The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1867-05-01
What the Consultations Of 1916 has Done for
the City and State.

What the Consultations Of 1916 has Done for
the City and State.
The State constitution of 1921, framed by
the convention over which Daniel D. Tompkins
presided, was based upon sound principles,
and until the Commonwealth in its rapid pro-
gress outgrew its proportions 1t gave the peo-
pie an efficient. honest and economical govern
ment But quarter Of century made great
difference in the commercial and political
status Of New York, and it was felt and
acknowledged that we needed larger garment
for the free use Of our limbs. The people de-
sired q change in the fundamental law Of the
State, and the Convention of Revision Of 1916
was held. It was controlled by politicians of
narrow views and fell into the grave error Of
moving in direction exactly opposite to the
right one. The defects then commencing to
mike themselves felt in the constitution of 1921
arose from an insuficiency of absolute power
in the executive head, and the amendments
required were such as would more effectually
concentrate authority and responsibility. The
State officers, such as Secretary of State, Comp
troller, Treasurer, Attorney General, Surveyor
General and Commissary General, were then
appointed by the joint ballots of the Senate
and Assembly, and, as the Legislature could
not always be in perfect accord with the Gov
ernor, there was sometimes want Of harmony
and unity of purpose between. the Executive
and the heads Of departments subordinate to
him, which impaired the efficiency of the State
government The remedy would have been to
have transferred the appointment Of all those
officers to the Governor and Senate; but the
county politicians, who controlled the Con-
vention, failed to comprehend these facts and
looked for reform in the diffusion Of power.
The State officers were all made elective, and
thus the Governor was left at the head of the
State, without authority over his subordinate
officers There was no direct responsibility to
the people anywhere. The government was
parcelled out, as it were, piecemeal, and each
officer made as independent as possible of the
other The judicial system was changed.
Under the constitution of 1921 all judicial
officers were appointed, and the higher judges
held their offices during good behavior until
attaining the age of sixty years. The constita-
ton of 1916 made the judges elective by The
people, limited their terms Of Office and threw
the courts into the turmoil and corruption of
politics.
The experience of twenty years has proved
that the constitution of 1916 was budget of
errors and defects from its first clause to its
last, ana fraught with danger to the State.
Under its license we have been going on from
bad to worse, year after year, until at length
corruption stalks abroad in our Legislature
and in all our public bodies unmasked and
unblushing, and the whole fabric of govern
ment is crumblng away. 1t was pretended
that the Herkimer county politicians-Hof-
man, Mann, Loomis and their followers-were
very watch dogs of the financial interests of
the State but under the work of their hands
our taxes have increased enormously; our
State and municipal debts have swelled into
vast proportions fraud and peculation have
found unlimited opportunities for their opera
tons upon the public works the Legislature,
although nominally restrained from forming
corporations under special acts, have sold out
every franchise upon which they could lay
their hands and corruption and anarchy, or
ganized under the constitution, have been
marching on until they have reached q point
beyond which is the overthrow of all law and
order.
The Convention of Revision which is to as
semble in few weeks, must 60 back to
the system of responsible government, IL they
desire to save the State from serious trouble.
The condition of the city OF New York at the
present moment is but type of what the
State itself will soon become. Here the peo-
pie are taxed over twenty millions of dollars,
and are virtually without any government at
all. They have no voice and no will in their
own affairs. They elect a Mayor, and the
Legislature ties his hands and strips him of all
executive power. They elect q Board of
Councilmen for one year, and the Legislature
extends their term to two years-and might
do so to twenty years. The Police Justices
are in an open fight with the Police Commits
sioners. The Common Council find all their
municipal powers secretly and suddenly
snatched out of their hands and transferred to
o Commission, and straightway they repeal
nearly all the city ordinances and leave us
without any laws at all. One independent de-
partment conflicts with another, and each
separate body squanders the peoples money
without any fear Of the consequences. There
is no responsibility anywhere no law any
where no order anywhere nothing but ar
bitrary acts from every quarter.
These evils are all directly traceablc to the
constitution of 1876. II we would secure any
permanent reform, we must entirely change
the principles underlying our State polity.
We must have governments in the State and
in municipalities, armed with all-suficient
power and authority, and held directly re-
sponsible to the people. Capitalization must
take the place Of diffusion, so that If we are
badly and corruptly governed the people can