New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1872-12-11
Mr.. DORIAN b. EATON on MUNICIPAL
REFORM.


The people of New-York would gladly have
listened last night to the views of municipal
reform which Mr.. Dorman b. Eaton, after q
long retirement from public affairs, was ex-
pected to set forth at the Hall of the Young
Mems Christian Association. Mr.. Eaton is one
of the most universally respected of all the
prominent citizens who have been conspicuous
during past years in the discussion of our
local concerns. He has an intimate knowledge
of the evils of which he was to speak, and it
was understood that the scheme he had to
propose was the fruit of close and patient
study, pursued during his prolonged illness
Mr. Eaton was unfortunately too unwell last
night to appear; but we are permitted to
print some of the most important parts of his
address. Ii offers no short and simple plan of
reconstructing the City Government; for Mr..
Eaton is too familiar with his subject to sup
pose that the problem before him is an easy
one. The administration of the affairs Of a
great community like ours must be more or
less complex, and the safeguards thrown about
it in the interests of economy, efficiency, and
honesty must he more or less cumbrous and
multifOrm. Whatever may be thought OF
the details of Mr.. Eaton's plan, he certainly
comprehends the great cause Of our troubles,
and purposes beginning reform at the right
end. The government of city is not mat
ter of politics, but of business. The great
political parties ought TO conflne their contests
to State and national interests, and every
agency which puts the nominees of the parti-
san caucus in places of trust and power under
the municipal charter, leaving them response
1 L.. nd TO ,ota ho
party interests should be entirely abolished.
And he utters an impressive warning to the
Republican party of the fate which it may
expect if in this hour of its prosperity it will
not adopt a nobler and purer municipal policy
than the party which it has displaced. That
q Republican Ring is striving to succeed the
overt1rown Tammany League is hardly a
secret. 81 hope" says Mr.. Eaton, this meet
ing may be taken as q protest against the
administration of this city being longer
"swung at the tail of any party; that it may
abe accepted as assolerln declaration that we
recognize no party ties strong enough to
"prevent our unqualified and eternal opposi-
I" ton TO every attempt this Winter to carry
out any such policy"
First, be says, the city, having no distinct
interests in the Legislature save as a unit,
must be treated as one district in sending
representatives to the Assembly, the number
of members to be in proportion, of course, to
its population. These members should be
chosen in such manner as to represent not
merely party majority, but the whole peo-
pie. The present Legislature should provide
for commission of not more than three emil
nent citizens, to be appointed by the Governor,
for the purpose of codifying all the useful
laws out of the multitude of statutes relating
to the city, investigating the affairs of the de-
partments and bureaux, and reporting to the
next Legislature suggestions in harmony with
the amended charter which this session should
enact The three divisions of the City Gov
eminent should be distinguished as the ex-
ecutive, legislative, and administrative. At
the head of the first is the Mayor, upon whom
should be imposed the veto power and the
duties Of making nominations and looking
after the execution of the laws. Legislation,
the scrutiny of the expenditures and tho con-
frmation of nominations should belong to the
Common Council. Administrative details
should be carried on by commissions, Of which
tho number may be somewhat Hrednced, the
Fire Department beng consolidated with the
Department of Buildings; the Quarantine
Commission and Board Of Excise united with
the Board Of Health, and tho Tax Commission
merged in tho Department Of Finance.
Mr.. Eaton recognizes the Importance Of fix
ing official responsibility, bat he does not
purpose to extend the powers of the chief
officer Of the corporation. On tho contrary,
he believes that an unrestricted authority to
appoint and remove Is nothing hut the abso-