The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-06-29
THE MAYOR AND THE ALDERMEN

An Interview with Mayor Havemeyer
ON the Newly Appointed Armory Conn
mission and on the Present Deadlock
I'm the Board OF Aldermcn-Thc Mayor
Seeking for Light and Hoping for the
Best.
The Mayor was yesterday afternoon sitting in the
civil chair preparing to close the business or the
week, lock up his. desk and wend his way home
when reporter Of the HERALD entered the sane
tum and introduced himself.
"Mr. Mayor" said the reporter, II have called to
ask you what you think OF the appointment OF the
Armory Commission by the Board OF Supervisors
the other day, and whether 1t Is necessary for you
to take action thereon.n
II have not received an engrossed copy OF the
amendments to the charter, in which this Commits
sion Is authorized, and therefore, strictly speak
ing, cannot recognize the appointment in any
way. ! don't remember whether there is any
salary given to the Commissioners or not"
"There Is no salary, Mr.. Mayor; they are to serve
without pay, and am told by very prominent
Alderman that these Commissioners who are ap-
pointed are as good and at men as any that have
been nominated by yourself under the charter.n
II saw that one or the Aldermen said that they
were better than any have nominated. Perhaps
they are. l think they must be very prominent
citizens, and must be connected with some power
full political organizations for know that they
have been named for every office under the charter
by some political friend or other and have been on
my lists all the time. Ihave no doubt that they
are friends OF certain Supervisors and 1t is all right
tnat tney should support them. Not having re-
ceiyed the law don't know very clearly what their
| duties are"
| This Is the clause under which the Commits
sion Is appointed, Mr.. Mayor 1t reads as follows:
and drill rooms-authorizes the Board Supervisors to
aS
q hsir du lies ~ The sites selected must be BY
ers may take for sites any Of the parks or public lands
squares The COMMISSIONERS may condemn private
property by the ,sua legal proceedings The plans tor
rs y the Of po
% ss raised % os
very large margin Tor iob6ely. don't say that
there will be any, but the people ofNew York have
paid very dearly for armories for many years; and
| when you give the power to three men to select
and recommend sites and construct armories tor
the city and county OF New York, think you have
given them very big job, and one that will bear
watching II the people have not been taught les
sons bitter enough by the robberies OF the ring,
! DON'T know anything that will teach them. i am
| glad to know that these men cannot do much with
| out the concurrence OF the Board OF Supervisors
The people must look to this Board to protect
what do you think Of the deadlock in the
Board OF Aldermen, Mr.. Mayor; do you think 1t
! will last longT'
| ii GU mean the failure to confirm the nominal
tons for Police Justices. Well all we have got to
do about that is to wait and see. The Aldermen
| are amenabe to public opinion, and by that let
them stand or fall. Their duty is to critcise the
nominations, mine IL to select. They are to ascer-
! tain whether the qualifications and the character
| OF these men are correct. Ii they fnd on inquiry
that they not IL is their duty to reject them.
| For example, If they object to a man who wears
spectaces why, they must let me know IL and
will not nominate any mope any men who do wear
spectacles. H. for instance, they discover that one
4 or more Of the nominees have been in the state
Prison. why, 1t is their duty to reject such nomi-
nation and call my attention TO II, SO that may
avoid sending any State Prison nomination IN
again."
| II presume the objection to confirming the police
Justices nominations Is OF different character TO
| that and not quite so specific, MIR. Mayor"
.Ipresume so, but so long as the Aldeymen sim
ply let them alone let the nominations be on the
table why, they must not be surprised II the people
try cast about Tor for their inacton. and
to conclusions that are not very favorable to
the political integrity OF individual members.
| don't know that there Is anything to complain OF
In that direction, but II you or anybody else put
yourself in circumstances OF suspicion you must
not be surprised II the character OF that suspicion
/ finds VOICE.
The Mayor arose from his chair to make "a bee
| linen for home, but was intercepted by several
| gentlemen, who had few last words, and the
reporter babe His Honor adicu.