The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-02-16

Young IOr lC6 repoal. IL ii nluLeu III AIUauy
by the Erie lobby that no member of the last
Senate dare vote for Senator O'Brien's bill.
The course of Senator Bowen will therefore be
watched with peculiar interest
Grand Political scheme-The Plans of
tho Omce-Seekers.
It was scarcely to be expected that the recent
political revolution would pass into history
without an effort being made by partisans to
use it as q means of advancing their own in
terests The party organs have heretofore
acknowledged the fact that the victory of last
November was won by the citizens, without
regard to political divisions; that in this city,
at least, it was secured by the strength of the
reform democracy, led by Senator O'Brien,
and that its fruits belong to the people and
not to the politicians. But the State Legisla-
ture has an overwhelming republican majority,
and there are indications that strong effort
is to be made to induce it to use its power to
subserve partisan ends in legislating for the
future government Of the city of New York.
The bill to create commercial district, COM
prising the counties of New York, Kings,
Queens, Westchester and Richmond recently
introduced into the Assembly by Mr.. Twom-
bly,, is simply magnificent scheme of party
plumber It seeks to place in the hands of
commission of nine members the control and
patronage of Quarantine, Health Officer,
Captain of the Port, Harbor Masters, Port
Wardens, water police, the building, repair and
management Of docks, the regulation and
collection of wharfage, and, in fact, of
everything connected directly or indi-
rectly with the commerce of the port. By the
terms of the bill the Commissioners would be
elected by the Legislature in the same manner
as are Regents of the University; the Presi-
dent would hold Office for ten years, and his
eight associates would be classified in terms of
two, four, six and eight years, two to retire
every second year. majority of the board
chosen by the present Legislature would thus
hold control of this vast patronage for the
next six years, unless the law should be
sooner repealed.
| This magnificent scheme to seize upon the
| richest portion of the city spoils originates
| with the, lobby, and is urged upon members as
| a purely party measure. ave have got the
power" is the plain, blunt argument of the old
( lobbyists who have it in hand, "and we shall
I be foolish if we do not use it to take care of
our political friends and our political interests
No attempt is made to advance the prospects
Of the bill by any vindication of its provisions.
It is not pretended that it is demanded
by or would promote the public inter-
est It is boldly advocated and justi-
fed as party measure, to insure to
one set Of politicians, who are numerically
powerless in the city, liberal share of the
public plumber while their friends have the
power to bestow it upon them. Now, it is of
very little consequence whether the Quaran-
tine Commissioners the Health Officer, the
Port wardens, Harbor Masters and the rest
are members Of one political party or the
other, so long as they are honest and capable
men. If tie legislative majority will give us
sound laws and good officers to execute them
the people of New York will not care what
political interests will be advanced by the
former or to which political party the latter
may belong. But this scheme of an old rail-
road lobby is repetition en- an enlarged
| scale of the metropolitan commission system,
which was instrumental in throwing the city
government into confusion, breaking down
direct responsibility and laying the ground
| work for the corruption of our whole NUM-
cipal body. 1t is partisan attempt to de-
prive the citizens of the metropolis of the
fruits of a victory won by their own efforts,
and bestow them upon q clique of political
offce-seekers. 1t is bold, undisguised be-
trayal of the cause of reform. The members
of the Senate and Assembly sent to Albany
from this city were, with few Insignificant
exceptions, elected upon the implied, if
not directly expressed, pledge to give New
York sound, practical, effective municipal
charter without regard to the interests or the
desires of politicians of either organization.
In lending himself to this lobby effort to ignore
the interests of the city and divide an enormous
amount of plumber among political adven-
turers Mr.. Twombly has betrayed the constitu-
ents who gave him seat in the Assembly and
| the reformers who advocated his election.
The sooner he frees himself from the odium
that must attach to such influences the better
The present bill, and all such schemes, should
be thrown back in the faces of the lobbyists
who hang upon the skirts Of the Legislature,
taintng the reputation even of honest men
who are weak enough to extend to them the
slightest recognition. It is to be regretted
that there does not seem to be intelligence
enough in the State Legislature to frame
sound, practical charter for the metropolis, with
out relying upon the impracticable contrivances
Of enthusiastic theorists or the dangerous pro-
jects of expert partisaus but at least there
should be sufficient honesty among the MEM