New-York tribune., 1909-07-04
u1yOR4L MANNERS AND MORALS.


However much they might find fault with
Mayor McClellans Laodicean temperament in
matters of major political morals. Kew Workers
have been accustomed TO congratulate them
selves that they were. at least, represented In
the CITY Hall by q cultivated gentleman. II
was some comfort 10 feel that the boorishnesS
which characterized the Van Wyck regime no
longer disgraced the city, even If its advance
ment was thwarted by the constant inability OF
the Mayor TO give himself unreservedly 10 his
best aspirations and really free himself from.
instead of playing fast and loose with, the evil
forces which had placed him in power. But as
the people come TO review the outrageoUsly in
decent methods by which Mr. Mcclellan rid
himself of the one official who had conspic-
uousIy reflected credit on his administration.
when he found that officials policy, which he
had formerly approved. stood in the way Of his
own political aims. they must sadly realize
that with the return toward the standards Of
Devery in the Police Department there has
come something very like the manners Of Van
Wyck to the City Hall
1t IS clear that the Mayor had for some time
been anxious to appoint new Police Commis-
sIoner But he did not have the courage TO go
about Il In a frank and manly fashion. He pre-
ferred If possible. 10 insult General Bingham
into retirement. And. lest that should not
work, ia addition TO imposing the most humil-
iating commands upon him-cOmmands for
which the finding in the Duffy case was mere
insignificant pretext-he coupled those COM
mands with time limit for obedience which 1t
would have been physically impossible for Gen
eral Bingham to observe, even If he had been SO
lacking in seIf-respect as TO abdicate his legal
functions and subject himself to his depart
mental subordinates. Perhaps the Mayor
thought the self-assertive and sensational per
emptoriness Of his demand for obedience to his
muItifarIous orders within twelve hours WIS &
display Of strength and determination But
it was merely a display Of weakness and dis
courtesy. Strong men do not buster and lay
traps: they deal squarely with an opponent,
and if they give an order to subordinate they
allow fair opportunity for carrying 1t out in
regular fashion.
Mayor Mcclellan sat in his Office on Wednes-
day with his Duffy finding, as everybody knew,
impending He held it back till after office
hours till after he himself had slid away. till
after General Bingham had finished the days
work and gone from Police Headquarters. The
order was delivered to General Bingham at his
home at o'clock at night, commanding him to
dismiss his own private secretary, to punish an
INSPECTOR to promote a captain to establish a
police inspection bureau over himself. to trans
fer a deputy, to dismiss another and appoint
to the vacancy as bis own immediate right arm
in command Of affairs for which he was re-
sponsible a man whom he had never seen. And
he was told TO do these things, Involving not
merely much labor but also many questions as
to his own legal rights and duties, before z
o'clock the next mornfng-that is, before the
beginning of office hours In the Police Depart
ment, And In the mean time, as if he were
already dismissed, his own subordinates were
set by the Mayor TO guard Headquarters, with
instructions as TO what they might allow the
Commissioner TO do and not do at his own Of
fee,
The Mayor could not even give General Bing-
ham twelve hours of daylight to carry out the
orders He could not wait to get him actually
out before teaching the police force insubor-
dfnation by setting them a task Of espionage on
their own commander. With the petty tyranny
OF self-conscious weakness, the Mayor required
that the Police Commissioner all Of a sudden
should sit up overnight to accomplish before
morning his own abasement at the feet Of the
forces OF criminal politics. And the official SO
set upon and insulted is an oldttme friend who
took Office unwiIlingly as favor TO the Mayor
on the assurance Of free hand and loyal sup
port in defying politicians; brave, honest
man, who. despite indiscretions. has been the
best moral asset of Mayor McClellans admin
istration. The deep indecency OF the manner
of his taking off. quite as accurately as the
purpose Of the thing itself, measures the moral
bankruptcy Of that would-be and darenot-be
independent administration.