The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-09-11
JEROME BACKS Up rHE MAYOR
ron REMOVING PARK M
STONER WALGROVE.

Such Act10n on Evidence o. the Militant
Spirit Decent Democracy Needs and
which VIII Get Rid % Bosses Like
Murphy-The Hearst League Amusing.
When District Attorney Jerome returned
20 this city last night he lost no time In
commanding tho action OF Mayor McClel-
Ian In removing Park COMMISSIONS WAL
grove Of The Bronx and appointing
former Coroner Berry TO the place.
MI. Jerome made q statement In which
b backed up the action Of the Mayor, say
ing that II had % be a fight TO q hnish In
order to rid the Democratic party OF bosses
like Charles F. Murphy, and that the action
taken by the Mayor was important In that
It showed . militant spirit In the interest
Of decent Democracy. 1t was just such .
spirit as he wanted 70 see, Mr.. Jerome said.
and be incidentally remarked that from
what he had beer told Of the newspaper
reports OF the Mayors action It appeared
70 him that the Democratic party was not
big enough to bold Murphy, himself and tho
Mayor.
Mr.. jerome got into the Grand Central
Station late last night. He went early In
b day o o an automobile trip from his
home at Lakeville, Conn. TO Waterbury,
Conn.,, where he was the guest Of Harry 9.
Chase, who has watch factories, q news
paper and other things. After looking
over machinery for making watches Mr..
Jerome came to this city. He went I'm
mediately to the City Club.
He was asked at once what he thought
about tho summary removal Of Commits
sioner Wslgrove by Mayor Mcclellan.
Il have not had q chance to read the
newspaper" he said. but IL seems to mo
to be a move Of importance
The Mayor spoke highly Of you,' Mr..
Jerome was told.
-Of course It Il gratifying to me- replied
Mr.. jerome. -to have kind words said Of
me. but 1 Am not thinking Of no Mayors
action from that point Of view. Its i'm
p~ortanoe. as it seems to mo. arises from
the fact that 1t shows a militant spirit m
the interests Of decent Democracy. What
we AVE needed for a long time. need now
and arc likely TO need in the future IN just
sue a spirit. II the party and It's principles
are worth anything they are worth fighting
for In every honorable way.
Il do not know Mr.. Berry very well per
sonally, but while he was Coroner in The
Bronx the assistants In my Office In charge
Of the homicide bureau were constantly
reporting to me in regard to the way In
which Mr.. Berry discharged his duties, and
the reports were always c~ommendatory Of
his good Judgment and sound sense and.
what Is so rare In a Coroner in this city. the
propriety with which he acted.
1T would appear that there Is a sub
stantial agreement in opinion between Mr.
Mcclellan and myself that however catholic
the Democratic party may be It is not
broad enough to hold men Of our type
and bosses OF the Murphy type. The inn
portant thing about Mr.. McClellan's action
to my mind is not that he a removed
a Park Commissioner and filed the place,
but it is. as l AVE said before, in the mill
tant character that such action has in this
crisis in the party's affairs.
Action OF this kind is either asinine or
Il signifies a willingness and intention to
fight; and in a fight OF this character the
tail must 20 with the hide, and II disgrace
Is TO be avoided 1t mustbe a fight TO a finish.
Political parties must have leaders and
they should nave leaders who are respon-
sible because holding public Office is de-
sirable, but it 10 most undesirable hat
parties should ave bosses without respon-
sibilities other than those entailed with the
possession Of fat contracts with the mu-
nicipality.'
Mr.. jerome was Questioned about the
statement Of the Independence League that
it was willing 70 cooperate with a nybody
who believed in the principles Of the league.
He said:
The yearning OF the Independence
League for sfusion ticket is rather amusing.
Can such a body Of patriots fuse with q
party whose principles are radically dis
similar from their OWN And il the princi-
pies Of the Independence League are not
radically dissimilar from those of the Demo-
cratic party, for I suppose it does not pro-
pose to fuse with the Republican party,
what reason has it for an existenoe?"
Mr.. Jerome will be at his Office In the
Criminal Courts Building to-day.