New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-06-30
THE M1YORS OPPORTUNITY.

THE Nh YORS OPPOfI ONIlI
There is an apprehension abroad in the city
that Mayor Havemeyer proposes to retain in
office the lately convicted Police Commission
ers. The apprehension seems to be well
founded. Mr.. Havemeyer's past perverse pol
icy in appointing personal friends, without
special qualifications, and equally deficient
candidates at party dictatiOD, first aroused this
painful suspicion, but now some OF his friends
and the best informed of his opponents assert
that he has definitely decided on it, in spite
of the fact that three other indictments against
Messrs, Gardner and Charlick arc awaiting
trial.
We are hardly prepared to believe that Mr..
Havemeyer has determined to commit blum
der so egregiOus as this must prove. The
appointment in the first place, of these two
representatives of rival political factions was
a grievOus mistake; no other act OF his ad-
minstration cost Mayor Havemeyer so much
of public confidence, or has served 80 much to
| impair his official usefulness. Their reappOint-
ment after conviction of one of the several
charges against them would be a defiance of
public opinion which would completely destroy
the Mayors usefulness by robbing him of
much of the personal respect in which he has
been held. MIR. Havemeyer was elected on q
non partisan platform, though the nominee of a
political faction. and the people expected from
him of all things to give them non-parti-
san government, which would be as unlike as
possible the Ring which had been overthrow.
Mr.. Havemeycr was SO shortsighted as to at
tempt a government made up of representa-
tives of all political factions; and he chuckled
over the sagacity which made it impossible to
"form Ring" among his appointees. Two
of the most prominent of these did form
Ring of the most positive character; they
have now been convicted of misdemeanOr
and vet, it is said he cOntemplates insult
ing the community by their reappOint-
ment. He not only failed in the first instance
to satisfy the demands of the people who
elected him to reform the government but he
proposes now to dash their revived hopes that
he has at last seen his error and means to
redeem his administration at the eleventh
hour.
Such an act as the reappOintment of the
convicted Commissioners would be worse than
blunder at this particular juncture Of affairs !;
it would be betrayal of Reform. 1t is a
critical moment as well as critical issue in
the city government. We are within few
months of the political contest which is to de-
eide the character of the city administration
for two years to come. Preparatory to the
contest we SEQ the demoralizing spectacle of
the various heads of departments and leaders
of political factions endeavoring to increase
the personnel and the appropriations of their
own departments and cutting down those of
their opponents, for no other than political
purposes. In the same way the Police Board
becomes greater prize. fOr;whose control the
partisans fight. The very force which, of all
others, should be strictly neutral in the pOlit-
zeal contest to come is sought to be made the
chief instrument in the hands of factions ;
and to secure its control is looked upon
as equivalent to success at the cleo
tons. The natural consequence Of the
appointment to the control of this Board Of
these men, or any other like pronounced par
tisans, will be to continue the generalization
which impairs the usefulness of the police
force. The appointment of Commissioners Of
character and vigor, who keep alOof from ward
politics. would be the quick restoration of police
morale and discipline. Mayor Havemeyer had
an opportunity to accomplish this wished-for
reform when he first took Office. He has a
second opportunity now. VIII he again fail
to do clear duty for which he was specially
elected !