Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1913-09-19

est, from the plainest Of astraphang-
er or a push-cart man to the dreams
of a Tolstoy or the theories Of Hen
ry George.
In his public career, whatever Its
faults-and in our Judgment they
were many and grave-the dominant
note was courage. 1t was his courage
and success in fighting Boss McKane,
at time when bosses were far more
difficult to fight than they are now,
that first brought Mr.. Gaynor into
public notice; and we believe 1t can
pe said without qualification that
from that day to his death he never
fiinched from attacking what he
wished to attack, or defending what
he wished to defend. Whatever po-
sition he made up his mind to main
tain on any subject that position he
was never deferred from maintaining
by fear either Of criticism or OF con-
sequence. Signal examples Of this
will easily occur to any one. Among
them are instances which we do not
count to his credit, but which, in spite
Of the condemnation they aroused.
unquestionably served with many only
to emphasize the Identification Of his
personality with the idea Of audaci-
Gus courage. OF this his course In
the Rosenthal- Becker police scandal
and its sequels Is the most remark
able example. Eut his career abound
ed with manifestations Of courage and
firmness for which unalloyed praise
is due him. No politician or group OF
politicians, dictated his policy; and
he was afraid neither Of labor organ
izations nor newspapers. His mas
terful dealing with the garbage
mems strike was a signal proof of
the former; and, though his sweep
ing denunciations Of newspapers In
general often overshot the mark, the
predominant feature in them was a
scathing contempt for yellow journal
ism. His undertaking and unstained
hostility to Hearst Is deserving OF
special recognition and gratitude.
That this rare courage, this unusu-
al independence Of mind, and the re-
markable power both Of thought and
of expression with which Mr.. Gaynor
was gifted, did not result in such a
career in the mayorality as might
have been hoped from these quail
ties, was due to elements Of charac-
ter into which 1t is the less neces-
sary to enter today because we have
so recently discussed them at consid-
erable length. But while his faults
were such as sufficed to justify most
serious criticism, they were far from
being such as in the heat Of the pres
ent situation, were by some being
imputed to him. No appeal to the
consideration due the dead Is needed
for the rejection Of any such view OF
Mr.. Gaynor, or for the acknowledge
ment of much faithful and valuable
service rendered by him to the city
That he would have been unable to
render that service had his Tammany
associates been elected with him four
years ago, as he wished, we feel quite
certain; but none the less must 1t be
acknowledged that he set his face
grimly against the Tammany idea OF
city government, stood staunchly by
the merit system in subordinate Of
fees, and from the first stamped upon
the city's affairs, as a whole. the
mark of a business administration
How profoundly the city was impress
ed with this when 1t was fresh was
amply manifested in the unqualified
| praise he received from newspapers