The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1856-11-28
The New Charter.
npIsIoNs on THE PASS

mo e.,e MN which unnt ana dishonest men 90 T. a
power in this city, the roooeries which mas Iasir
,si career the necessary mbe;ty OF the nom al mi
nonty they by ato~ering IAsrc q
crime irand, the consequent enormous Grease OF
:, home and the soorn abroad which As.scps al
m nlssraison bro ught upon u.s. are sngsA arousng
sood easy men who have borr sAo Scrthsn aud
enriched robbers without ssoppp W msure ton eri
tsosy into the acts Of thar agents = conceded, or
nss be made tnjs winter. The ua6n features suggoei
are, registry law for the who1e ase 70 purity
- boz; TOR tho city, the YcFm aacnt removal Of
The power Of appcssVnent asd dismissal Of polioe
men from Ae Mayor or any elective olhoers;
sho consolidation OF Department.. so as to insure
persosAl responsibility the return OF tho charter
osecsicn 70 tho spring; tue reduction OF the pre-.
stmpsAoaton Of the charter and or&nancss that
somebody may 90 able 10 underssand them MIST par
Is least with . hopeful prospect OF success
first ali important i, registry Law, and some
mode securing and intelligent inspectors OF
E,eCon while tie most ample ,asi,ias should be given
1or the full and free exercise OF the elective FRANCHISE al
honest men win admit that the purity OF tns raucnse
required 80 preserve that purity should be
epAred In this city something must be done Y, stop the
notorious double voting and illegal ballots whsh literally
rained upon the boxes al the late election Toe hard
working mechanic who pays hundred dollars for taxes
house worth scarcely i've thousand, ought not to
submit to be voted Gown by trained bulres who
right vote at Gil. fair bat stringent registry will be
demanded and We presume obtained.
The removal Of the power of making and unmakny
Policemen from the HANDS OF the Mayor, who vrtu
II
De prime necessity. II Is unnecessary repeat facts
with which the pubic are already familiar. The Grand
how dangerous II Ia 70 trust any elective officer with
this power. required vllany or long practice AMI
reckless andaciy To venture upon the full exercise OF
such power; and in this instance il Is THAI proba
bic that II has been overdone to the confusion OF The
manager and the ultimate gooi OF the people Toe
creation, regulation trial and punishment OF tue Police
should be vested in permanent Commission OF ave
members, who should keep their once open night AMI
ssy with at least one Of Them on duty p hear ani
AL complaints Let t3e Mayor still be the
ecutive head but gse him power 10 select, favor
punish, except by the approval OF the Commissi'n
with such a Commissioned ia whom tie people
have conrdence-we might have police equal % the
best in the world IN, OF great electoueerng
chine, jealous only Tor the interests Of their elective
head
Then we want important changes In the deoarims1is
let the May be the head OF the department OF police
public health hceDses ktis and al supervisor
fhe Comptroller tie mead the finance aeparsra Mt
pnh such bul eaus as assessmen taxation aua coec
Non ard law Put the draining cleaning AMI lighting OF
streets IA tne Crosoa % wa.ef dsp.rsm n. L. neS
general supplies be tae work OF street department.
fnep With tae present arrangement OF edasatlon, Aims
House an Fire Do @rtment. we might have sonataiDg
hike compact govern lnsnt The elective heads would
be the MAJOR, Comptroller Water Commissioner Street
Comm ssioper and Governors OF the AIMS H1lse Many
penons favor TIE appointment OF all these except tue
BAyor; Blu, We TIM that the people, under no1st
vosrg would be better sats VITA therIwa seiecon,
especially itey would 90 chosen at dsreut periods,
sss the Mayor for two oars; Comptroller, hree; Wssr
GommissioDer i've, one going out each year; Street
Con rsiobe- three. and Others
h me LeGtshrse department. 10 want q Bad Of Al.
ELECTED each year. Instead OF ,ixy In ths other Bari
les there be twelve, chosen rom many districts Of
equal populaon-na elected each year these he
superior Boa-d. The COMPUTATION OF ~aris necessary 10
these ST tets would prevent petty local lad iencaa
and far tosarda securing honest Aud capable men As
DOW 10 one feels any responsibility aud nearly eve
~ pursuing some tF personA Interest Instead
Of isboIng 10, the general good.
might DE desirable 20 NIKE chan yas 10 the
eours-sucn the appointment 81 Police Jusvces tn
Poce Conmssior; tue sta,atc already In exlsteo,s
quisiag City Judge cit cor.tsntly
and BON the sams line instead OF alternately a.
DoV sbould be stfiDgenty observed by t6oss Jafgcs
AZ WVe letter law he old cnarter 1879 Is .ns
Suntaia had That OF 1880 better only s-c,use mo
aided 70 suit the iines aud iorm Of government ths
sccfetous OF ls4, bl aud So Of lite value; they
ssrr woIs and most Of 10 r pogisions may vel Dc
wrh changes some hing like those above Indicated,
and separation Of The city IRON she ge1era erection,
VITA a revised charter, plan prac,i,sl and srocg
regards responsibility, there is 40 good ressonsxcep.
sn,e,ept and economical government
Prom the New York Daily fime., Nov. 81
NECESSITY OF MUNICIPAL REFORM.
We have already urged tho absolute tiiy o:
eenkang the executive power Of our city government,
order % elect any r.i,rm Of the en,rmoa, aad "a.
Nc present condition tf AFFAIRS in this respect
render that necessity SIN more evident.
nero H. Is ali kDo~, FEasco Department, under the
exclusive control AMI direction OF the CJmproer Tns
bead Of that department manages matters appT-
tnnng 10 In hi oxn way, In accordance
vnh his own IDEAS; and, dlshoncs,
shall ever be eActed 10 that position, be wil
Dossess poser rob the treasury OF any ao int OF M,
sey vhatocver There l. lint 70 the extent OF pua
der which dishonest Comptroller vita the nivsuce
surh rogues as otter ooao The other branches Of 90
yssnmsns might levy from the city Ia sidiaon. how
ever the Fh ance Department there also tns De-
partner. q streets and LAMPS The Depsssnen.ot Re
PAIRS and supplies, the Street Department., the Cy Ia
specscra Department, the Police Department. the Lag
Department The Cro,on Department AMI the Almshoa.e
D~pameIt Each OF these departments Is Independent,
practically irresponsible 10 any ohsr ~ vel as 70 any
comm on head and history Of tbs years
ruus,on And bold open handed vsiny 10 the hands Of
such three who are nos 10 charge OF them. Al
scm PAS been made 70 ndcs them which have fallen
70 the ground before The golden tslisuan they
were enabled 10 Weld. TIE Mayor has sought
e0erss 'Asm pr,.s el ,sem.elTes hm
snapped tn. fugcas IN his face and told hi TO mind
his own business The word "a~" mas beeo tos o 'eu
subject their derision and contempt II public nis
nation has denounced them, they have adoped ~ tnsf
nouos-"Yel, you please, bot pay" No poser, .,
The city government "a constituted, coeck we
sesrons practices which are the pass OF n2ahy and
uncn tE toe departments.
Lea % look the stupidity and folly Of the system Ia
- p1sciica worklngs II citizen desires 70 nave the
hkh removed which has accumulated 10 from. OF his
ms h nv sane ssussn desire, u saTs sos u Ia
repaired he must 10 the DEPARTMENT OF Repairs
hmasf ssfors ,ss an 5a,.odsas ~
sidewalks. ia nuisance exists 10 bis ue'ghoorno1d, his
ssiy ,osfes O redress Toe Cay ia,p,c1r !,
wear out me patience OF the most Issscner h<e
over Of burdeasS Application must sn,asiy
10 our dnei cbt bureaus relative matters pertaining
exciusvey 70 streets. Moreover the oroson y o Of
noeman 10 dershcs he make plA,nt aef u
poce he wouia seek remedy Tor any Of the ten N
sand ipiure. Indicted oy the Common cyuBci obsn
krowedge respeci suit 10 shch the CITY ,afty.
he spry 20 the Counsel u the Corporation. 40
pertain ne paupersm the public nsttftoas. 70 the
Aimsbouee Department Zach o these depsrs nsnts
ahe power W relieve compASoG OF mo-, aeuding 70 rs
ewn viii aud pleasure. There p3ser soy where
wh'sh compel them TO redress grevsece. In
The desperately energetic apocsnt nsuhst hsrs,
ss<rcred there, attended 70 nowhere, refuge win
the MANOR. But whs, he dof Nothing more of
sour~e expvess hs roget taa hts han IL el
and that he 40 nothing.
must be pslbsbly manifest N every c,iz-s Ms.
wo-e system than .hai under ~nsca 80 are
saaefpg eouid not possibly DC devised II must ne
equally clear that there s II present remedy 10 NE
tsxpyers being s~fsdisd side and nssised
sehsr. cannot be denied that want snoh q
so~sosdston u pover shall put cni 10 ,be evils
yhtrh proceed from This dsoeutr s1ssoo manpct
~ eovsrnmeDs. hs-nscesssyy 70 make the chief m
eiwtrase the city directly res2oossls for evny
bcn oflAw By every official Ia the city. IN order 70