The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-04-02
tho senate-A Virtual Triumph for
Mayor Havemcyer.

tho senate-A Virtual Triumph for
Mayor Havemeyer.
The protracted struggle in the Senate over
the appointing power in the New York city
charter, was brought to q close yesterday by
the adoption of substitute for the twenty
seventh section as reported by the Committee
on Cities, by which the Commissioner OF
Public Works. the President of the Depart
ment Of Parks the President of the Police
Board and the Corporation Counsel arc con-
tinued in Office. and the appointment of all
other heads of departments is given to the
Mayor, subject to confirmation by the Board
of Aldermen. An effort was made to include
the present Comptroller among the persons to
be retained, but il was unsuccessful. Tho
Senate decided that Mr.. Green should go. and
public sentiment will applaud the decision.
With the exceptions named above the term
of Office of all the present heads Of depart
ments is brought to close. There is q gen.
eral belief that the Assembly will concur in
this proposition, and that in this shape the
charter will go to the Governor for his APP
proval. As it is known that the plan of APP
pointment finally adopted is the one most
acceptable to the Governor, and as the reten-
ton Of the four republican officers is a privi-
lege which the republican Legislature has
perfect right to exercise. all apprehension of
an Executive veto is removed.
The result is virtually triumph for Mayor
Havemeyer. He has been contending all
along for the dignity and self-respect of his
Office, which he regarded as assaulted by the
proposition to strip him Of power, and he has
carried his point. He has frequently declared
that he does not value the municipal patron
age for itself, but because he believes that the
Mayor ought to be in fact the head of the exc
cutive branch Of the government He will
therefore care nothing about the retention of
the republican officials who are continued in
Office, since in all vacancies the principle he
has advocated is recognized and the appoint
ments are to be made in the manner he de-
sires. As it is, he will be called upon to fill
large number of important positions, and
will no doubt be glad to be relieved of thus
much responsibility. It will devolve upon
him to select Comptroller in place of Mr..
Green, besides Fire Commissioners, Police
Commissioners, Park Commissioners Dock
Commissioners, Commissioners of Charities
and Correction and other officers, and as the
positions will all be vacant soon after the char
ter becomes law the duty must be promptly
performed. The appointments will have to
pass the ordeal of confirmation by the Board
of Aldermen hence it will be readily seen that
the Mayor will have labor enough on his
hands without craving for more. He will
not be likely to object to the Senate PROPOSE
ton on mere personal grounds or to question
the right of the republicans to keep four of
their own party in place, If they are honest
and competent officers If he should have
real cause Of complaint against the persons
retained the charter gives him the power to
compass their removal We believe, therefore,
that the charter. in the shape it has now taken.
will be acceptable to the Mayor; for while he
would probably have preferred to exercise the
Independent Of the Board of Aldermen, he
cannot fail to regard the plan finally adopted
by the Senate as far better than any OF the
propositions previously made.
We have advocated the concentration of
responsibility in the Mayor by giving him the
sole power Of appointment and removal
instead Of requiring the confirmation of the
Board of Aldermen, because there are many
points of difference between the city and State
governments, and partly because, as the Alder
men have already evinced disposition to
control the appointments in their own in
terests, it is not unlikely that they may strive
to use the confirming power as means Of
forcing the nomination Of some of their own
friends. But Mayor Havemeyer will be found
. difficult person to coerce into any nomina-
ton that he does not regard as fit to be made,
and probably we may safely trust to
public opinion to compel the confirmation
of such appointments as meet popular ap-
proval. At all events, the danger Of block
between the Mayor and the Aldermen is not
so great, now that the former comedies the
necessity of having capacity as well as reputed
honesty at the head of the Finance Depart
ment and is prepared to name an acceptable
successor to Comptroller Green. We may
therefore regard the result arrived at in the
Senate after SO much wranghng as in the
main satisfactory settlement Of the question
of appointment 1t might have been better
had the sole appointing power been at once
bestowed upon the Mayor, but the Senate
proposition to make the appointments subject
to the confirmation Of the Board of Aldermen
is at least preferable to the plan submitted by
the Senate Committee on Cities. The ques-
ton is Will the amendments Of the Senate be
concurred in BY the Assembly without further
controversy and delay? Thus far the SQUAD
bling of the political factions has INSTRUCTED
the course Of legislation, and already there are
rumors Of an intention to promote disagree
ment between the two houses in the hone of