New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1865-03-25
IcCIsIATION AT ALBANY.

There are those who haDllualy forget 'hdt 'hc
appeal TO our Legislature for Paid Fire De-
partment came originally from the Insurance
Companies, and had no relation whatever to
politics or partiSanship. The Insurance men
are familiar with fires and their extngulshment:
they know by experience how much anarchy,
rowdvism, inefhciency and robbery, is involved
in our present system. They know that we
have four times as many engines, englne-houses'
fremen. &c, &C., rs we need. and that our
Volunteer system is as wasteful as demoralinng.
Hence their unanimous application to the Legs
laturc for a change in the direction Indicated by
the experience of every great city OF the civil
lied world but our own.
We have listened at intervals during the last
ten years to casual discussions Of the dement's
of our Fire Department by men Of all parties,
and we do not remember q single dissenting
voice Leading, intelligent Democrats have as
serted and reprobated the Volunteer system as
incurablv vicious. anda fruitful source of demon
alization. That hundreds if not thousands OF our
youth are lured from the paths of industry and
thrift by the facilities for living without labor
which are opened to them in connection
with the engine houSeS-that theft, proStl-
tuition and every form Of debauchery, derive ali
ment aud opportunity from our engine-housc
"bunking" and its acceSsories-we never heard
denied or doubted. How is it, then, that re-
spectacle and fairly esteemed citizens can be in
/ duced to say in Albany the exact reverse OF
what every one says here, except when talking
in public under the pressure Of partisanshp or
some selfish interest
We are told that the Public Health is TO be
duly cared for and the glazing abuses Of our
present Sanitary and S,reei-Cleaning arrange
ments corrected, if the Legislature Will reject
the present Health bill. But the opportunity
for and impulse to this reform have so long ex-
listed in vain that we despair Of any such result.
Winter after Winter, measure substantially
identical with the present Health bill has been
before the Legislature. and has finally been de-
.cated under the influence of just such promises
a. those now current. Ii the Legislature would
but forbear, our local authorities would do all
that was requisite. so the Legislature forhorc,
and then our Municipal rulers forgot everything
but the chance for big things thus secured
to them. Our City pays far more than she
needs for efficient Street-Cleanng, yet remains
habitually and abominably filthy. We have
Health wardens enough to keep Yellow Fever
out OF Havana; yet they do nothing accom-
pish nothing, really attempt nothing. We
have generally regarded Health bills at Albany
with disiayor, in Difference TO the natural right
Of community to be ruled and robbed by the
dirCest kind of politicians if it will; but it SCENT
morally impossible that any change should
make matters worse, while there certainly il
room enough for improvement: SO we support
this years Health bill.
But We warn the champions at Albany o
Municipal Reform rot to be drawn into bargains
whereby the City Railroad and other plumber
ing Jobs now on foot shall be promoted. Sup
port whatever is right; but make 10 bargains
form no coalitions, with aught that is wrong
Better Lose two good measures than pass on
lad one Better wait a year for what oush
now to be done than help do what ought neyel
to be done. No party was ever killed by The
measures it failed to pass; and none was eyel
forgiven for passing bad bill in consideration
Of its having passed a good one. Let all The
good be done that fairly may be; but no dickcl
that passes a had bill along with good one car
he advisable or truly advantageous. "keep tt
the right, aud the right will sustain and yind
cate its upholders.