New-York tribune., 1872-12-11
PRICE FOUR CENTS
WHAT NEW-YORK NEEDS.
A LECTURE BY DORMAN b. EATON ON NUM-
CIPAL EVILS AND REMEDIES.

CRowNING OPPORTUNITY OF RRPUBLIcAN
LEGISLATURE.
In response to an invitation signed by
eminent residents lecture upon The Tre Principles
and Methods aof Municipal Government was TO have
been delivered at Association Hail. last evening, by
Dorman B. Eaton. The unfortunate illness of hr'
Eaton disappointed the audience; but the unusual inter
est OF the discussion warrants us in presenting from MS
manuscript embodyng its substantial points
In the inroduction which Is not appended, tue lee
turer shows that New-York never has had cnar'er
adapted to its needs every charter or Amendment nav
ing been dictated by partSan mercenary inunences
The essential idea OF the lecture this the charter now
needed by New York.
WHERE CONSTRUCTIVE reform MUST BEGN
That | may be distinctly understood, let me
at this point, make two explanations; one IN re-
gard 10 principles and In regard to topics Abn,
frst do question the utility OF parties within the
legitimate sphere and to that extent have scted and
expect to act with great party which respect When
President or Governor is TO be elected, and command
ing principles involved the people naturally group
themselves into great parties and they must actlh
great masses, TO effect. When. In legislative as
semby. political principles are involved in pending
measures OF abstract duty "a we may, members
WILL to some extent act together with something OF the
spirit and aims Of parans. But surely the less 80 the
better In matters Of the election Of legislators hoh
it to be paramount duty 10 the fullest e1-
preston of every variety OF opinions and interests
the peOpiet anu Ience, ILOt inc mcIc ItphN-
sentaon Of parties and partisan caucuses IN large
cities and which our present methods OF municipal rep
resenation encourages, Is at unjust and pencou
and has the OF small share Of our abuses
Under it legislative debate at Albany has deeayed nearly
unto DEATH and city members have deGenerated fron
the splendid abilities Of Hamilton and Clinton, Hoa-
man. Jones' and Vepanck down 10 the perVadin2 me-
! diocrty and Incommensurabe vugarity and &
nOranee OF times. For all purposes of honest
and wise legislation, and before we can send cur
worthiest TO the state Assembly, this city.
| smaller territorally than the half OF the mar
rowest town, and with distinct interests save rs
unit represented must be treated as one district for
Representations and have It's houses and stores
anu manufactures parceed off into little squares paral-
kilograms and tangles for rearing pestiferous nests OF
little pothouse politicians; for selecting mean little
members represent the mercenary little caucuses set
up in the local districts There Is no analogy what
ever between country Assembly district, which err
braces an organized several towns, with terri
toral interests and local productions ana duies ahd
| a city district made up Of a certain number OF
brick and sandstone buildings along the same avenue,
| OF most OF which the owners have their business
or their homes elsewhere Here Is where thorough city
reform begin. We must have the whole city not
treated as one Assembly District, with right to send
the number OF members due its population; but We
must have a method OF election which Will not merely
secure representation of the party majority but one
that will give representation OF tho peoples oi their
OPINIONS tnelf interests i"'HS
duty, which municipal partisanship and its methods
have so long misrepresented Aud this brings me 10 an
| explanatory sentence about topics. shall say nothing
more about City Senators and Assemblymen, and mainly
because speak for practical purpose, and the Const-
is in the way of present action Nothing, Tor the
reason about bad methods for the selection or
Sheris Disrict-Attorneys, COuntyClerks, Coroners,
Civil and Criminal Justices, except that so long as those
Offices the gift OF the city party caucuses-untit
they are under the supervision of higher Officers,
| from whom they should receive their appointment
New-York will remain, In exceptional times ike
these the very paradise OF murderers, assaSas, and
miscellaneous scoundres nothing about the needless
and costly keeping OF two of accounts for CITY and
County affairs with all their Implications. deccptons,
| and bewdermens; nothing about the abuses IN hos
pals street openings railroad extensions Corporation
advertising and tax leyes nothing about City AtioT-
neys piferngs jury duty paralltes streets drtier and
roucher than any European Continent, outside
Naples Greece Russia; nothing about detailed
measures OF mere economy and smplheation. All FOR
the reason that they will follow the larger reforms and
my ia wholly needed for the consideration Of those
more GENITAL and controlling matters, that reaching be
yond evils which the loss ofmoney and the suffering
Of public inconvenience the measure, really tx the
conditions aud determine the possibility OF long main
tanning at all either the public morality or the puble
| peace in this vast City
| THE EVILS OF NEGLECT EMBODIED ~ OUR LAW.
The great political questions this country those
Of better administrative methods Having neglected
all study Of the principles involved in City government
and Of the methods by which alone its purity aud eff
| cheney can be preserved. have gone year after
year surrendeTng and more of the sauary powers
OF the State TO villages and cities; adding charter to
| charter, pilng amendment upon amendment, without
system order, harmony, until municipal legisla
ton has the most ncOngruous aud the most dis
graceful accunula ton OF legislative folly and imb ciity
which all the libraries OF the world contain Wishing 10
test the truth OF my observations and opinions as to
the amount and rapid growth Of such municipal legsla
ton counted the laws relative TO the charters OF
cities and villages and to the duties OF their officers en-
acted In each OF the following years s4Os5o lo9 nnd
1870 and with the following results: In Is40 ty such
laws were enacted being onecighth Of the whole num-
Der Of laws OF that year in 1850. sevenyOne such laws
being more than one-sxtb of tine whole In lSC0, ono
hundred and twelve such laws, being more than one
fifth Of the whole in 1870, two hundred aud thirteen
such laws being than one-fourh of the whole; and
those latter laws nl far than oneourih Of the
2eo pages OF the loose and careless of that
memorable year OF legislative aud municipal ia!amy-
We know pretty well, here, how honest men
| have been cheated, aud how politicians have
| prospered and multiplied, by reason OF exees-
sye and partisan legislation for this cy but yon on
better imagine what may have been the case over IN
| Brooklyn when tell you that thlry-nine suen laws
were enacted that city at the single session OF lso
Think OF the bargainngs and brocrages the confusion
litigation knayery connected with the pendeney OF
thirtynne such laws for the city ~ the same me
TO say nothing OF many moro than thirtyne other bills
log-roed out OF the legislative chamber II thhiyaine
separate laws not mp0sed on the people Of this
! cifv, Il was Only beeGust cunning and cOnlpnc-
hensiye language swept INFO the rasp of few
city officials all the great powers OF municipal
self government and LETT the citizens WITHOUT tho
nblliy OF guarding their treasury, limiting turir taxes
or protectiug their fortunes venture 20 affirm that
such excessive tyrannical, aud unprinciped esatian
a free people known elsewhere IN the