The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-03-02

Party Measure.
The New York City Charter, after having
passed the Assembly is now in the hands
the same farce witnessed in the lower House
will be re-enacted in the upper. We hear
of this Senator being DESTROYS of one amend
ment and that Senator being importunate for
another amendment but they all apparently
tend to the same end, the promotion OF some
individual object or interest. Those exploded
patriots, the Committee of Seventy, are to be
heard this week before the Senate Committee;
but as their selfish views are already known,
and as they have already exhausted all their
arguments before the Assembly Committee
without accomplishing any good, it is difficult
to understand why the improbable show is
to be again enacted. When the bill comes up
for discussion we shall find fair sprinkling
of reformers eager to place themselves on the
record as being boldly Independent of all
ring" influences and earnestly DESTROYS of
securing q good law for the metropolis
to live under, but in the end they will
all be convinced by the reasoning of the ma
jority, or will satisfy themselves by securing
immaterial alterations in one or two sections,
and then the charter will 60 to the Governor
for his signature. AS Governor Dix has
already recognized the large majority cast for
the republican party in the State last Novem-
Der as proof that the people expect and de-
sire decisive policy, it is not at all probable
that he will place his individual opinions or
wishes in opposition to the large republican
representation in the Legislature, and we may
fairly anticipate that the charter, as it passes
the two houses, will receive his assent unless
he should discover in it some unconstitutional
provision. Hence we arrive at the conclusion
that the wonderful stories of rebellion in the
republican ranks at Albany and of discussions
between the Executive and the Legislature
are all the creations of imaginative minds, and
that we are already possessed of the main
features of the charter under which New York
is to be governed at least for the next two
years.
| It is still, however, possible that mature
consideration may suggest some minor points
minor, ut least, in the estimation Of the poll
ticians-in which the bill as it passed the AS
sembly may be improved in the Senate, and
to these the latter body should mainly direct
its attention. The question of the appointing
power may be regarded as finally settled and
it is of little consequence to the people of
New York how the municipal Offices may be
filed, SO long as they are placed in the hands
of faithful and capable men. It is certain
that by whatever path the result may be
reached, the republican Board of Aldermen,
and not the democratic Mayor, will be en-
trusted with the distribution of the municipal
spoils The present proposition is that the
Aldermen shall appoint and the Mayor con-
firm the heads of departments originally,
and that in case of non-conirmation the
Board of Aldermen in connection with the
Mayor shall elect by majority vote. Some
of the republican Senators are said to prefer
that the Mayor shall appoint and the Alder
men confirm, with the same provision for on
election in case Of management. Others
are reported to favor the simple plan adopted
in the national and State administrations of o
nomination by the Mayor subject to the con-
frmation Of the Board of Aldermen, but
without any provision for filing the
Offices in case of the rejection of
the Mayors nominees, trusting to public
opinion to force a proper appointment from
the Executive or the confirmation of q good
nomination by the Aldermen. No Senator,
probably, with the exception of Mr.. Tiemann,
is supposed to be really in favor of leaving
the sole power Of appointment in the hands
of the Mayor, although the democratic men,
bers of the body will doubtless favor such a
proposition for party purposes. Taking it
| for granted that in the Board of Aldermen is
to eventually vest the distribution of the
municipal Offices, we regard the proposition
| to give the Aldermen the original appoint
ment as the preferable one for the following
reasons:-H the Mayor should have the
nominating and the Aldermen the confirming
power, with the subsequent right of election,
| then, in case of the confirmation of the
Mayors nominees, the people would be ig-
norant what selections the Aldermen would
make until after the offices were filed. The
names of the persons to be elected by the
| majority of the Board would not be before
| the people for consideration and discussion
On the other hand, if the original appointing
power be given to the Aldermen, the majority
that would appoint would also elect in case Of a
non-confrmation by the Mayor, and the
people would thus have ample time to express
their opinion of the character of the proposed
officials. It was on this consideration that
the HERALD originally suggested the latter
provision, and the Legislature acted wisely in
adopting our suggestion.
But, as we have said, the distribution of
the spoils and who may win and who may
lose in the scramble are matters of little con-
Germ to the people, however important they
may seem to the politicians, and the Senate