Evening star., 1933-01-01


poured the gentle rain of patronage, If
not outright graft.
Mckee urged reform in the extrava-
CANT manner in which the city acquired
its school sites and other land for pub
lie purposes. He blocked the action of
the city in the manner Of the leasing of
certain dock property and privileges and
demanded an investigation.
The Seabury investigation has brought
a lot of unsavory details relating to
those negotiations with the city. Mckee
was the first to protest against them.
He does not believe in secret confer
ences when public franchises are being
disposed of to private interests, and to
this end he notified the mayor that he
would attend no more closed meetings.
Following these outbursts and others
of similar nature, Mckee was closely
scrutinized by Tammany. He said he
was Democrat, an organization man.
1t was true that he came first to them
with the things that he thought ought
TO be done. He played clean. The
organization couldn't very we'll refuse
him the denomination in 1929.
Demands Budget Cut.
When Walker resigned and Mckee
D
affairs were in sorry condition. More
money was going out than was COM
ing in. The cost of government was
running well above $500, 100000 Pub
lie confidence in the city's manage
ment had vanished and it became in
creasingly difficult to sell city bonds
to pay current Indebtedness. There was
no economy plan. There was no sound
transit financing program. Additional
and Unnecessary functions of the govern
ment continued unchecked. The NUM-
cipal pay rolls exceeded the public
pocketbook. Political favoritism and
the high cost of mis-government con-
tinued to roll up their burdensome cost
to the people.
The native Scotch thrift of McKees
forebears stood him and the city in good
stead. As he entered Office, he an
nounced his program. In order to re-
establish public confidence in the city
government he demanded an immediate
cut of 85.000,000 in the budget. To
effect this he suggested that all salaries
above $1,000 be cut 6 per cent-a saw
ing of s18,50o,000. His own salary he
Immediately reduced by more than SO
per cent. He showed where $31 900 600
could be saved In subway refinancing.
The city's flock of limousines, part of
the political sugar enjoyed by depart
ment heads, he ordered sold. He rode
in the subway himself. The man was
consistent at least, though in some
quarters 1t was felt that he was slightly
mad. He further proposed that the
salaries OF the department heads should
be reduced to $4,000. Those who had
learned their politics In the school of
Croker shuddered. He proposed lop-
ping of many useless and expensive
governmental functions, that the city
RID itself OF the army of political
leeches and hangerS-on which eXacted
their toll from the budget.
On November New Yorkers voted
Tor mayor as well as for a President
and a Governor. Joseph v. McKee's
name was not on the voting machines.
On election day, however, several hun
dred thousand people felt that they
would like to tell the world that they
supported the things for which Mckee
stood. All over the city people waited
in long lines to vote for Mckee and
register their protest. The day follow
ing the election Mckee was credited
with a little more than I00, 900 votes.
Weeks passed and McKee's vote grew
until 1t was well beyond the 200 900
mark. Early in December the count
was brought up to about 1886. 900. in
Guiding about 100000 votes which had
been misspelled and SO could not be
legally counted.
On the evening of November II
Mayor Mckee was guest at a dinner
given by the Chamber of Commerce.
He had come on the express under
standing that he be not expected to
speak. The Tuesday preceding this
dinner the Board OF Estimate had asked
Jonn II. Delaney, chairman of the
Board OF Transportation, to appear be-
fore them and advise about certain
economies which might be effected. and
when he did appear before them they
had, in a manner of speaking, gagged
him. Mckee had warned them thst
such methods would force him to seek
other forums.
Calls for Housecleaning.
The POSTMASTER Of the Chamber of
Commerce dinner asked Mckee to rise
and be introduced to the guests. Nc
kee rose, but instead of sitting down
quietly. as he had been expected to do.
he looked cut over this group of repre-
sentative New York business men and
began to talk. What he had To saw
constitutes, perhaps, the most impor-
tant public utterance this city has heard
for manygyears.
He was a Democrat, but the ma
chine had sickened him. Tammanv tao
tics could no longer be tolerated. Throw
ing down the gauntlet he cried for
battls-called for a crusade by the
honest factions in this city against the
organized forces which controlled it for
their own purposes. He called for a
day OF houSecleaning.
When the people" he said. "wrote
in the 78 variations of the name Mckee
and wrote them in more than 800, 900
times they were registering that they
were sick and tired of the conditions
that exist in one of the greatest cities
Of this world"
The next day the town was seething.
One WITHIN the Tigers fold had dared
to turn on Tammany. Tammany went
INTO huddle and was silent. all save
John P. OBrien, who may have been
left out Of the huddle. He gave out a
statement characterizing McKee's break
with Tammany as just another outburst
In the personal quarrels Mckee Is
having with the Board of Estimate"
A lot of good people In New York
were beginning to feel that 1t was about
time for some individual to make per-
sonal the quarrel" between the people
of New York and their servants, the
Board of Estimate.
The mayoralty election Is 10 months
and z days away. Between now and
then Mckee as president of the Board
Of Aldermen will be in the forefront of |
The city's eyes. His every act will be |
studied BY both those who seek to sup |
port him end those who seek to defeat |
aim.
The 100000 who wrote in McKee's |
name on their ballots have given Tam /
many something to think about.
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