The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-11-26

REPoRrER-How will that be donef
| swEEsY-lt Is very simple IN pvinciple Let New
xork ana brooklyn have their own police govern
ment through their own representatives and respon.
siDIe lor their own expenditures; let our Fire De-
board composed In like manner or under the direc-
tion OF the Police Department; have locally APP
pointed omcers Tor the Health and Excise boards
and the Croton Aqusduct Department. and Ine
kEpoRrER-How is &c proposed to oflcer the
departments, by election or appointment. and BY
| the latter by what authorityr
SwEENY-We can never have Q consolidated
| government unless we have responsible head.
Our city has been much divided in this respect as
the States Of New York. New Jersey and Connections
Dy ther separate sovereignties. We are willing 10
accept the trust OF government and TO be held as
| party responsible for It's administration. The Mayor
should have the power to appoint and remove All
! the Comptroller and Counsel to the Corporation
VINO, Tor OBVIOUS reasons, should continue 10 be
eiecsive. This power should be subject TO the
| approval OF some other. representative pody. we
had trial under the charter OF 1o47 OF elecng all
tne Important officers OF the city government inen
| we elected street commissioner, commissioner
lamps and gas and oil other departments and
Dureaus the result was that we had COLLECTION
OF petty s0verelgntes, each indepedent OF the DINER
ana al spending money without any accountability
| anywhere. These officers were all nominated In
convention Dy COMBINATIONS OF politicians, ana the
best men were not successful. We were soon glad
70 have this scheme repealed. Then we had the ten
governors Of the Almsn0use; all Will remember their
career and realize the sautary change 10 appoint
ments by local authority through when the Board OF
Charities and Corrections was secured When the
authority Is devolyed upon the Mayor OF appoint
ing prominent officials the eyes OF the whole
community are on hun, and he must, from re-
GARD 70 his own character and That OF ms
ONCE, make the best appointments practicable. So
TOO, when complaints are made winch he mas the
power 70 redress, ne win be compelled to Apply the
remedy or take the consequences IN pubic condem
| nation. We have had two striking illustrations OF
the healhful results OF appointments ny local
sasnor during the past year First II the Commls
class men, and have discharged their duties with
ability and contentious fidelity. At the rate tnat
the old commissioners progressing the expenses
Of common school education this city would nave
been nearly S4,00o,0o0 for the ensuing year. They
were over s3.oo0,ooo last year. The new Commis-
slOners find that they can get along with little over
| $2,O0O0oO. so, too with the new Tax COMMISSION
ers appointed by local authority. They are accom-
pshing great reforms IN correcting Old abuses and
long continued iavorltlsms, which WIN soon De made
manifest to the pubic.
| THE ARGUMENT AND EXAMPLE IN BROOKLYN.
RKPoRTER-But In Brooklyn they appear to be
| against commissions and appointed DoardsY
SwEENY-I don't think tlere would have been
any objection 10 the Water Board OF Brooklyn II they
had managed their affairs 80 TO give satisfaction
TO the people OF tnaI city. They have not been Tor
tunate III TINS respect. TIE democratic objection to
commissions has been to those appointed az Albany,
imposed, as IL were by foreign authority and not
responsible TO the constituency 70 DO affected. There
II objection, IN principle, to commission ap-
pointed by locally elected representatives ana sub
Ject 10 removal by the same authority for maadmin'
| bLratlUn.
THE DANGER OF BREAKING DOWN IN NEW YORK.
kEPoRTER--Dont you think there Is great danger
| OF all this power breaking down the democratic
| party Ia THIS CITY,
SwEENY-Of course there ts every danger If the
responsibility IS not appreciated, and the power
wisely exercised. In mere party point OF view we
| have made more by the police ana excise powers
continuing III ne hands OF the republicans and adj
minisfered with The n0t-hcaded ZEAL fanaticisn aud
| Oespotc tyranny Of John A. kennedy tnan II we
hau the power and responsibility III hands. But
| we are bound to accept the situation and DO our
| best, The Police Department eXecuuvely directed
| BY such man as John jordan or Judge Downing AZ
| superintendent Will pe hundredlolu more eIieot-
i've In detecting and preventing crime than under
John A. kennedy's rule. Kennedy ID very clever
fellow personally aud socially. but IN executing
power he Is the verlest tyrant that ever lived he
knows this, and rather glOrles IN the TACT Besides,
the police Will be made more efficient than ever and
the petty system Of prying through shutters and
crawling through chimney nue5 TO detect lie smell
OF liquor Will cease to be the chief business oil the
police force
| AN ANALYSIS OF THR COST OF GovRRNMENT-wHO
is RESPONSIBLE.
REPORTER--How do you expect to make manifest
the advantages OF the proposed changer
SwEENY-Acts are the pest interpreters OF mten-
tions We intend to snow BY practical results the
advantages TO The people. For instance, We mean
To present our levy early IN the session. nvlte
the closest scrutiny and submit 10 the lowest figures.
We Will take the expenses VI last year under the rule
of republican commissioners and compare them
with those Of year under democratic government
and local sovereignty Here are the expenses OF the
CITY and county government the back Of this Tax
bill winch you might as Wen copy, as u contains the
| information IN q condensed form.
| EXPENSES OF CITY AND COUNTY GOVERNMENT FOR
IN ~. a2Q us