The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-02-27
An Inharmonious city Government.

An InharmOnious City Government.
Nothing is clearer than that our city govern
ment as now constituted is failure. The
efforts of the Legislature to pass bill that
will give New York usefu, republican
system, and the constant irritations that
are seen between the heads of
departments and the Mayor, only
show the folly of endeavoring to govern
great metropolis upon any principle but that
the will of the people should prevail. Take
the case of the Comptroller. Mr.. Green is in
position which makes it impossible for
the city to be usefully governed.
We do not charge him with dishonesty.
The fault is in his character and our system.
Even if he had high qualities of executive
management, his position is so anomalous
that it would be impossible to get along har-
moniously The Comptroller Yields power
conferred upon his Office by the old Tweed
charter and by the extraordinary order of
Judge Barnard, which clothed him with
authority making him virtually the
master of New York. This was never
intended: His Office is necessary in a
financial government, but it is ON Office
of audit, examination and scrutiny. 1t should
have no executive power. Here is an Office
subordinate in spirit and intention to the
Mayoralty and the Common Council, yet SUI
preme over them, capable of obstructing the ne
cessary works Of improvement and legislation
and the whole machinery of the government.
When we had corrupt men in the Comptroller
ship, who simply held Office to serve their own
purposes, they showed how it was possible to
rob the Treasury and bring great misfortunes
upon the people. This was not only the fault
of the officer, but of the Office. We see now
an obstinate, narrow-minded, selfish official
who can produce the worst inconvenience.
The government of New York is paralyzed to-
day-frst. because the COMPREHENSIVE is
clothed with imperial attributes, and second
because the Comptroller is Green. We find
Mayor Wickham, the elect of the people,
charged with the government of New York
and responsible for it's administration, checked
and arrested by the appointee Of Connolly
and Tweed, acting under the functions of the
old Tammany charter
What we want is harmonious government.
There should be no longer the servile de-
pendence upon Albany that now exists. The
influence of Albany upon our city has always
been pernicious. Legislators have looked
upon it as reckless gold miners looked upon
the placers in the Sacramento valley-only
for its gold Therefore the democratic
party has emphasized the principle of home
rule, which means, if it means anything, that
the people OF great city are capable of man
aging their own affairs, without the interfer-
ference of distant group of country poll
ticians. The Mayor should be as responsible
and independent as the President. He should
appoint his own Cabinet. He should control,
subject, of course, to the necessary restric-
tons of representative legislative body like
the Aldermen and Common Council The
heads Of departments should be to him what
the heads of the War, Navy and Treasury
departments are to the President. If it is
necessary to except the COMPREHENSIVE from
this arrangement let it be a check upon the
other departments, but limiting it's powers to
those of audit and control
the Governor continue if reform is simply
to dribble into irritating and tedious cor
respondence if the Mayor is first to be checked
by the Governor and then to be defied by his
subordinates, his office is not an honor,
but an indignity. Let us have our Mayor
chief magistrate in letter and in spirit.
Let US have thoroughly harmonious city
government. Let New York be released from
its servile dependence upon Albany. Let the
COMPREHENSIVE be reduced to its proper func-
ton, to the performance of such duties as we
see in the Comptrollership of the Washington
Treasury. Finally, let Andrew H. Green be
dismissed from the Office as an unworthy man
holding an improper place, and as the bar to
the true reform and the harmonious conduct
Of our affairs.
ali lot Dali