New-York tribune., 1872-11-08
ADMINISTRATION GAINS.
THE CITY COMMISSIONS TO BE RECON.
sTRUCTEDP

THE CITY COMMISSIONS TO BE RECON.
sTRUCTEDp
PROBABLE REVOLUTION IN THE CITY GOVERN
MENT-THE ADMINISTRATION TRIUMPH IN
THIS STATE AND CITY LIKELY TO INVOLVE
LEGISLATIVE CHANGES IN ALL THE LOCAL
CoMMIssIONs-THE INTENSE INTEREST TAKEN
IN THE MAY0RAJTY CONTEST EASILY EX-
Planned.
The Republican victory in this city and State
IL in many respects the counterpart Of the Democratic
victory OF 1870 when the first time In more than 10
years the Democrats ohncd coutro Of both Houses ot
the Legislature and the Nay orally and both DTdaehes OF
the Common Council in this city. twas this yctory"mch
enabled them TO the passage OF the H
city giving the Mayor the appointment Of certain Com
missions or heads Of Departments, all the appoinees.
with the exception OF tine Police Commissioners, holding
Office for five years The Police Commissioners were ap-
pointed for eight seven, six and ye years respectively
Much comment occasioned b. the fact that, al
though the Mayor only holds oce for two years he was
enabled by the provisions Of the charter TO prevent h
from interfering in any manner with The work
tugs OF the city government for the that none ~
the appointments expired during lis term OF onee by
limitation, and the Mayor is not vested with the power
Of removal Under the provisions OF the present charter
the newly yelected Mayors absolutely poweress 10 inter
with the operations Of any department except Ia so
far his he Mayor being member exoinclo ot
each OF the Commisson gives him voice In any qlcs-
ton that is brought up at meeting Unless the next
Legislature nterferes the incoming Mayor ia as power
less change any Official Of any department cne of
own clerks The Commissions thus filed by Mayor Hail.
and which. II sasserted viii be radically changed by the
next lie dslature IN their personnel are as fOows:
Police Department-Commissoners Henry Smith,
Benjamin Manierre, Joseph &. Bosworth and Thomas
j. Barr
Health Department-Com Commissioners, Stephen smitb,
Giovanni Ceccarin Magnui Gross, and John Mullay Ia
addition, the Mayor the Police Commissioners, and the
Health officer of the Port members ex-OfiiciO.
Fire NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. VIM. Hitehman
James g. Hennessey, John J. Blair, Alexander shaler
and James Galway.
Department OF Public Commissioners, H.G.
stebblns, Andrew H. Green, Robert J. Dillon, and
Thomas c. Fields
Department Of Public Charities aud Correetions-Con-
missoners Isaac Bell James Bowen James .B. EchOl-
son, owen W. Brennan, AM Alexander Frear
Department Of fDocks-COmmissioners John T. Agnew,
Richard M. Henry, Wilson G. Hunt, VIM. Wood, and
j. G. Kane.
Department Of Commissioner, John II. VIII
liams, David B. Freeman, and Marin Nachtmann.
In addition those enumerated there are the Depart
OF Public Works, at tie head Of when ID Geo. NJ
Va Mort, Republican; the Department Of Finance.
headed by the Controller, Andrew II. Green, Demo
crat the Department Of Buildings, James IL MacSregor
superintendent. All these officials appointed for five
years. The majority OF the Commissioners IN each de
partment, with the exception OF the Police, are Demo
Gratis and the OF the Police Board, when on occ
sons Of extraordinary Importance, the Mayor attends
the Republican Commissioners are OutyOted.
Iis in consequence OF this condition Of things thae
the assertion has been made all through the campaign
and is repeated with eTsiter force hat tic Kepub
licans as a result Of tie success which they have
achieved, will either oyertUyn all these Commissions
or entirely reconstruct them This can be done only ~
Legislative enactment and 1t Is asserted that already
bargains have been made with this end in view
When the Reform movement swept over this city one
wear ago, Il was fully expected that the Legislature,
within a time after IL convened would pass suen
charter would entirely reconstruct the nunlelpaf
government OF this city. The members OF the Reform
Legislature embraced many diverse elements that tho
they could agree upon a new charter. and this was
vetoed by Gov Hoffman, who based his objections 10 IL
mainly upon the sections relating TO cumulative voting
A charter subsequently passed shared the same fate
The majority in the next Legislature will be made up
entirely Of Administration Republicans, and conse-
queny will be amenable 10 party discipline than
the majority last year. and there will be the additional
party advantage Of a Republican Governor. Any Dill ot
poticanature that passes both Houses Of the Logisa
ture by a fair majority, 1t Is sale 10 assume, will oe
signed by Gov. Dix. II the Grant Republican leaders
conclude that it will be necessary for them 10 obtain
control of the Commissions the purpose Of fostering
and building the party in this city, tho Legislature
can probably he depended upon do their bidding lt
f. openly asserted, moreover, that this will be done
The advocates Of this policy say that In adopting this
course the party in power would ony be following tho
example set by the Democrats whenever they have
gained the ascendency and that in any event. change
40 the Departments would be beneficial. That change
has been determined upon there TO be no doubt
whether it Will be accomplished by the passage Of new
charter by legislative enctments remains to be seen