The New York herald., 1873-12-28
for the Coming Year-Rapid transit
and Other Reforms.

| ana Othcr heIOrhs.
There will be some change in our city and
county government with the incoming OF the
new year; not so great change as the people
would desire to see, but one which so far as it
goes, let us hope, will be productive OF reform
The Sheriff Office will pass into the hands OF
Mr.. William @. Conner, the Sheriff elect;
there will be new County Clerk and three
new Coroners; Abraham Il. Lawrence and
Charles Donohue will take their places on the
bench of the Supreme Court; Claudius l..
Mcneil and Gilbert M. Speir will go into the
| Superior Court, and the Marine Court will be
improved by the accession of David McAdam
and Henry Alker. There is no reason to
question the capacity or character Of any OF
the new Judges. The most important office
to undergo reconstruction on January l Is
that OF the Sheriff, and as many fragrant
abuses exist therein it will offer
| fertile field for reform, which Sheriff
Conner will Go well to cultivate. In the
first place the fees at present attached to the
Office are larger than any public official should
receive. We hear to-day of Sheriff Brennan's $
application for mandamus to compel the
auditing of his bill for over fifty thousand dol
lars fees against the county for nine months of
1872 and this amount is only an item in his
gross receipts. There have been several at
tempts to abolish this abuse and to substitute
a liberal salary for the Sheriff in lieu of fees,
but they have always been defeated, to the in
jury of the people and to the benefit of the
legislative committees having the measures in
charge. Now, Sheriff Conner, representing
reformed Tammany, cannot do more valuable
service to himself and his party than by in
itating his term of Office with refusal to ac-
cept fees and an application to the State
Legislature for an immediate law fixing fair
salary for his services. Such action on his
part would be accepted by the COM
munity as more practical reform
than any ever accomplished by the
useful days, and would at once give regene-
rated Tammany the lead as the real municipal
reformer, especially in view of the sad failure
of the old reform organizations to construct
an efficient local government. The new Sheriff
may also work another reformation which will
be recognized and applauded by the people, if
he will treat all criminals the law contem-
plates that criminals shall be treated, what
ever may be their social or pecuniary standing.
When persons accused of crime and not ad-
mitted to bail or persons convicted of crime
are in his custody he should make up his mind
to keep them under lock and key and not
under the charge OF deputies to roam about
tba oifv af air will af,p 70 obaa{
justice by an escape. Sheriff Conner promises
fairly and declares it to be his intention to
purify the important Office into which he is
about to enter. We have some confidence in
the honesty of his Intentions but we should feel
more confidence in his ability to carry them out
if it were not for the manner in which the
appointment of his deputies has been made.
In accordance with the dictates of tie Tam
many organization, the Sheriff elect has left
he selection Of these important officers to
he Tammany Hall Assembly district COM
nittees, appointing only such deputies as the
, committees recommend. This is sacrificing
thu interests of the city to the interests of
party. 1t is studying the wishes of Tammany
Hal instead of seeking to make appointments
such as the people can approve. Sheriff is
elected, we may fairly presume, because the
citizens who vote for him feel satisfied that he
will appoint good men under him and other
wise conscientiously discharge the duties OF
his office. He scarcely acts Justly to his con-
stituents when he transfers the selection OF
his subordinates to committees composed
mainly Of rumsellers rowdies and such other
elements as compose the leadership of ward
politics. Still we are willing to trust Sheriff
Conner and to hope that he will look
sharply after the official conduct of his
deputies, no matter by what influence they
may secure their positions.
As the city government proper undergoes
no important change this year we must look
to legislation at Albany for any reforms we
may desire to effect in our local affairs. That
reforms are needed no person will deny. The
corruptions of the old Ring rule and the leea-
cies they left behind have held us for the past
two years in a vice, and all progress in our
works OF public improvement has been
checked. Dishonesty in the municipal gov
ernment has been succeeded by dscord and
incompetency. Under the old regime the
treasury was broken open and robbed; under
the new regime a miserably inefficient fnan-
cial management has broken down the city
credit, emptied the treasury and effectually
blocked our advance. There is a lack of har-
mony in the public departments which is as
injurious as 1t is scandalous. There is neces-
sary work to be done on our streets and
avenues, but it is prevented because of the
feud between the Finance Department and the
Department of Public Works. Ordinances
and resolutions are passed by the Common
Council in accordance with the requirements
of the charter ordering repairs and improve
ments in different localities, but they are
pigeon-holed by the Mayor because be and the