New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-03-17
VoL.XXXlV. mo. lO,59o.
ALBANY.
TILE CnSTIGAN BILL.

,rr mi. DENOUNCED BY DoRMAN D. hAioN-
AN ADVERSE REPORT DETERMINED On
Tny TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIDUNEl
,,n,~v March 1G--The Senate committee on
f,;tos rave hearing this afternoon upon 'ne oos'i-
,n There had come from New-York to oppose
tho hill Dorman b. Eaton, jackson S. Schultz VIM
II webb Of the Council Of Political Reform. and ).
~ poopo senator Gross first addressed the Com
,,oo sncakinc briefly in favor of the bill. lie was
fllowcd by Dorman b. Eaton. who opposed the Dill
4, an elaborate and extended argument. Then Een'
sninola made some some very earnest remarks on
The other SIDE after which the Commitlee "e"'
into Executive Session. There were SIX HUH
hers Of the Committee present, Senator zoe
beinr ont of the city. The Executive Session was
short. tho four Republican Senators-W ooul,''
Booth. Wagner, and Dickinson being unalnouSS
in favor of reporting the bill adversely "niie 'no
two Democratic Senators-Tox aud Jacobs-desired
a favorable report. The Committee Determined u
make an adverse report the bill at an early day.
and the subject may possibly be brought mp to-mor-
now Following is an outline of the principal arsu-
mcnts presented TO the Committee;
Senator Gross briefly explained the objects OF the
proposed bil stating that it restored TO the Doafo
of Aldermen the power to act upon mountainous
made by the Mayor With reference to existng
heads of departments il provided that they shouio
continue in Office during the terms for which they
were respectively appointed, subject TO remoVai Ior
rause 1t makes the term of office OF heads OF ue-
partmcuts three years instead OF two WIN re-
,pect TO removals. it takes away from the Governor
the right TO be consulted and RENTS the power 10
the local authorities.
Dorman b. Eaton then spoke against the bill. lie
said lie had come as the representative OF a com
mittee appointed on behalf Of political reform IN
Eew-York. and also TO express the sentiment OF the
Union League Club Of New-YOrk. which latter
ORGANIZATION might be considered of political char
meter though in reality it represented the most
intelligent and disntercsted public sentiment
IF the city. The gentlemen who had presented
themselves before the Senate Committee embraced
members of both political parties The committee
from the Union League Club had been appointed
for the express purpose of opposing the Costigan
bill but more particularly the provision in which 1t
takes from the Governor the right of participation
In any question of removal of the heads of depart
1ncuts The expression against the bill In the CIuD
was the most earnest aud unanimous he had ever
seen. ii the immediate effect Of the adoption or the
rejection Of the measure would be to put IN ONCE
or out of Office any particular persons, everything
that could be said against the passage Of the bill
would have the same application that 1t now mad
Tie great trouble with the Government OF the City
Of New-York Is that there is too much OF restless
ness in the management Of 1t, and too much OF
Epiilt shown 10 interfere Win an cSIdDAlSIcu OIuOi
Of things. No opportunity is allowed for
test Of any existing state of govern
meut. In Earlaud, since 1855 down to the
present time there tave not been as many charges
In municipal government as there have been with
regard to the City Of New York in year. 1t was
AGAINST Il is everlasting ntermeddling that all good
citizens protested. Mr.. Eaton was opposed TO the
Irncipe laid down in the 18th section OF the BILL OF
giving the right to the Board of Aldermen to act on
the nominations Of the Mayor, and he thought the
custom would better be as il is at the present time
Such nominees require good administrative talents
aud politics should not, and do not, indeed, have
anything TO do with their appointment. So long as
o man is honest, efficient. and tithful that Is
enough and he should not be removed for political
reasons but only for Another section of the
bill provides that the Mayor may remove certain
Ulicers including all those not elected by the peO-
pie, and tie bill does not except or otherwise pro-
vide for any other officers The appointment Of Com
r,ssionl.s Of eds taTics Public, IarbOr Masters.
Port Warcens, Police Justices, would all be taken
away from the Governor. The bill would also take
away the appointment Of the Health Officer of the
port Of New-York 1t would totally destroy the eff
feet Of thencw Police Justice law the effect Of which
has been Sc salutary in the management
of the criminal Affairs of the city,
rs shown by the recent first
nnual report which has been publish ed
and which is tie most interesting document Of the
kind that has ever been published in the country.
Seventy thousand dollars have been collected in
fines. The question Of the removal Of justice
any other officer meancs the appointment of some
one else in his place. and that not always the most
proper person If there were no other argument
TO be offered against the passage of the bill
the correspondence between the Governor and
the Mayor would be a sufficient argument
why the bill should not pass. The difficulty about
the Mayor is that be cannot help but be more or
less under the influence and direction OF the party
that elected him. and therefore compelled to crafty
the wishes Of the party leaders The difficulties of
the position are such that ii IS almost impossible
that there should be DISTINGUISHED Judgment exer-
cised and we have therefore found the Mayor
lately putting forth scheme Of duty and yiedngt to
ideas of official liberty and propriey in the matter
which fall altogether below those entertained by
the Governor The question whether republican
government shall be maintained in the State de-
ponds more upon the manner in which the affairs of
the metropolis managed than it depends on the
administration Of affairs in all other parts of the
State. There is inconsistency in the fact of a
breach Of affairs in New-York being managed by
the Governor Have gentlemen ever thought of the
Superior Court, the Court of Common Pleas, the
Recorder, the City Judge the Police Justices. the
Port WaTdeus, the Harbor Masters and the Health
Oficerf Could not they be removed by the MAYOR
or Governor The Mayor has better opportunity
than the Governor Of knowing the proprety of some
appointments. but to the matter Of removals il is
proposed by this bill to give him the power of dis
charging officials his own ipse dirit making the
Governor the mere indOrseT of his action AS 70
the cry Of Home rule,' Mr.. Eaton said in
conclusion that that cry cane from the pfoo-sbone