New-York tribune., 1910-01-13
BACK TO PARK DEPT.
TO REINSTATE SMITH.
Mayor Urges StoUer to Take
Back assistant Secretary.

Something said by Mayor Gaynor on the
day he took Office indicated his displeas-
ure at what he considered the summary
removal of Colonel Clinton H Smith as
assistant secretary Of the Park Board
two days before the end of the year. So
the following letter sent by the Mayor
TO Park Commissioner Slower last night,
was not altogether in the nature of a
surprise:
Please take measures to reinstate
Clinton H Smith in his office of secretary
-umless - mere Is something that should be
reported to me to the contrary. and his
case can. later on. be calmly dealt with.
That done in heat or haste is, as a rule,
III done. We must not only deal with
people with Justice. but also with the
appearances of Justice. the latter some
times being as essential the former.
Ex-Park Commissioner Henry Smith got
rid of Colonel Smith by abolshing the Of
fee of assistant secretary under an opinion
from the Corporation Counsel. He said the
assistant secretary had not done any work
In a year and that the Office, which paid
$4,000 year, was a useless one. Com
missioner Smith was not reappointed by
Mayor Gaynor, however, and Colonel Sinith,
who had been connected with the Park De-
nartment for fourteen years. has been do
ing some work in the Park Board office.
night of the letter by Mayor Gaynor he at
once challenged the right Of the Park Board
or Mayor Gaynor to re-establish an Office
that had once been abolished according TO
law.
my action was not taken in heat" said
the former Commissioner. 'I acted with the
greatest deliberation. The question was be
fore the Corporation Counsel for year.
but we were waiting for a decision OF the
Court Of Appeals that it was legal to
abolish office so long the work could
be done by others in the same department,
Such decision did not come down until
the latter part of November, and the Park
Board acted in abolishing the office of as
siStant secretary as soon as we could there
after
"Of course. Mayor Gaynor is a lawyer.
but of the opinion that an office once
abolished cannot be re-esta blished except
by action of the Board of Estimate or the
Board OF Aldermen. What do Commission
ers Slower and Higgins know apout the
office of assistant secretary? Commissioner
Kennedy. who remains In office, voted for
its abolishment."
Herman Robinson. general organizer OF
the American Federation of Labor, was
appointed Commissioner of Licenses, to sue
ceed John Bogert, by Mayor Gaynor. The
salary is 5000 a year. Although an en-
rolled Democrat Mr.. Robinson has never
been connected with Tammany Hail. but is
q member OF the Democratic Club. He
has been in charge of the New York of
fees of the Federation of Labor in this
city for fourteen years. and year ago
last fall was at the head of the labor bu-
reau Of the Democratic National Com
mittee in the Bryan campaign. He is con-
sidered the personal representative of Sam
uel Gompers in this city.
In announcing the appointment it was
stated that Mayor Gaynor had held Mr..
Robinson in high regard since he replied
in vigorous language to a criticism made
by the Rev. Alexander Irvine in the
Church of the Ascension that labor did
not take a more active part in socialistic
movements. Following this Mr. Robinson
was summoned to the White House for a
talk with President Roosevelt on labor
subjects.
When he administered the oath to Com
missioner Robinson the Mayor said
'If all labor leaders mad your silence
habit of thought and discretion, and always
looked before they leaped. 1t would be well
for all of u.s.
Among the Mayors callers was John J.
Barry. Commissioner of Correction who il
has been generally understood would be
superseded as soon the Mayor could
find a man TO take his place
After call by Herman A. Metz il was
announced that the former Controller had
been officially designated by Mayor Gaynor
as New York City's commissioner TO the
American exhibition which is to be held
in Berlin. Mayor Mcclellan had indicated
his desire that Mr.. Metz should have this
place, but the appointment had TO be rati-
fed by the new Mayor.