New-York tribune., 1910-11-24
BE POLITE, SAYS MAYOR
Tells Tenement House Inspectors
Never To Be Offensive.
INsPECTS THE BATTALION
He Is Convinced Men Under Com
missioner Murphy Observe
the Law Carefully.

The uniformed force of the Tenement
House Department. 279 inspectors from all
the borouehs, submitted TO close scrutiny
from Mayor Gaynor at the 69th Regiment
I Armory. 25th street and Lexington avenue,
at 1870 O'Clock yesterday morning. 1t
was the first general inspection, Com
missioner Murphy said he intended to make
it an annual affair
In introducing his battalion the Commits
soner said that the reason for the numer-
Gus complaints about the department re-
Ceived by the Mayors office formerly lay
chiefly in the difference between the func-
tions of the Tenement House Departmnt
and those of the other departments
You are asking the latter" explained
the Commissioner, Ito administer public
property, whereas YOU ask the former TO
regulate and control, TO some extent at
least private property.
Il have endeavored to perform the duties
Of my office with maximum of efficiency
but a minimum of friction"
Taking the Commissioner last sentence
as text Mayor GaynOr began:
During the campaign last fall I re-
ceived more complaints against the Tene-
ment House Department than all the other
departments put together. I say that
Injurious TO anybody. But the complaint
was that the Tenement House Depart
ment was administered in way that was
unnecessarily offensive to the community
The maxim which the Commissioner Just
uttered did not seem to prevail at that
time.
The complaints continued after | was
elected 70 office, during November and De
cember. until their volume could he placed
pTohab bly, at seven bushels without any ex-
aggeration whatever. I therefore looked
around with great care and without regard
to- any political machine 10 pick out a
man, and finally settled on Mr.. Murphy,
your chief. I am very glad to testify
that. whatever mistakes I have made. and
suppose | have made my share since
coming into office, l made no mistake in
that instance"
The Mayor then said that he had re-
ceived almost no complaints since Mr..
Murphy's appointment He said he was
convinced that all the inspectors were care
fully observing the'iaw. doing nothing hv
favor, being offensive to none.
Now added the Mayor Il am sure
that the department is being administered
by men who have got the spirit that we
tried to promulsate at the opening of our
admlnlstratlon-the spirit of considerati ton
and pohteness. We are being paid by the
citizens and We owe it to them to be con-
siderate and polite
! am glad 10 see the fine appearance
you present. did not know, Mr. Com
missioner, that there were any ladies in
the department l do not know exactly
what they do, but l presume they are use
ful also because they know the conditions
and how to carry out your wishes. I did
not think so many of you were necessary
but do not want to discharge any who
are necessary and who are doing their duty
properly"
Among those in the inspecting party
were NJ J. Drummond, Commissioner of
Charities; Colonel Couley, of the e9th Regi.
ment' and Thomas Krekeler. president of
the United Tax Payers Association.