New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-02-24
THE REFORN FIGHT RENEWED.

The principle pursued in framing the I'M
pending Charter,-if, indeed we may speak OF
principle where only partisan interest has been
considered,-appears to have been to manu-
facture a Superintendent of Police with abso-
Lutte and arbitrary powers, and then build up
around him as the central figure staff Of
subservient officials to carry on the partisan
government Under the now Ring,-Or rather
the old Ring in It's new fOTm,-the Boss" is
to be Of the Police Department, not the De-
partment of Public Works; and power is to
be kept by force and surveillance rather than
by patronage as formerly. A lesson is to be
drawn from Mr.. Tweed's brief but harsh expe-
rience and the stealing is to be done with
discretion the main effort seems now to be
directed toward the consolidation of power to
carry future elections. The Charter is clearly
framed for the purpose of maintaining by
force, if not by fraud, the temporary power
which the Custom house has gained by false
pretenseS, but which its managers are sagacIOus
enough to know they cannot hope honestly to
hold long against the combined opposition of
the local Reform organizations OF every kind,
the Liberal Republicans, and Rescued Tam
many not to speak of the wider and heavier
opposition which their dctatorial course now
and their discreditable corruption at an early
date must raise up against them throughout
the State. Nothing is truer than that power
got by wrong must be by wrong maintained;
and as certainly as that this bad beginning
has been made, worse devices must be prac-
ticed. The present is desperate resort of
minority, and when its first effect is to alien
ate the very element that gave the faction
temporary success, its permanent overthrow
cannot be long delayed. AT the rate they are
going and the early activity of the Reform OPP
position it has provoked, the new Ring will
rule for less period than the old one.
1t will be concluded from our remarks that
we cOncede the passage of the Charter.
It's passage in its present form, without
material alteration, seems an inevitable
blundcr from which, to all appearance only
the veto of the Governor can save the Ring;
and they carry matters with so high hand
that we believe them assured of their ability
to compel his acquiescence or to override his
objections. 1t is true the managers at Albany
are under promise, extracted during the de-
bate last week, to modify the powers delegated
TO the Superintendent of Police; but we have
little faith that the managers here will permit
them to redeem their words. They might do
so, and yet retain sufficient authority to make
the future Tweed more powerful than the first;
but whoever expects any modification what
ever will trust, we imagine. only to be deceived.
Among the several powers granted this
official and the Board which appoints him, let
us recall attention Mt this time to two or
three. In the first place the Superintendent
has sole power to.select, appoint, remove, and
direct a force of six clerks and thirty detect.
ives,--a personal staff independent of the
Board itself, without responsibility to Mayor
or any other official except the superintendent
and with authority, under his direction, to in
wade any house, for any purpose however
trivial, ask any question, however insulting,
and ImpEsOn without warrant or notice. 1t
may be.sa,d tha. thls arbitrary power is in