The New York herald., 1874-12-25
The Removal or Andrew II. Green.

The new city administration will be inau-
| gurated one week from to-day. Mayor Wick
ham WILL no doubt, find plenty Of work to do
in all the municipal departments before the
| government will be in good working order
and satisfactory to the people He cannot be
! expected to reform all the evils that incom-
potency, stupidity and obstinacy have heaped
upon us during the past two years in day,
or a week, or month. 1t will take time to
purify the Fire Commission, to put brains
and energy into the Dock Commission, to
make the Police Board what it ought to be, to
set public improvements in motion. But the
most important reform of all can and must be
made as soon as Mayor Wickham has taken
the oath of Office. 1t is necessary that his
administration shoulds begin life with o
clean financial record and a new finan-
cial policy. We have been cropping too
long in the dark, suffering one arro-
CANT, incapable and pragmatical official TO
run the Finance Department according to
his own whim5 and caprices and to hold him
self aloof from accountability. The citizens
Of New York have for three years known moth
perfect information as Andrew II. Green has
graciously permitted them to receive. The
city debt may be to-day one hundred and
forty million dollars or it may be one hundred
and sixty millions. We learn from the report
of the Corporation Counsel that claims to the
amount of about ten million dollars are now
in suit against the city, but there may be be-
sides these floating debt of twenty millions.
Andrew III. Green permits no person to obtain
information on these points; but, wrapping
himself up in his conceit and insolence,
undertakes to manage our financial affairs in
accordance with his own views, as if the citi-
zens of New York had no interest in the
matter.
Mayor Wickham fortunately comes into
Office free from any responsibility either for
the corruptions of the notorious Tweed regime
or for the concealment hypocrisy and inca
pacity of the administration he more imme-
dately succeeds. AS he would have cut short
in an instant the former dishonest practices
by the prompt removal Of the unfaithful off,
oials so he must cut short as suddenly the
present ruinous financial mismanagement by
removing Comptroller Green. There need be
no delay about this and, indeed, it is neces-
sary for the character and success of Mayor
Wickham's administration. The financial
blunders Of Mr.. Green are working evil every
day, and it would seriously damage Mayor
Wickham If he should suffer the trickery, de-
ception and incapacity existing in the city
Finance Department to continue during
single month under his rule. The
charter clothes him with the power to
remove an incapable officer, and the power
being thus conferred upon him it becomes
his duty to exercise it when the necessity
arises. He cannot make a full truthful
statement to the citizens of their financial
condition until Mr.. Green has been removed
from Office, and such statement must be one
of his earliest official proceedings. He can
then commence new system and protect his
own administration from any confusion or
ENHANCEMENT with our present mismanaged
financial affairs. The charter, it is true, en-
titles the official to be removed to a certain
formal notice; but this need not occasion q
delay of more than two or three days, during
which, if necessary Mr.. Green may be sus-
pended. 1t also requires the written approval
of the Governor before the removal becomes
valid, but this must, of course be
promptly given. The democratic party
have declared in favor of shome
rule" They have repeatedly assaled the
republicans for giving the Governor of the
State the power to veto the action of the
~xN N1,r w. = IL
for the good government of the city. The
very essence of democratic principle is that
the Mayor should be really the head of the
municipal government Governor Tilden
would not venture-we may repeat without
offence what we have heretofore said-would
on personal considerations in opposition to
the wishes of the Mayor and of the people of
New York. 1t would be suicidal act for any
democrat to commit 1t is said, indeed, that
as the law requires the Governors approval it
is his duty to assure himself that the reno val
is just and expedient; but this is fallacy too
transparent to deceive any person. The demo-
cratic Governor must believe that he does his
full duty when he allows the Mayor to exer-
else his own Judgment as to what is required
for the best interests OF the city, and thus he
is bound to yield to the Mayors wishes in the
removal of any municipal officer. Governor
Tilden would forfeit his position in the demo-
cratic party if he should occupy any other
ground.
Removal from Once OF the Commits.
sioners OF CHARITIES and Correction.
Mayor Vance, during his short term of
office, seems determined on vigorous action.
Yesterday he removed from Office the Com
ORC Of Charifioc and Corrontic,,, a.,d