put In the pockets Of the grantees
cannot be exactly determined. hut no competent
Judge Of such matters doubts that 1t Is worm
m least fen times that amount. while many
estimate, are much higher. That Is very
snug profit considering that there is no risk
LESSONS Of solicitud- Tor the financial adVan-
taa., Of tba CITY utterly ridiculous. In short. a
r,roceeiiur which nj first looked merely ike
an example Of bad taste now presents decided
lv scaudalouS appearance. It is. Of course, WEI
understood that a Tammany man WIN Srohs
t,uU is behind Mcnamara X Co. but a good
many .-arS.us are beginning 10 doubt If that
is the fun explanation AMI 10 ask how mucn
Of his urofts he has 10 distribute higher up.
Nor is that the only awkward suggestion re-
lafiu- 10 the situation with which the Mayor
has 10 deal RumoTs are IN circulation mat
Commissioner PaIlas personally had little or
nothing TO do with the arrangement beyond
making ii valid by means of his signature 1t
* oven ,vhisnored that in case he is pushed
too hard he may feel himself compelled i'm sell
defence 10 explain that i'm signing the license
he WAS carrying ont instructions which IL would
have been exceedingly inconyenient 10 dlSobeN.
Can II be possible that Mayor Mcclellan is
res1lv confronted with an embarrassment OF
that sorrs If So. his hesitation is not surprlS-
ing. His earnest desire TO give the city cred-
itablo administration, in view OF the amount
Of political hay there is ont. must incline MIN
10 call the Park Commissioner down Sharply
a,,7 lin "a iob of the old Tammany variety. But
If Pallas. instead q being the original sinner
was an instrument in the hands Of Others. It
,,,orld l,e delicate thing 10 take course which
might have the effect Of putting that fact on
record.
Nevertheless. we cannot see any other way
ont for the Mayor. Advertisements ought not
Ia be allowed on the library fence at any price
II they are TO be tolerated. they ought TO pay
the CITY from ten 70 twenty times the sum
charged 10 Mcnamara & Co. The existing ar
rancement is an ugly blot on the Mcclellan adj
minStration.