The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-02-14

days of the Ring but the Police Commits
sioners must know that their neglect OF duty,
while squandering the money placed in their
hands, will not be tolerated after the people
have discovered that they are abusing their
power. What answer can they make to the
figures Of our correspondent It is case
where an answer cannot be evaded, for
silence will be construed into guilt.
The Now York Charter-The Minority
Report.
The New York charter was reported in tho
Assembly yesterday. accompanied by
minority report, signed by Messrs. Opdyke
and Blumenthal, dissenting from its provi-
sions. Mr.. Blumenthal is member of the
Committee of Seventy, and was one of the
lobby agents of the committee last session
charged with the duty of securing the passage
of the famous cumulative voting charter. His
association with Mayor Havemeyer and the
ambitious members of the Committee of
Seventy would, of course, ensure his opposi-
ton to any proposition that does not give the
Mayor the uncontrolled power over the
appointments. Mr.. Opdyke, the son of the
ex-Mayor, is independent, although repub-
ican, and honestly expresses his own senti-
ments without regard to party obligations.
His opposition to the majority charter has the
merit of disinterestedness and honesty, and
his opinions, while they may be liable to
criticism, are deserving of consideration.
The charter, as reported, provides that the
Mayor shall nominate the heads Of the various
city departments to the Board of Aldermen
for the confirmation of that body This is
upon the principle prevailing in the
national and State governments; but
the charter goes further, and provides
that, in the event of the failure of a confrma-
ton after certain period, the Mayor and
Aldermen shall meet in joint convention and
elect the heads of departments by majority
vote. To the whole of this system Mr..
Opdyke objects, believing that the appointing
power should be concentrated in one indi-
vidual and hampered with but very few re-
strictions. In this way, he argues, single
officer con be held to rigid accountability by
the people, and the frequency of our elections
affords ample opportunities for such prompt
reward or such prompt rebuke of this officer
as he may merit. There is, no doubt, much
force in this argument: it sounds we'll in
theory. But when we examine the practical
effect Of the one man power, as applied to the
New York city government, we shall find it
open to grave if not fatal objections. Mr..
Opdykes plan proposes in reality to place in
the control of single individual the expendi-
ture of thirty-fve million dollars annually
and the enormous patronage and influence of
all the departments of the city. The Mayor
would hold in his hands the police
force, the iremen, the employees and
laborers on the streets and parks,
the contractors, the army of persons
connected with the various city bureaus and
offices, the legal advisers who interpret laws
and conduct all the city suits, and the financial
officers who audit all accounts against the
Treasury and who pay out the public moneys.
Mr. Opdyke tells us that if the autocratic
executive does not exercise this enormous
power in an honest manner the people can
administer to him such rebuke as he would
merit. But it is notorious that in New York
there are tens of thousands of vot ers who care
less about good government than about their
own interests. Mr. Opdyke would not desire
that the power he now advocates for Mayor
Havemeyer should be placed in the hands of
Tammany or Apollo Hall democratic politi-
clan, yet the democracy, if united last Novem-
Der, would have elected their candidate over
Mr.. Havemeyer by nearly thirty thousand
majority. 1t is to be feared that the more
honestly and economically the city govern
ment might be administered by a Mayor
clothed with these powers the more danger
there would be Of combination against him
too strong to be overcome. If perfectly
honest himself he would not appoint
men to Office who would use their
positions for political purposes, nor would he
sanction such course hence the influence
of the city patronage would be nullifed in the
election and the scheming politicians would
have all the better chance of success. Should
they once succeed in electing one of their own
tools to the Mayoralty he would use the enor-
nous power he would possess to prevent any
return to good government, and the city might |
be given over hopelessly for years into the |
hands of corrupt men. With the Police the
Fire Department, the Public Works, the Pub
lie Parks, the Health Department, Charities
and Correction, Street Cleaning, Docks, the
Law Department, the Finance Department
and the vast interests of city contractors all
in the possession of corruptionists, who would
combine together in a league of plumber, it
would be almost impossible to defeat the
Mayor upon whom they would combine This
is the danger of Mr. Opdykes proposed plan.
The city patronage is now too vast to be
welded in the manner he proposes. 1t is
increasing rapidly year after year. With
such population as we now have and with
universal suffrage we should find the worst