The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-09-11
MCCLELLAN GUSTS WALGROVE
WILL NOT LET CITY OFFICIALS
PLiY POLITICS.

Mayor Mcclellan called upon Park Com
missioner George NJ. Walgrove NJ The
Bronx Yesterday to send in his resignation.
This removal. for il amounts 10 that. is the
first Etep the Mayor has taken to enforce
his belief that the men who arr holding
public Office should not play politics 10 the
detriment Of the city administration
Commissioner WalRrove was solicited ny
The Mayor ~ an object lesson for some four
or five leaders who. while remaining 10 the
employ Of tho city, ore known to he working
against the interests Of the head or the
city's administration The MAYOR feels
that he ought not TO retain officials who.
appointed Ivy him, are working NOT only
against his own personal interests. but
against the interests 81 his administration,
Before the Mayor went way an his vacation
he had made up his mind not to allow sub
ordinates Of his administration To take
orders from a boss Of a political organiza-
tion whose avowed purpose il to oppose
the Mayor and tho administration.
The lesson Mr.. Mcclellan taught ynster-
known that M had demanded the resigns-
ton OF COMMISSIONS Walgrovc than there
wss a nrurrying to the City Hall Of the
JUG flDlufIN III " RIlpNh " DtDh
kowtowing to Charles J.. Murphy and yet
have not had the courage To come out
openly in his support. From the assurances
made by these men to the Mayor il is GER
tain that between now and primary dsy
there will he no open use Of their in fluence in
the district fights.
Mayor Mcclellan explained vest erday
that he removed COMMISSIONS Walgrove
--.- l.. HI - -, L.. Hoo
for political purposes. Walgrove got his
appointment principally on the recon-
nendation OF F.. }. McGuire, a Tammany.
leader Of The Bronx, who is now aligned with
Murphy. He also had the support Of
Borough President HaHren. Mr.. HaTen,
although he has no declored himself Rs
being for or against the Mayor, Is UNDER
stood To- be urging the election Of the
Murphy candidates in the districts which
make up his bailiwick.
The Park C0mmissionef of The Bronx
has n large amount Of patronage n, his
disposal. There are hundreds Of EN-
rluvecs in the Park department Of The
Bronx, and it has been brought to the knowl-
edge Of the Mayor that pressure has been
brought on these employees TO vote for
the Murphy candidates for the district
leaderships.
Il have learned since my return 10 New
York" the Mayor said yesterday. that
Mr.. Walgrove has allowed his department
to he misused for political purposes and
against the interests Of NV administration,
and this l cannot allow. Therefore I asked
Mr.. MalgrOve to send me his resignation
The resignation did not reach the Mayor
in time to appoint a new Commissioner
yesterday, but cx-Coroner Joseph |. Berry
will get the appointment, the Mayor an
nounced. He will be sworn in to-day.
Mr.. Berry has for three years OF more Leen
fighting the domination Of President Haffen
in Tho Bronx and is now n candidate for
the leadership OF the new T~hirty-ffth
Assembly district against Alderman Morris,
Haren's man.
Asked il other on ceholders who are
thought to be too friendly to Mr.. Murphy
would lose their heads the Mayor replied:
The guillotine will keep on working wher-
over / find reads Of departments exploiting
their offices for political purposes. ] will
not -Countenance the use OF q city depart
ment for political end, no matter in which
direction Ina influence il turned. Wal
grove has been using his power in his de-
partment in a grossly improper manner.
and l will not put up with practices OF
that kind"
lis there any possibility of the K falling
again Tomorrow"
4 don't see why it Should" the Mayor
replied.
Mayor Mcclellan repeated yesterday
that he still thought District Attorney
jerome was the strongest candidate who
could be chosen by the Democratic State
convention. Il have not changed my
mind since I stated while abroad" he
81 4 that | believe Mr.. jerome would ne
the strongest man before the people and
will be the strongest man at the convention
Mr.. Mcclellan said he was unable to
announce at this time whether or not he
would go to the Buffalo convention.
Tho Mayor made il clear that it would be
his policy, when the Board of Estimate
begins next month to make up the budget.
TO keep the appropriations down as low
as possible and that he would use the prun-
ing knife as vigorously this year as he did
last.
-The city of New York he said, "is in
the position of a respectable family skimp-
ing to keep up appearances. We can't
give every department all it wants. If
we had a two hundred million dollar budget
We could give the city a magnificent ad-
ninistration in every field. But we haven't
that much money to spend and we have
to do the l~St we ran. " hat couldn't we
do IL VIC could give. for instance. the Health
Department a hundred millions. We'd
have to Issue special revenue bonds. We
can't give every head of department what
he asks