The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-01-23
the STATE CAPITAL.
The Comptroller and Corporation
Counsel of New York.
BILL TO MAKE THE OFFICES ELECTIVE


ALBANY, Jan. %, 1874.
n wou,d seem as though the Legislature OF 1874
vas aetermned to make the session q short one by
nothing more nor less than doing nothing at all.
Both houses to-day occupied themselves in con-
v,dering all sorts OF motions and bills which the
people OF New York cty especially, and the people
Of the state at large certainly, have no particular
interest III. However it may be said that the bill
concerning the election OF Comptroller and Cor
poraon Counsel OF the city and county Of New York
rather important in view OF the present cOndl-
ton Of political Affairs in the metropolis. The bill
was introduced oy M Leake who thinks he is q
republican. 1t is a very simple one. 1t makes the
On1ces OF Comptroller and Corporation Counsel
elective, and provides that the elections in New
York county for county officers shall be held IN the
spring. the election for
COMPTROLLER AND CORPORATION COUNSEL.
under The present bill, Is to take place on the Sec
Ond Tuesday Of next june TINS bill TOOK the DEM
scrats completely by surprise They had intended,
~ am well informed, to hold caucus as to how
they should vote If bill legslatlng Mr. Green out
81 once was introduced The decision was that
they would cast solid vote IN favor OF any such
ball. The republicans got wind OF this, and Mr..
Leake's Dill. which also draws Delaheid Smith
Into the tangle, is really intended TO head OF the
democrats and independents. Any legislator with
an ounce Of common sense can divine the motive
OF the bill. 1t is nothing more than a JOB
10 KEEP GREEN IN OFFICE,
for by dragging smith into the bill Green receives
9 strength that he never could nave otherwise oD-
tanned. Mr. Leake Is new MEMBER, ana OF course
wants TO make a name Tor himself. he mas not
been considered as important an Item III the dee-
CATION from New YORK so lar as ne thinks he ought
20 nave been from the start and TINS, no doubt,
has reduced him TO the condition OF an ordinary
GROWER. Did he really desire TO make the Comp
trOIier an elective officer he could have easily made
his desire law by not dragging into ms Dill the
corporation Counsel. The latter IL repubii-
can; the Comptroller Is democrat The pres
ent Legislature being republican, OF course
Mr.. Green would have little chance with 1t,
single handed and supported by democrats, only
TO Keep his place as a county of1cer. But Smith,
VINO is republican and . first class wirepuher,
being IN the same bnl, VIII be OF immense benett
to Green. and viii be able, probably, aided as he
WIN be, by sO-Called newspaper lobbyists from New
York, to smother 1t In committee or, at stretch,
however, q bill IN preparation by one OF the lead
Ing democratic Senators which In the end will be
substituted for this bill, and which makes the
Comptroller alone an elective Ofncer This bill will
Comptroller, II he wants to fight, will be made to
I1ght on his own merits. The provision as to
spring elections contained in Mr.. Leake's bill Will
not pass, as every member who has been spoken
to the subject declares that he Will vote against
II There is one thing certain, however, and that
" that
"A GREEN is DOOMED.
I hav1 LpOken to all the members OF the lower
House. and to every member but one of the Senate,
- to the position OF Green in New York. and Of the
m the senate two only who expressed themselves
anxious retain him. Mr.. Green, therefore, can
not be saved IN my opinion, by the bogus reform
bill OF Mr.. Leake, which, while OstenSlDly DONG
close corporation job, which no honest man can
countenAnce.