The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1860-03-07

SP'enoM BUSINESS; Tor never was the yleiu 0I
cotton OF the South more abundant than ut inc
present time.
The IMPORTANT QUESTION or THE DAY-CIvI0
Enthusiastically the most important topic
OF the day is the question as to the precise me-
ney value OF = member of the Common Couno1
OF New York city. In a very recent case the
public has seen that an Alderman has ref,sed.
according to his own account bribs Of
two thousand dollars, which was rendered =
him at various times and by several persona.
The reasons which governed the Alderm..
have not been very clearly set forth. either b.
himself or the Journals, although both have
devoted some considerable time and space =
the subject. A correspondent gives Z nev
view Of the matter. in the following letter.
TO TEE EDITOR OF THE HERALD.
NEw YoRx March g. looa
May you not have made some error in regard . ne
market price o. an alderman fon assume that NE
ooub,ess upon the Brady Tucker imbroglo You M
see the fAAcy Of a. once on Remembering that eaoh
OF the Council Ut ten TO BE- satshed ~
Mr. Brady alone his would not have insured ~
Of Mr.. Tucker; heuce 1t Is than prosssas
thai the 81 900 have been divided By len,
reducing the minimum Of Aldermanc value TO 500 IN.
stead $1,000 THIS hypothesis becomes stronger sanoo
appear that other overturcs (aAn shes
alleged were MADE Who, therefore, decide saps-
factory the vexed question: Your theory IL LIBERAL Ter
civic virtue-mine IN accordance with evidence.
Then, are you no. DOING the Alder men an injury ~
arivng of bose obte who afford pay 2OS6,
but are willing To pay 500 for each OF the secret tss
AN OLD 5rsGEa.
Now, we always like to give every body fair
play. When ray everybody" we include
Aldermen. Our philanthropy is of that expaa-
sive character which Can take in even moa-
Der of the Common Council Aud we do not
wish to iDjure the trade of that respectable
class of persons who hang about the City Hall
aod deal in Aldermen as the merchants in
Broadway. or Murray, or Warreu street jon in
dry goods Far from it. We say let trade
thrive. Aud if we have set the price of N
Alderman above the market rate, then let it
come down. The laws OF demand and supply
must work to regulate the quotations for Com
mon Coupcimen as well ss for pork and pOsa
toes. The theory four correspondent ia thasthe
two thousand dollars which was offered -
Lycureus Brady was to be divided among Sc
verai other Spartans in the Board. IL this il
correct, we have quoted Aldermen at alto
getber too high figure. We supposed tnas
self at least as high as the market value Of .
likely niger 10 the South. 1t is very sman
business if Aldermen 90 Off at two hundred
dollars each, OF any thing like it. And, as there
seems to be just now some mystery about the
matter, we reiterate our suggestion that tho
matter of bribery should be properly
systematized and organized in q separate
bureau of the city government, with
power to fix a tariff which shall be
uniform and proportioned to the interests
involved. There would, of course, be q pre-
rata feature in 1t; and for all those schemes
wherein compliance with the charter and or
dinances involved the loss to some cousin or
brother, or some pet of the Aldermen, of trail
ing empty ash carts about the city, or dump
ing garbage carts at impossible landings, or
would deprive half score of political retain
ers of the privilege of dragging lifeless hoes
and broows through muddy streets, leaving NO
evidences of their presence--for these, we say,
the scale would undoubtedly run high But
for grant OF a street through the Park, a rail-
road to Yonkers, or any measure whereby
valuable rights of the city could be thrown
away on the score Of public good" for such
the tariff would 90 down to the minimum--
probably!
1t is high time that something was done
about this matter, and we hope that Alderman
Brady Will report an ordinance forthwith. For
the last ten years there has been the most per-
picking uncertainty as to the Aidermanic tariff,
and as the matter is now fairly before the pub
lie 1t ought to be definitely settled