New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-01-05

accession to the MayOralty puts an end to
this irresponsible sort of administration is q
principal reason for the quiet satisfaction with
which the change in the City Government has
been received. Personally, Mr.. Wckham is
popular 1t is chiefly remembered of him
that when tho Ring controlled Tam
many he was q leader of the oppo-
sition. Democracy, and that when Tam
many was rescued and reformed he was
its chosen candidate for Mayor. The people
of New-York will know more of Mr.. Wick
ham to-day. after reading his busness-like
message, than they have ever yet known, and
Will think more highly Of lin.
Every Mayors message for years has urged
q return to "hOme rulen in local affairs by
the abolition of the commissions which Re-
publican State Legislatures have saddled on
the Democratic metropolis. But none have
been moro emphatic In favor of this policy
| than Mayor Wickham, who makes it the initial
topic of his message. Not merely its impor-
lance, but the feasibility Of the scheme, now
that q Democratic Governor and Assembly
control the State, warrant this prominence
A Senate with small Republican major
| ity and o number of nervous Com
missioners who fear removal are the
only obstacles to tho abolition OF the
system Heretofore these havo been strong
enough to prevent reform in this matter.
Controlling nearly if not quite two-third5 OF
the city appropriations, the power of the COM
missions with the Legislature when acting
tremendously has been all-pOwcrful; but at
present the commissions are not united, nor
are they likely to be. AT any rate, the posi-
| L 30 Nav
Yorks representatives in the Legislature to
prompt seconding Of the Mayors suggestions
on this head. SO strongly is Mr. Wickham
impressed with the duty of abolishing the
commissions that be takes pains to con-
denim, in very proper language, the practice
in vogue with Commissioners OF lobbying at
Albany to secure special legislation, and to
invite cooperation in putting an end to it.
Touching upon finances as the next most
important subject, the Mayor aptly expresses
the general feeling of dissatisfaction with the
city's financial condition. There unquestion-
ably exists positive di8trust, which it is
harder to explain than to decline shar-
ing, since the doubt arises from ignO-
rance of the actual liabilities of the city.
The Mayor frankly and somewhat naIveiy con-
fesses that he shares this general ignorance,
and can do nothing to remove it. In this
matter as indeed in most other difficulties
which he discusses, Mr. Wickham has clearer
comprehension of the evil than Of the rem
edy He believes the whole system of finance
should be changed, inclines to prompt pay
ments for public work on the old contract plan,
and recommends tie completion of several eX-
tensiye improvements; but how it is all to be
| done without increase of debt or taxes, which
of course he deplores he wisely does not at
tempt to suggest. 1t is a problem which will
vex older heads than that of the Mayor, and
one which should be settled before many
recommendations for new expenditures are
accepted.
Mr. Wickham also uses plain and honest
language relative to the duty of settling the
outstanding claims against the city, which he
suggests may possibly reach twenty millions
of dollars. Mr. Wickham proposes to put
an end to tho unreasonable litigation which
has grown out of Controller Green's pol
icy, and his emphatic references to the
subject indicate his full appreciation of
its Importance. If the city would have at
once cheap and good service it must make
itself prompt paymaster, and that reputa-
ton it does not now enjoy.
The next question of Importance to which
| the Mayor addresses himself is one upon
which he will find most division of sentiment
tho prosecution of the uptown improve
ments, and public works generally. He COM
mts himself unrcservedly to the policy of
completing the Brooklyn Bridge, the laying
out of the Riverside Park-ave., and the
extension of the FOurth-ave. improvement to
City Hail. The first two he considers as no
| longer open questions; the bridge is so far
! advanced that it cannot be abandoned; the
fact that the assessments for the Riverside
and Morningside Parks have been collected
| obges the city to finish those improvements.
| The Vanderbilt underground project the Mayor
evidently regards as the most feasible of all
| the schemes for rapid transit But if we are
| to pay the claims which Controller Green has
been staving off, if we are to complete the
Brooklyn Bridge, against which Mayor Have
the West Side expenditures, which have been
for some time abandoned because the city felt
500 poor to carry them on, the Mayor ought
TO tel us where the money is to come from.
He strongly pledges himself to non-par-
| tisan police ADMINISTRATIONS promise of i'm
provement in that direction which the people
will gladly see fulfilled. He favors q return
| to the old contract system of cleaning the
| streets-a scheme so unwelcOme in tho sug-
gestion that fair success this Winter by the
present Street-cleaning Bureau may defeat it.
| He urges the sale of the markets, to which
| suggestion there ought to be few demurrers.
And finally he proposes the regulation of the
hack and street railway systems with the view
| Of aocurinO rights and nrotapfion IN naesan