New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1906-01-03
WORST YET, SAYS WINS.
SORRY FOR THE MAJOR.
Message and Men Appointed at
Lo50est 4uerage of ~Mediocrity.

william III. WINS the Republican cdn0lddCe
for Mayor in the recent Mayoralty contest, gave
The Tribune his opinions of Mayor McCellan's
message and his departmental appointments
Briefly Mr. WINS told a Tribune reporter that
the Mayors message is notable for what it left
unsafd and his appointees are 1.-The lowest aver
age OF mediocrity we have ever known. with
the exception of his appointees of his first term.
From Police Commissioner Bingham he expects
nothing in the way of efficiency in office even
Indifferent control of the police situation
it stands to-day.
The appointment OF General Bingham" he
said, lis appalling" Not any Of the department
heads. he said, has a broad, general municipal
reputation.
Asked to explain what he meant by saying
that the message was remarkable for what it
didn't say. Mr.. WINS continued
MI Mcclellan holds his office by virtue of Ger
pree by tE IN M with the law as meter
~ well that his election is contested, and he knows
should be removed if his administration is ever
be efficient fan to find any reference on his part
move the cloud on his title. He knows, moreover,
state Of our election laws which laws, let add,
are peculiar so far as Inspection and canvass are
Mr. Mcclellan, as the mayor of New-York, should
the city at the present time than the iegsla-
tive correction of our present system of elections
he fails TO make any reference to this although II
is absolutely Fundamental and although he must
realize that If our eertined repreSen{at p, are
self-government. and, still worse. we shall never
Another omission which is noteworthy is this:
Mr. Mcclellan knows the menace to the city con,
tanned in the proposed merger consolidation
OF all the municipal railway systems. fail to find
ment as to the attitude which he thinks the leg1s
lqture should take toward it. or any promise as 10
regard to it As against this omission the the city
Mr.. Mcclellan believes himself to be sufficiently
elected to become proper protector
serious than that Of the method Of shutting the
cards SO as to hide the tax on hal
considerable space to this question. but why tax
TO disreeard the fact so far as your bookKeep-
ing goes, and then retax deficiencies against real
properly ana suggest radical Change in the form
and extent Of the taxation of personal property
erly levied, that that creates disturbance in his
source say. real estate Why not say at once that
IectibIe to begin with. otherwise to be abandoned?
But to return to the matter Of omissions 1.-THE The
ing. In this he adopts the halfway course just as
property I have never been able to find out from
anything he has said or done whether ne is realIy
in favor of municipal ownership and operation or
not. His message throws no light on the subject
His supporters have contended against mumcipal
petent TO administer lighting system, but the
et after Having in paid many millions of dollars
it. will be competent to operate it to the extent OF
Rf Il # cans adm nj iss plant for pu6o
lighting, why can't it administer soOOoOOO plant
for all lighting? In other words, why can't ne
save from being robbed by the gas company
just as Nv veil as a ne Gan saye the CITY
The fact is mat if the Mayor would extend and
broaden his application Of the principle Of municipal
ownership We should be. relieved of the gas
tyranny, and in the simplest possible way: Inc
companies would have a. competitor On the city,
and all OF consumers would have some one to
whereas Wiles today we are absolutely HELPLESS
Moreover if the city is competent to do the bust
one else and if it should apply that principle we
would have question whatever about confiscatngg
gas plants The gas companies would die a natural
death the conditions Of fair economic compe,
i've natural life can see no Justification for
Mr. Mcclellan having gone as far as he has gone
with regard to things we do not care TO know SO
much about and tongue aed WIN " wt
regard the relief he proposes to afford the city
However, when it is remembered that they elected
him it is not to be wondered about: The fact is,
ton having been demonstrated failure, he starts
out with note Of hoPeess sPc ta fb Gt keiH
to be his last public office
very carefully. and from it I should say it would
seem he does not have many friends the way aa IN
supported him in the election does not seem 10
sire to help him out in the administration OF the
You ask me about his appoirtees. With the
exception his appointees during his first term |
Of tfinK ed fhe that we have Known He might
have found some people who really had broad
general municipal reputation If he has not. then
have been 'unhndable." that is; to him; The ap-
pointment of General Bingham is appalling;
do not like to encourage discouragement but |
think our people will really have to look after
themselves if they want to be looked after -
hundred thousand votes. and does not represent
them by just that many votes Not having the con
ffdence of the people, he has also lost the con-
dence of his party. We have nothing to rely upon,
therefnre EXCEPT his confidence in himself, and un-
supported sef-confdence does not produce political
results particularly where live under minority
rule.