New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1853-10-08
CITY REFORM.

Tie citizens Of the fifteenth Ward have set an ex-
ample vlcb we earnestly commend to all the thinking
Inhabitants Of the CRY. They have formed a Muni-
cipaI Reform Association. with such men as George
Gr;svold James BOorman join l. Mason. Edward J.
Mallet A r Wetmore, AMI others Of equal respecta-
bity among its members. and propose to set up an
INDEPENDENT Reform ticket for Ward Offices az the
arprosclng election And with a view 70 completing
the work Of Reform they request Tie various political
committees Of the Ward TO refrain from the usual
party nominations and leave the field free for candid
stes selected without any regard partisan politics
Wig Democratic or what not. and with an eye solely
TO honesty and capacity In other words, they bring
forward the only means Of raising the City out Of the
slorah of corruption in which the machinery Of p,rty
nominations has Immersed it they PropQse 70 commit
IT. affairs 70 tie management OF who viii neither
steal Themselves. connye at the stealing Of Others
II is much to be desired that the political Commit
tees should sccede 10 this request Whether they will
do so is by no means certain In some OF the Wards
We arc assured that they are prepared TO renew
the work Of rlunder under the reformed Charter,
and to nominate thieves OF various degree Council
men and Aldermen Just as they have done before.
Men notorious for dishonesty and brutality are count
ing the spols of Office AMI on party nominations as
the avenues thereto In fact il is more than probable
that if the old system is not broken up and if the peo-
pie do take the matter in hand and shove all parties
aside to make way for one unanimous reform party,
We shall have for municipal legislators as unscru-
puoUs set Of villains ever, with the simple yara-
ton that they viii be greedy than those who have
now fed fat and gOrged Themselves upon the public
goods 1t therefore behoOyes all who would escape
such contamination resOlutey to oppose every form
of political party action in the Cling Of these important
places Otherwise the reform 20 well begun will prove
dcluscn, ard the ast condition of the City viii be
worse tLan the first.
The example of The Fifteenth Ward is encouraging
in another respect. II shows that the parties most
largely interested in the Accomplishment OF tie reform
the business men and proPertyhoders those who arc
most heavily taxed under the present ,egime are alive
to their duty and not disposed to let tie by
default as they have TOO often done hitherto We hail
with satisfaction the reappearancc of this class Of
citizens in their proper sphere of action and trust
they will not only meet their responsibilities now, bat
continue to do so long after the existing crisis hes
passed away. Let them do go. and NcvYork, instead
of being miracle Of bad government and Official
cality and disgrace to the country may become the
opposite
We nope 10 see ms movement hclscucdl luIlpNcu
in the other Wards. Ward Reform Associations should
be formed ever where. and all good citizens should be
olIinced that they have personal duty In the prem
Uses, and that party politics have right to ans place
in the Municipal Government. Let them resume tie
functions Of citizenship which they Lave so long aban
doned to rufans, rum-dealers hangerson at the Iea
room, swindliug contractors and swiudlng agents
Let them do all this and NewYOrk win b. redeemed
but otherwise it viii sink if possible still deeper in the
aby where we now behold it.