New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1872-11-29
aIbERuiNJC RIDGES.

ALDERMANIC BADGES.
II WAS once the custom for the Burgess or
Ealderman to be adorned with golden chain,
which. dangling over his Obtruslye mdrlH
bore twinkling attestatiOn of his office, and
was viewed with alarm by the frequent va
grant and the casual small boy. 1t seems not
unreasonable that the municipal magistrate
sbould be distinguished from the unofficial
citizen by some visible token. 1t was found
useful in old times, and there would seem TO
be no reason why such generous ana honora-
be ornamentation should not still prevail
There are present reasons why cOtemporane-
ous Aldermen should be designated by badges
setting forth their rank which did not exist
in the case of their predecessors. In old time an
Alderman looked like an Alderman, and could
he mistaken for none other. The Burgess was
a manifest and incOntTovertible Burgess, as
marked and notable in his outward traits as
the slanting giraffe or the mountainous camel
He needed no chain or pendant medallion, no
mural cap or fur-encircled robe, to attest his
dienities. They were written upon his dew
lapped yisage, expressed in his generous abb
dominal curves, and triply confirmed by his
uniform and consistent aspect OF having over
eaten himself. But the present Alderman does
not always bear assurance in his port anu
presence that he is clothed with the honors
and crammed with the brides of magistIacy.
1t is true that, like his ancient prototype, he
sometimes looks something like fool but ne
often bears complicated and diverse aspect
of folly not easy to interpret or classify lou
might perchance mistake one for hosuer,
another for rather an evil type of butcher,
another for o pugilst another for tapster,
and possibly the resemblance might in each
case be founded upon the fact of these several
vocatioDs, for of such materials is the modern
lawgiver frequently made. Without some
outward token or emblem signifying their
official place they would run risk of occa-
sonally being mistaken for brawlers, haunters
of bagnos, gamblers, rufians, and sots.
The device, therefore, of providing at the
public expense each Alderman with golden
badge, setting forth his name and rank, was
liberal and salutaTy one, and we are somewhat
shocked at the unwillingness of Controller
Green to pay for an invoice Of these legisla-
tive trinkets. If he had paused moment and
reflected how mean is the aspect of the GUS
tomary Alderman, and how much he stands in
need of extraneous adornment we think he
would have discharged the jewelers. bill, even
if he had had to rob the till like his predeces-
sor or to pay it out of his own pocket The
Alderman would indeed be very tame and
spiritless object if he were despoiled of that
anonymous spotch of gold and Dutch metal
that personal door-plate, so to speak-and no.
body would respect him. He would be like
the beadle without his staff, the Waterman
l.: ,I,o haa wit hon
halberd-an object of popular derision and
gibes. Whereas, emblazoned with that shining
buckler, he is really quite knightly object,
though he is apt at distance to be mistaken
for cabman or q licensed porter. These
illusions of course disappear when, on a nearer
inspection, the observer contemplates the
manly swagger, the dyed mustache, the
cluster of diamonds, and the huge and brazen
badge which betOken the City Father of this
and preceding years of grace. He is in all
particulars a striking and interesting object,
and the public ought not to object to paying
for part at least of his jewelry. He shows
so much taste and discretion in selling the
thing at heavy discount as soon as his official
term ceases-as if conscious that the retention
of any memorial of such public service would
DTlDR upOu MS pUo-
terity-that he is really almost entitled to adj
miratiOn.
We hope Mr.. Green will reconsider his action
and pay the bill. If there is no appropriation
therefor, the money might be taken from the
fund for the relief of aged and INDECENT wo-
men, or some useless and fantastical endow-
ment of the SORT What are o few old women
more or lessf But stripping our Aldermen of
their gilded and embroidered adornments
would be like plucking the jewels from our
civic crown. An Alderman without his badge
is very much like dog without his collar-a
cur against whom there are serious presump
tons strengthened and confirmed by his usu-
ally vagrant and evil aspect Unless the Con-
troller listens to reason and revokes his decis
ion on this subject, it will be worth while to
consider whether a collection for the purpose
ought not to be taken up in the various