The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-10-15
Constitutional Reforms Proposed in New
York.

provides that once every twenty years the
question shall be submitted to the qualified
electors of the State, whether Convention
for the revision of the Constitution shall be
called. This is the twentieth year since the
adoption of the present Constitution, and con-
seuuently the question of calling a Conven-
ton for it's revision is to be voted upon by
the people this fail. We observe that the
press Of that State seems generally to favor
the calling of the Convention. The chief
feature OF the present Constitution animad-
verted upon is the elective Judiciary. Previ-
Gus to the adoption of the Constitution Of
1840, The judiciary in New Y ork was appointed
by the Governor and the Senate.
That Constitution made radical and wide
spread changes, throwing the bench into the
arena of direct popular election. This plan
bas been tried now for twenty years, and it is
but candid to say that many of the wisest and
best men of the State regard il as failure,
when compared with the old plan of appoint
ment. They think that it has degraded the
independence Of the Judges, and placed, In
many instances, men Of interior talents and
attainments on the bench. 1t has made Judi
party politics, and converted them into prizes
ior the dishonorable scrambles OF caucus
nominations. In the rural districts the sys-
tenn has not worked so badly as in the cities,
and especially in New York, where the judi
ciary has become byword and reproach.
Some OF the papers, as the Herald, propose
a complete return to the old system Of ap-
pointment by the Governor and the Senate,
and that the term of Office shall be for life or
during good behavior. Others would retain
the elective system for the country aud minor
cities, but would aboli h it in New York city.
An seem to be agreed that the plan OF elect
ing Judges in that city is failure. 1t is
estimated by the "Citizens' Association" that
not less than siGty thousand votes there are
controlled by parties directly interested in
the breach of the laws-a number sufficient
at almost any time to control the elections.
As a consequence, the bench has become
notoriously corrupt; the laws are violated
with Impunity; life and property are in
secure; and justice is not done between man
and man.
Indeed, not only is the electing OF Judges
declared to be fai ure IN New York but the
very capacity OF the city for municipal self
government is denied. So vast and powerful
the elements of evil there, that her best
citizens are ready to pllce the government of
the city in the hands Of the State at large.
Things have been tending towards this end
for some time. The control of the police was
long ago taken out of the hands OF the Mayor
aud city authorities, and placed in the hands
OF board appointed by the Cover and
Senate. More recently the Fire Department
aud the Health Department have been like
wise placed in the hands of Metropoli-
tan Boards. And it is now urged that
Board of Control be added. having entire
supervision of tie finances Of the city, and
directing all its expenditures. This seems to
be the only refuge from bankruptcy, as the
expenses of the city, through the peculatons
0 corrupt "rings," have run up from three or
four millions 10 twenty millions year.
This reaction towards a less purely popular
form of government in our neighboring State
is, we apprebend, more apparent than real.
The Convention OF 1916 went to great lengths,
and many of lis measures were doubtless
Unwise. In the matter of the Judiciary not
only was the elective element introduced, but
the terms of Office were made far too brief 1t is
quite probable that these will be heightened,
and that the constitution of the courts will
be somewhat changed; but we do not appre-
hend that the elective system will be given
up as to the State at large. So far as New
York city is concerned, its capacity for local
sefgovernment seems to have tailed. But
this only confirms what has always been
maintained by the wisest friends of popular
institutions, VIZ, that successful self-govern-
ment is only possible to intelligent and
Virtuous communities.
Wherever vice and crime and ignorance
come to preponderate over virtue and order
and intelligence, there self-government is an
absurdity and failure. But in New York
the remedy is simple, and in accordance with
Republican principles, and that is, to in
crease the constituency. The city is part
of the state at large; and If it shows its in
capacity for local selfgovernment, the duty
devoIves upon the State to extend protection
over it. The idea Of local independence
finds no place in our system. Cities are but
corporations created by the State, and
whenever they show an incapacity to fulfil
the ends for which they were created, the
State, as toe soverei gn power, must neces-
sarily intervene