New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1856-11-27

scarcely h7s thousand. ought no. to submit. 20 be
voted down by traired bulbs who have 40 r;sht 20
vote at al. A feir but stringent registry VII be
6tnMde5, and we presume obtained.
The removal Of the power Of making and IN
making Policemen from the hands OF the Mayor,
who now virtually is the whole Commission, il
generally conceded 10 se 8 prime necessity. 1t is
unnecessary to rereat facts with witch the public
are already FAM liar The Grand Jury embodied
in their late presentment enough to show how
dangerous il is TO trus. any elective officer with
this power. 1t required 7illainy Of long practice,
and reckless audscity, to venture upon the full
exercise of such power and in this instance it is
more than probable that it has been overdone. to
the confusion of the manager and the utimite good
of the people. The creation, regulation, trial and
punishment Of The Police, should be vested in
permanent Commission Of FIVE members, who
should keep their Office open night and day, with at
least one of them on duty. to hear and answer all
complaints. Let the Mayor still be the executive
head; but give him no power to select, favor
orpunisb, exceptby tie spproyalofthe Commission.
With such a Commission, of men in whom
the people have confidence, We might have police
equal 10 the best in the world, instead of great
electoneeriDg machine, jealous only for the inter-
es's Of their elective head.
Then We want important changes in the Depart
mehts Let the Mayor be the head Of the Depart
ment Of Police, Public Health, Licenses, Markets,
and General Supervision. The Controller the head
Of the Finance Department. with such burealx as
Assessments, Taxation and Collection, and
Law. Put the draining, cleaning ard light.
mg Of streets in the CrotOn or Water Department
Let new streets, paving, repairing, docks, public
buildings and gener, supplies he the work Of
Street Department. Then. with the present ar
raDgement of Education, Aims House and Fire De-
partments, We might have something like compact
Government The elective heads would be the
Mayor, Controller, Water Commissioner, Street
Commi,s!o and Governors of the Ams-House
Many persons favor the appointment Of all these,
except the Mayor but We think that the people,
under honest voting, would be better satisfied with
their own selection, especially as they would be
chosen at different perods-ssy, the Mayor for two
years; Controller, three Water Commissioner, five
ole going out each year; Street Commissioner,
three, and Others as now.
In the Legislative Department, We want Board
of Aldermen (Hho will also be Supervisory as
now, half elected each year. Instead Of sixty in
the other Beard LET there be twelve, chosen from
any districts Of equal population; half elected
each year; these to be the superior Board. The
combination of Wards necessary to make these dis
trcts would prevent petty local influences, and 90
far toward securing honest and capable men; as
il now u.s. no one feels any responsibility and nearly
every one spursung some triaing personal interest
instead Of laboripg for the general good.
1t might also be desirable to make some changes
in the Courts; such as the appointment Of Police
Justices by the Police Commission; the statute
already in existence requiring the Recorder and
City Judge TO ait constantly and both at the same
tine, instead of alternately. as now, should be
striugenty observed BY those Judges. As to
the letter of the law, the old charter of 1870 ia
the fountain head That Of 1880 is better only be-
cause modified to suit the tunes and form of gov
erLmeut The acc,etOns Of l-49. 81 and SO are
of little values they don't work, and most of their
provisions may as wel be abandoned.
With changes something like those above indi
Gated, ana the separation Of the city from the
general election, with q revised charter, plain,
practical, and strong as regards responsibility,
there Is no good reason-e1cept the spathy of the
people-uby We should no. have and efficient and
economical government.
L.. ab.cf;. emo tha t,,tx, Sfr and.