The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-05-22
Mayor Havemcycr and His Appeint-

Mayor Havemeycr and His Appellate
monts.
Mayor Havemeyer, after contest which at
one time promised to be of doubtful result
has at last achieved success over every medi-
tated combination, and he is to-day more COM
pletely Mayor of New York than were any of
his predecessors. He has power of appoint
ment long denied to the chief executive officer
of the metropolis. together with Board OF
Aldermen as subservient to his wishes as is
the United States Senate to the will of Presi-
dent Grant He has been able to fill the
different commissions in his own way. All
his nominations have been or will be con-
frmed, and to-day the city government is
constituted exactly as he chose to constitute
it. Feeling himself but slightly constrained
by political considerations he has chosen men
for Office because of their assumed fitness and
integrity, and at the outset, at least, he is
sustained by the honest and earnest
men of all parties. But his admins
tration can only be said to have
begun, and everybody is looking to the
future as the test of its success for Mayor
Havemeyer must expect to be tried by rule
more severe than was applied to any of his
predecessors This is right, since it is only
the application Of the old Bible rule-the more
man has the more will be required of him.
Having everything his own way in the
beginning the Mayor must show in the end
not only that his administration was honest
and economical, but that it was wise in all
things and in all things thoroughly in SYM
pathy with the needs OF this great and growing
city.
We draw no differences from Mayor Have
meyers appointments, but still we would
warn the Mayor and the Commissions chosen
by him that his second term cannot safely
begin where his previous administration ended.
The New York of to-day is not the New York
of 1916 or of 1850 When Mr.. Havemeyer was
Mayor before there was little difficulty In
carrying on the city government with four mil
lion dollars per annum We had no Central
Park at that time. The police force was
comparatively small one The charitable
institutions were fewer and of much less i'm
portance The streets had not yet begun to
ramify the whole island, and boulevards were
as yet unnecessary. The Mayoralty was to
great extent personal Office Since that time
the metropolis has grown in extent, in wealth
and in greatness. improvements in the Park
are as necessary now as is the Park itself.
The construction Of new streets and boule-
wards in the upper part Of the island must be
pursued with no niggard policy. Sweet charity
must not be forgotten by the government of
great city. In all respects the Mayor and the
Commissioners appointed by him must exer-
else their functions with wisdom and liber-
atty as well as economy. New York asks no
parsimony in its rulers and will have no hide
bound policy. Progress and improvement are
the watchwords of both parties, and if Mr..
Havemeyer would round his reputation as an
active as well as an honest administrator of
the affairs of the metropolis he will see to it
that all necessary public works are pushed
forward with vigor and economy.
But economy does not always consist in the
temporary saving of money. If the new Court
House had been built in two years instead of
in ten it would not have cost anything like the
enormous sums expended upon it. Every
stoppage in the prosecution of public work
is a waste of money Most of the improve
ments contemplated in different parts of the
island must be finished at no very distant day,
and delay in completing is only pretence of
economy. The unfinished conservatory in
the Park is case in point When the work
is carried forward hereafter it will be found
that the money already expended was ex-
pended in vain because of unnecessary delay.
Mayor Havemeyer must remember that he will
be held responsible for losses Of this kind, and
not only for such losses, but for any back
wardness in promoting the development and
growth of the metropolis. If he would be a
successful Mayor he must be live Mayor,
fully awake to the spirit Of the time. He has
everything that he wanted, and having every
thing his own way he cannot fail in the re-
quirements Of his position and then shield
himself by saying that he was crippled by cir
cumstances over which he had no control. We
shall expect from him good and great work.