The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1855-07-02

rated May of New YorB, and inasmach - hla
administration has attracted more or less Of
public attention, not only iu the State, but IN
various s. csions Of the UGiOn, il Is proper to
take q retrospective glance 81 the last naif
years record, and see what be has really done.
The severity Of the contest last fal' for the
mayoralty was o proof thas the corrupang
temptations Of the Office were stronger thaa the
ties Of party or the obligations Of political
companionslip. Ia this scrub race for the
chief magissracy Of the city Mr.. WOOD was the
successful candidate; and men whe now look
back dispassionately to the dissipsted scenes
aud heazt-bnrniugs of saat contorsed campaign,
even those who opposed the preseGt incumbent
most violently. admit that it iswen for New
York ssat he was elected.
The venal politicians who had given Mr..
Wood their adherence at the lest moment only
because they expected to make him an instra-
ment for plundering the treasury, hailed his
elevation with shouts of triunph; while the re-
forx1ers, and those who had long been Disguised
with the wholesale iaiquities of the City Hall,
hung down their heads with shame at the pros
pect of Increased taxation, pauperism and crime.
Such at least was the complexion of affairs on
the advent of the present year.
In assuming the duties Of the Office of Mayor.
under such jnauspicions circumstances, it wxsno
easy task at the first leap into the stream to stem
the strong current that was running against him;
but his frat message to the Common Council gave
hopes of better administration, and contained
such clear and forcible Interpretation Of the
duties and obligations of the office, that even
the bitterest enemies Of Fernando Wood &C.
corded to him their need of praise. AT that
time we expressed our determination to give
the new Mayor fair trial; and it is satisfac-
ton to know that thus far he has not disap-
pointed our first impressions, although there
are some personal foibles Of which we might
complain.
Until TIE second communication of the Mayor
to the Common Council, there was not more
than tenth of the population OF New York
who understood, or pretended to understand,
the administration of our municipal govern
ment, and even these, either from their lack of
executive ability, or want of moral courage to
expose the testers Of official delinquency, were |
unable to effect or suggest practicable plan
for the reforms they SO well knew to be neces-
sary. Mayor Wood, with boldness that en-
titles him to credit, unveiled in a single page |
Of his message the vepality of the whole |
system, and, In language that could not be mis- |
interpreted, indicated his determination to give
at all hazards, the people of our metropolis
what they had so long clamored for in vain,
viz.:-public order, the suppression of crime
and vice, clean streets the removal of nui
sances, the abolition Of abuses, restriction of
taxation, and prompt execution of the laws
1t is due 20 him to say that, thus far at least,
he has redeemed this voluntary pledge.
The opening of the complaint book alone has
wrought a revolution in the social condition Of |
cur city, and has been the means not oaly of |
redressing innumerable private wrongs among
the poorer classes, but has led to the restora-
ton of large amount of property, and reach
ed a class Of cases which, by being Ingenious
evasions of The law, never came under legal |
cognizance.
The sanitary condition of the city at this
season is another gratifying proof of the prac-
ticability Of these reforms. The suppression
Of the sale of diseased meat, impure milk, and
the removal Of filth from the streets, is clearly
indicated by comparison of the bills of NOR
tality of this year with those Of last year not
withstanding the immense aggregation to the
population of New York-a difference of near.
ly fifty per cent.
The reformation in our police system is
equally visible; and instead OF finding, as in
times gone by, host of demi. uniformed con-
stabulary lounging on the steps Of the City
HILL. and at street corners. 70 man in the de-
partmers is now exempt from the performance
of his duty. A dignity has tbas been impaired
to the position Of the policeman, while at tue
same time efficiency and disc pine have taken
the place oflaxity and neglect in the corps.
By means such as these an example has been
furnished to the magistrates Of other cities
which they have manifested q commeudable
anxiety to initiates aud although the sphere of
the May IS duty Is limited to New York, yetwe
are no. the only ones who have been benefited
by his official conduct. In most of the popu
lous towns Of the Union similar methods for tue
correction Of abuses have been adopted, I'd
found to be eminently feasible.
But there are difficulties surrounding Mayor
Woods position OF which he ought not 10 he
insensible The popularity OF his measures
cannot fail to make him target for political
sharpsbooters The conduct OF the last Legis-
lature is proof of this ami doubtless the pas
sage of the Prohibitory law became q sine qui
non after the efforts to enforce the Sunday or
dnaDce His course ON the liquor question,
as compared with the conduct OF the rulers OF
other cities, has been commendable; aud we
venture to say, that in the existing disorg
cation Of society and parties, few men claid
have go successfully steered between the Scslla
offanasicism and the Charybdis OF rum. Toe |