Year: 1876




The speech of Comptroller Green in an
swer to n deputation of citizens who called
upon him to tender the nomination for Mayor
was an interesting performance, and gives
us a better idea of Mr.. Green's abilities rs
an orator. In this speech Mr.. Green told
his auditors Of the possibilities of New
York, OF that greatness which was only in
the budding, and of what the metropolis
might become under good government. He
alluded, as was natural, to his own difficult
ties in protecting the treasury from the on
slaught of thieves and jobbers, and init
mated that in the event of the people desir-
ing his services as Mayor he was ut their
disposal.


Comptroller Green's course as the head OF
the financial department of the city govern
ment has, as a general thing, met the
approval of the people, because, as
even his severest critics have conceded,
he has been governed by an honest
impulse. The misfortune of Comp
troller Green's administration, however, is
that instead of building up the city he has
strangled it. New York is to-day in much
worse condition in every respect than it was
under tho rule of the Tammany thieves
The thieves had q policy, so far as develop
ing tho city was concerned, the benefits of
which we enjoy to-day. That policy was to
make New York the equal OF Paris, and, al
though they used high and commendable
fOr fha
ury, still the purpose was good one and
should have been carried out under honest
auspices.


Mr.. Green's mistake as Comptroller is
that, instead of building up, he has been
content only with pulling down. Now, if Mr..
Green were at the head of large business,
dry goods store or steamboat, he
would sec the wisdom of infusing new life
into his business, of repairing wear and tear
and keeping up with the demands of the
time. If he failed in this he would be in
competent yet, in managing the affairs Of
New York his only aim has been to put it
back where it was ten years ago. It was wise
enough to stop stealing; but that is only one
element in any government, whether of
business or q city. But New York is not
mean city. 1t does not grudge its
money. 1t would give Mr.. Green and men
of his stamp fifty million dollars to-mor-
row to build up the metropolis. What
Mr.. Green and his friends should do
in New York is to thoroughly reorganize
the city and to give us rapid transit, repave
the streets, macadnmize Fifth avenue, con-
tinue the system of boulevards, decorate the
parks surround the city with wharves and
piers, and make 1t worthy in every way of
its imperial greatness. Mr.. Walter, of the
London Times, is reported as saying to
newspaper reporter that the streets in New
York were the worst in the world-as bad as
those in Constantinople This is the criti-
cism which every foreigner will make upon
the city, and it is criticism which in itself
is the severest condemnation Of Mr.. Green
and his policy. We have SO much respect
for Mr.. Green, so much confidence in his
ability and integrity, that we should like to
see him champion o new movement for the
rebuilding of New York. Whoever takes
that step will be the ''boss'' of the intelli-
gent taxpaying people of this city, and o
much more powerful man in every way than
any of the bosses who have disgraced us in
the last fifty years.