New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-06-05
CONSTITUTIONAL REFORM.
VIEWS OF MR.. CHARLES NoRDHoFF.
SUGGESTIONS FOR TIKI GOVERNMENT or STATES
AND CITIES.

are having Constitutional Convention IN OnlO'
should like to talk over State Constitutions with
you; but as we are too far apart, mean to fire a
long shot at you from this distance, have some
beliefs about the relation between faulty Constitu
lions and the corruption and ineficency of so many
of our State and City Governments which make me
regard with interest all attempts to amend these
Orgsnc acts Very likely you will not agree with
me; but at any rate submit the following points
for your consideration:
Ryst: IL is radical fault of nearly all State
Constitutions that, under pretext of giving the
people greater power, they obge them TO elect
very great number of officers. About the year 1910
some demagogue invented this plan, and called II
democratic; and persuaded many good men that 1t
was really putting power into the hands Of the
people to make them choose directly and at the polls
all their officers The result is that they must elect
not only Governor but every member OF the Gov
ernors Cabinet; not only Mayor. but all the sub
ordinate city officers; and as thepeepe cannot know
ANYTHING certain about such a multitude OF men,
most of them necessarily obscure the caucus at once
became a power. and the people were put into the
hands of the lowest and most selfish political WIRE
pullers
But this faulty plan has done more: it has made
the governments so constituted inefficient and cor
Iupt because it took away from the chief executive
the authority and responsibility without which he
must be a mere fgure-head. II the Governor selects
and appoints his subordinates, he is responsible to
the people and is held responsible by public opinion
for the conduct of every part of the State admins
tration; but if the sO-cailed Estate officers" are
elected they are independent of him ; he does not
control them and each department has an indie
pendent head, often Of different politics from the
nominal chief. Under such circumstances the Chief
Executive of the State becomes a mere wooden
fgurehead if he has ideas about the welfare of the
aWpNr
them out and the result has been. where this sys-
TEN prevailed that the ablest men have sought other
fields for the exercise Of their powers and it IS
thought no very great honor TO be Governor of
State because the place gives scope for the exer-
else Of great ability.
would like TO see your new CONSTITUTIONAL ou
are to have one-Ordain that the Governor shall be
the head Of the Government and shall appoint with
the consent of the State Senate if you like though
would rather omit that all the State Officers, or
Heads of Departments. He would then have Cab
net with which he could work. He should have
the power also Of summarily removing them.
Second: The Governor ought also toappOint land at
his own discretion removed the Sherfs The Sheriff
is the lieutenant Of the Governor in the county. 1t
is his duty 70 maintain the peace in case OF not or
disturbance, the Governor communicates with him.
instructs him, and co0peTates with him He is by
the nature of almost all his duties State officer;
10 be efficient he ought to be Independent of local or
county influences; and NE ought also, for the same
reason to be in harmony with the Governor,
Therefore the Governor ought to appoint and re-
move him.
Third: / hope all decent people are by this
time satisfied that the Elective Judiciary" is
failure and that Judges OuCht to be appointed for
life and with sufficient salaries for the State Jul
dietary to tempt sound lawyers to look for such
places. And this leads me to say that liberal sala-
Ties for prominent officers of the State as Governor
the higher Judges, and the State officers, will,
believe prove economical in the long run. Poor
paw pOOrpreach"
Fourth A State Constitution ought 10 provide
one general system for the government Of cities, as
it does for that of counties The article of the Con-
stitutiOn relating to the government of cities shOuld
Il befevel provide among other things, that the
people should elect Mayor once in two years. That
the Mayor should appoint land at bis own will removed
the Heads of the Executive Departments which
ought to be specified IN the Constitution; that the
people Of the city should elect annually also COun-
Gil OF Legislature (of houses you please
who shalllegslate for the city make municipal laws,
and appropriations; aud further this part of the
Constitution should contain certain guards pro-
hibitions-as for instance, the City Council should
be forbidden by the State Constitution, to give
away without proper TecOmpense TO private corpO-
Iations any property of the citizens-as ito allow
CITY OF horse railroad company TO the streets
without paying for the privilege; and the same with
gas companies. i should say that the revenue prop
erly derivable from steam, hOrse-railroad and gas
companies ought to suffice in any city, TO keep the
streets clean all the year round. Experience has
shown in New-York the great importance of separ-
ating ,city from county government, and it should
be provided that all cities shall be excluded from
limits of the counties within which they lie.
Fifth: All special legislation of every kind should
be vigorously prohibited, by being declared uncOn-
stitutionaL Special legislation means special priv
ieges granted to a few and denied to the many.
Railroads banks, canals manufacturing industries
ali that citizens can rightly dO-can be created and
managed under general laws, giving equal rights
and privileges to all the people; and he who asks
for more asks for what he has right to, and on
the face of his demand seeks for benefit to himself
at the cost of hls fellow-citizens.
Sizth: should like to see State Constitution
an article comforting upon townships and upon
wards in cities the power, by vote Of majority of
the householders OF heads Of families to- first forbid
the licensing Of the sale of spirtuous intoxicating
liquors at retail within the township ward limits;
aud second to make attendance in the pub
lie schools of the ward OF township cOmpul-
sory for all children within their limits,
within certain ages. Such an article would
cause general discussion Of these two important
questions, and would, believe, produce benef-
cent results. Also should like to see clause in
the Constitution of State, empowering the people
of any county or city to decree by majority vote,
that the cOnvlcts and abebodied paupers should be
employed upon public wOTks-such as road-making,
street-cleaniDg &c.
Seventh Finally, would admit nothing into the