New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-05-18
NATION AND AHEARN.

Mr. William Dalton the lately removed Com
missioner of Public Works, has unearthed new
vice in Tammany Hall-to wit, hypocrisy. We had
never expected 10 see the day when this attribute
of reformers would afflict the sturdy men or
Fourteenth Street The What are you going to
do about IT." of Tweed and the BEST Chief OF
Police the city ever had" of Van Wyck represent
the true Tammany attitude toward criticism or
maladmnistration. Apology and laying down
10 reformerS were unknown in the school or
Tweed and Croker. There is something lily
livered about this bowling down TO a Bureau OF
City Betterment and promising to be good and
do the bidding of reformers and purge the
offices of politics! We fancy we can hear the
snort Eof dlsdain with which historic Tammany
would contemplate the possibility of such self
abasement by one OF its leaders The honest
Indignation of William Dalton rings true.
Hypocrisy. 1t has no place in Tammany Hall.
Dalton makes his case against Ahearn pretty
strong. Nobody supposed that In the dismissal
of Dalton and the others Ahearn really in
spired by indignation at the sudden discovery
that the streets were in a shocking condition.
But Dalton contends that the evil state of the
streets was not due TO Ahearn's trusting TO sub
ordinates Ahearn, he says was himself respon-
sible, not merely in a general way, as the head
OF the department would inevitably be, but in
special way, because he took the supervision of
public work upon himself personally. 1t is be-
cause he feels that Ahearn is trying 10 shift the
blame upon subordinateS and pretending to be
surprised and shocked 10 learn of the malad-
ministration under him that Dalton cries out
against hypocrisy. 1t not thus that Van
Wyck acted in the PALMER days Of Tammany.
Why couldn't Ahearn say: THE pavements are
1.-THE best the city has ever had. They are the
best pavements anywhere on earth. Paris
+,a eirrh+ oF lin,
Vienna? They ali send men here to study our
''pavements. New York has 10 thank William
Dalton. the best Commissioner OF Public Works
she ever had, for these excellent payements"?
Thus would have spoken Tammany In the brave
old days, before hypocrisy had corrupted its
sturdy contempt for appearances. The trouble
is that Ahearn was conducting his Office accord
lLg 10 the traditions Of Van Wyck, and when
criticism came he had not the requisite courage
to defy ii, or the times had so changed that
defiance was no longer feasible
Daltons statement makes thorough investi-
CATION of the Borough Presidents Office more
ordered 10 testify before the Commissioners of
Accounts He must explain why he allowed
street paving specifications 10 be drawn up by
contractor and why he has not compelled con
tractors TO keep the streets in repair. II he
converted his Commissioner OF Public Works
into mere clerk to keep in his own hands
the political opportunities Of the office we should
know why, and if the case against the Borough
President proves strong enough Governor Hughes
should be asked 10 remove him.
Special reasons for thorough investigation
exist because a revision of the New York char
ter is TO be made next year Borough presidents
are somewhat experimental. and the revisers
should have at hand data showing how that Of
flee has served the people. Then, too, the re-
visers will undoubtedly have TO consider the Gre
alton Of a new city department, the Department
of Streets, whose head, 10 be appointed by the
Mayor, would exercise functions now divided
among several departments and bureaus espe-
cially the departments of public works and street
cleaning. A thorough investigation Of Ahearn's
office will help the revsers for it is in the main
tenance of the streets that the city government
has most notably broken down.