The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1864-01-12
great deal more In regard to these privateers
than it has yet tn ought it worth while TO attempt

great deal more In regard to these privateers
than it has yet tn ought it worth while TO attempt
Mayor Gunther and Municipal Re-
form.
Mayor Gunther made his first attempt at
municipal reform last evening He sent to the
Common Council a special message upon the
Department of the City Inspector. Mr.. Gun
theirs recent rival for the Mayorslty The OBJ
ject Of this message is to expose the corruptions
of Mr.. Bodies department; and we suppose
that 1t may be said to accomplish it's object
The fact is that nearly all of the ten, twelve
or fourteen independent departments of the
city government are either VIGOROUSLY corrupt
or inefficient. The one or two exceptions only
more clearly prove the rule that, from the Gus
tom House down, the political departments in
New York either swindle the public by pecula-
ton or incapacity, or both. The City Inspectors
Department is by no means the worst Of this
very bad lot.
But we are not 80 much interested in Mayor
Gunther's expose as we should have been had
he suggested feasible and satisfacto ry reform
for the evils from which we suffer- 1t is
all very well to say that the city
government is corrupt We all know that; but
we want to know something more We have
plenty Of doctors who tell US. and have been
telling US for long time how very, very sick
We are; but what we need is doctor who
will tell us how to cure ourselves. Mayor
Gunther is obviously not that anxiously ex
pected person. He proposes to reform the city
government through the Common Council.
That is equivalent to the old charlatan dodge
of curing bite with tho hair of the dog that
bit you. The Common Council is the origin Of
tho corruption Most Of the members take a
hand in 1t and share the spoils. To ask them
to reform themselves is o very good joke; but
it amounts to nothing more. We have pre-
cisely the same objection TO Mayor Gunther's
more general plan recommended in his inaugu-
raj message, and approved by us as an abstract
idea. That plan is to get the Legislature to
give the Mayor tho power which originally
belonged to his Office. Unfortunately, how
ever, the Legislature will do nothing Of the
kind. II is republican Legislature, and will
give no power to a democratic Mayor. That
settles this question; for remedy which we
cannot obtain is as useless a. no remedy al
| all.
But, not to initiate those whom we rebuke
| and expose evils without showing how they
may be removed, we confess at once that we
have scheme to submit to the Legislature
| The Romans used to check corruption and
force their officials to honesty and energy by
I - whn
lectsd Tor his purity and independence Of CHAR
acter, and whose duty it was to investigate, re
port upon and punish the misconduct Of ths
| Senators and other public men. We should
suggest the appointment Of such censor here
! were we not afraid that the worst rogue would
be selected for the Office, or that oven if ar
honest man were chosen. the rogues would
soon manage either to corrupt or to hoodwink
him. Therefore we 60 upon the principle thai
in multitude Of oormsellors there is safety
and 30 urge the Legislature to appoint {
commission Of five gentlemen of high stand
ing and indlsputable independence, ant
to give this commission power to investigate al
charges against our city officials; to send 70
persons and papers, and to remove immediatel!
any officer whom they may find guilty of oms
sions Of duty or commissions Of fraud. II sucl
gentlemen as Judge Roosevelt, William B. Astor
| A. 7. Stewart and Charles O'Conor were to b.
! appointed upon this duty, and would consent
| to serve, We do not doubt but that each Of them
would soon win for himself the reputation of q
Cato, and that the municipal government, in all
| its independent departments, would be better
| administered than 1t has been for years. This
| would be o shorter and surer mode Of reform
than to attempt to smash all the political ma
| chimes, and elect only virtuous and incorrupti
bic men to all our public Offices, and . much
safer and more satisfactory mode than popu
lar revolution and vigilance committee
We believe therefore, that we arc doing the
city a service by pressing it upon the attention
of the Legislature.
TEMPTING YoUrH TO TRvANoY AND WRcNo
D oNo.-The late report Of the Police Commits
sioners contains some pertinent remarks about
the necessity Of Furnishing receivers Of stolen
goods and the prevention Of truancy by school
children. Although classified under separate
headings, both topics might be we'll discussed
together; for 10 the receiver Of stolen goods
can be traced most Of tho grievances to be
complained of under the head OF truancy But
this Is not all. The report should have gone
further, nd treated Of those petty second hand
shop and junk dealers who tempt children
even while on their way to school, t9 ssll for a
paltry sum their school books, states, satohels
and everything they possess that can be made
saleable to other parties. The child then plays
truant, fears punishment both ct school and at
home, If he goes to either, and hence is led,