The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-11-04

The MUNICIPAL REFoRMERs AND THEIR PLAT
enthusiastically the greatest Of the many
great receptions which are foisted into public
notice at the present time is the so-called re
form movement in the canvass for municipal
officers
Born of the corruptions of the corporation
whose infamies are on record in what Mr.. Flagg
calls the "Book of Beauties" it seems to
have been the aim and object of the municipal
reformers to retard the cause they pretended to
advance, and to establish on deeper ami
sounder basis the ediice of municipal misgo.
vernment. Whilst clamoring at aldermanic
frauds, and bewaiing the wholesale robbery Of
the people, and the utter helplessness Of the
Mayor, they framed q charter which reduced
the whole machine Of municipal government to
utter imbecility, and relieved it's officers Of the
little responsibility they had formerly borne.
Instead of seeking to strengthen the hands Of
those whose business it was to see the laws ex-
ecuted, they tied them SO tightly that even If
they had been willing to do their duty they
could not. Instead of endeavoring to diminish
the corruptions and intrigues which attended
municipal elections, these yeformers, by ad-
herring to the large number Of officers to he
elected, kept open the doors for these disgrace
full practices. If in some instances the men
elected under the new charter were preferable in
point Of personal character to the much abused
Aldermen of the old regime, tie system under
which they worked was incomparably worse
We have only to inquire what practical reform
has been wrought by the new City Council
what law better administered, what abuse rec
tilted, to discover the utter worthlessness of the
plans which placed them in power, and the
shameful hypocrisy of the men on whose
pledges the public relied in electing them.
They have been looked upon as nothing
more than set Of tools in the hands of the
irresponsible self-appointed Reform Commit
tee. For the last year. the government Of
New York has resided in that body, and
the Boards of Aldermen and Councilmen
have done very little more than obey its
mandates. or the nature of that government
we have already spoken. No resident Of the
city needs to be told that the laws are daily
vioiated-many Of the most important ordi-
nances dead letter-provisions for the pre-
servation of the peace disgracefally lax--the
condition Of the streets flthy-and the contracts
with the various ferry companies and other
corporations much In need Of alteration. II any
one can point to any substantial reform wrought
by these "reformers" during the eighteen
months that they have had things oil their own
way, we should like to know it.
The very ticket they present to us is con-
elusive against the system We are expected On
Tuesday to vote not only for Mayor, Alder
men and Councilman, but for Commissioner
OF Streets and Lamps, Almshouse Governor.
Justices, commissioners Of ever 80 many kinds
and constables. Over one thousand candidates
for the offices to be disposed Of on that day are
in the field. How Is 1t possible that the people |
shou,d ever know the names of the candidates |
from whom they are to select? It requires !
several hours OF severe study to arrive at any |
thing like clear comprehension of the names |
of the several tickets. OF course the voting |
will be mainly in The dark. The election Job I
bers win distribute their tickets, and a few
citizens will take the trouble 10 vote Knowingly |
for May or, and that is all. This is the fruit OF
he sscendancy Of the Reform Committee this