The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-01-03
CITY POLITICS.

There are a great many patriotic people ust
OF the reform city government OF 1872 last Friday
was sure indication OF change tor the better
In the administration OF our public AFFAIRS
While Mr. Havemeyer was Mayor there were
clubs and societies that lauded him to the skies,
whose Saturday night resolutions represented
him as man ordained by higher than human
power to rescue the city from general ruin but
all these clubs and societies disappeared long be-
fore Christmas, and what with the Unexpected In
dependent dolngs OF Mr.. Vance as Mayor, and the
expectations In political circles of what Mr.. Wick.
ham may do, the political leaders of
THE TAMAANY RULE
and their follow have had OF late an ample field
Tor conjecture. One thing Is certain, Mr.. Wick
ham means, seemingly, to be his own master. He
Is to be the Mayor OF the city, he says, not the
mere interpreter OF the orders OF men who believe
that because they were instrumental in bringing
him into power they can bid him go and come at
their option. 81 tell you, SIR" said Mr.. Wlckham
to friend OF his the day alter his election, II will
be the Mayor OF this city no mans man. II there
is a head OF bureau who does not do his duty, or
whose way Of doing business has even excited
well grounded suspicion before come into ONCE,
i shall make 1t my duty to keep strict watch
upon him, and, If necessary, put man in his
place who Will, in the exercise OF his duty, think
more or
THE PUBLIC INTERESTS
than OF his own" 1t may, therefore, be set down
as settled fact that the present Fire Commits
sioners have TO use slang phrase, 'got to git up
and GIT" There are three OF them. They have
been investigated. The investigation into the
general way OF doing business by the department.
has been thorough-onicial. The investigator
was an officer appointive under the charter and
a IN w in ha n opdc
OF Mayor Wickham-can be considered as one
made without bias. The revelations in it concern
ing the inner workings Of the department. will, it
is alleged, bring to hgnt facts which viii
astound ordinary people. This need not
be matter OF wOnderment with persons
who do not NEEDLE in politics; but that the reve-
latons VIII be found to be Of q character utterly
to DEFY any defence that avail is as certain it
Is said, as that Monday follows Sunday. The re-
port Of the Commissioner Of Accounts was yester-
day handed over to MI. Wickham by Mr.. Vance.
1t IS
AN EXHAUSTIVE DOCUMENT,
the report OF the Commissioner covering about
figures and names are dealt with freely. and 1t is
alleged that many OF the names mentioned as
with the department. are those OF men VINO have
Sea been .. ~ prison Or VINO nm, nave been
fellows IN the city. wltho ut mlncng words about
the matter, It may be stated frankly that wilhin
three weeks there Will De, in all probability three
new Fire commissioners. IL may be said that q
great effort has been made to save one OF the
three; but 1t Will, II Is understood, OF avail.
1t Is argued in his favor that he did all ne could
While Ia office to prevent the wrong-dOings wnlcn
undeniably prevailed in the department; That he
In pious way rolled up the whites OF hts eyes and
inwardly, at least once week, thanked God, like
the tharisees OF old, that he was not like other
men. Right or wrong. 1t is believed that ne Will
nave to bid gO0dby to his CommlssiOnership.
AS to the Police Commissioners, there Is cOnsid-
cradle gossip 1t Is more than probable that within
not that the Legislature will IN any way interfere
with the absurd commission feature OF our char
ter, but that q change may be made so lar as the
Police commissioners are concerned under the
charter without LEGISLATIVE inter ierence, and that
the Governor and the Mayor are in full accord about
It, 1t should De borne IN mind that the
State Senate Of 1874 appointed, on the strength
OF some very extraordinary charges made against
the Police Board, SPECIAL committee to lnvesti-
gate the Police Department This committee con-
sisted OF three men, Senators Woouln and Booth,
republicans, and Fox, or this city, democrat.
This committee held a meeting some days ago, but
the meeting amounted to nothing. ana why it
amounted to nothing is one OF those things that as
no MAN CAN FIND OUT"
lt was quite an e10rt TO get the committee TO-
did not stay as body in any place In particular.
When the committee was appointed the Police
Gardner and Duryee. Death soon "' took
smith away and Charlick ana Gardner Iell
1eoW grace stroke policy not their own
Duryee alone In his glory. Said the COM
mlttee to themselves at their informal
cemoer IS not the Board we were expected to
tnvestgate-nOt a DIT OF 1t; therefore there Is
nothing to investigate AS TINS committee must
report back TO the next Legislature It's doings, or
rather It's non-doings, no one need feel surprise
Il no report at all Is made, especially If Mayor
WicKham and Governor 1ilden should see lit in a
very short time to change the compiexion OF the
Commission entirely. But report rom MIR.
Wo0un would be interesting, no matter what the
subject matter would be.
CHANGES TO COME
Even taking IT ior granted-whch is taking
in the commissions other than those that may be
made by sensible legislative interference, Mayor
Wlckham VIII nave the appointment OF several
commissioners during his term OF oflice. There,
for instance, is Duryee, OF the Police Commits
Is not considered as probable successor
to himself. His place Will, In all probability,
be taken by Richard Flanagan, the late President
expires in May, 1876, which gives Mayor Wicknam
the appointment OF ms successor-provided the
time. Commissioners Budd, or the Dock Depart
ment; Lunt, or the Health Board, and Stewart, OF
expira ton process, although they may all 20 out
IN lew weeks. Democrats are to take their
places. and all the commissioners will therefore
Lecome democratic.
ONE AMONG MANY
Mr.. Vance's brief but brilliant career has not
left him without enemies Ia his own camp. He
came very near being hung In efiigy IN Twenty
third street the other night before his own door;
ais VINO we're the most ostentatious in preventing
the outrage were really the parties who first sug-
gested the many. Mr.. Vance mas won the hatred
OF the custom House republicans anyhow by his
disregard Of the claims OF the Blake faction OF
the thirteenth district when he appoin ted Isaac ii.
Bailey as Commissioner OF Emigration, and IL his
political future depended upon his own district
he would certainly have very little to look for.
ward to.
A LITTLE WHILE LONGER.
The only personal appointments the Mayor has
made thus Tar are as Ioil0ws:-ColOnel Burnton N.
Harrison, Private Secretary; Joel O. stevens First
Marshal and Major Daniel Hart, Chief of the Permit
Blu eau. None OF the clerks have thus far been
removed although with possibly one exception
they Will all be within fortnight. There are put
lew OF them, and as their salaries are small ana
their work hard there has been but q small de-
mand Tor CIVIC honors In that district.