The New York herald., 1876-12-24
Charter Tinkering in the Past
and Its Consequences.
Political Manipulations and the
Necessity OF Reform.
WORK OF The MUNICIPAL COMMI&ION.
Constitutional Amendments, a General Law
and Abridgment Of the Suffrage.

In the earlier period Of the history Of legislation In
this State little attention given TO municipal gov
ernment by the statesmen Albany, aud the counties
alone were thought worthy OF the wisdom Of those
eminent legislators This is not surprising when Il is
remembered that at that time the cities composed an
insignificant part OF tho population Of the State. while
the couatcs comprised tho numbers well as the
bone and siDsw OF the people The idea Of home rule
now understand It had as yet no place In the
popular mind. and the local Offices generally
elective Under the constitution OF l777 the power
appoint and ramove local officers In the hands Of
= council composed OF the Governor and four Sem
ators chosen every year by four Subdivisions OF the
Assembly. II was a singular body IN which to rcpose
the whole appointing power OF the State but the sys
tenn continued rnt the adoption OF the constitution
OF 1884, and before abolished the Council had In
its gift as many Is, 900 local Offices Our grand
fathers were quite anxious to hold oce we are
ourselves, and the consequences Of this immense pat
ronage concentrated In lew hands and aggregated at
a single centre may be readily imagined Every year
there assembled In Albany multitude OF candidates
and their friends from all of tho State for general
scramble Whore II, 600 appointments were to be made
rybody appeared TO think there must be thing
for him. and personal sclnshness intensified the strife
Of parties There woro railroads, no telegraphs,
no easy methods Of communication between distant
parts of tho State, and one-half OF each yenr was
spent getting ready for these annual contests for the
local Offices and in going to and returning from the
scramble. Such system was in itself an evil, and
the only wonder is that It was allowed to exist for
nearly half century. Tho result OF tho abuses grow
OF this system was to call the attention OF tho
people to the necessity OF conhning the power to I'LL
the local Offices to the localities where they to he
Oiled and to make them elective.
HOME RULE.
This step rst taken in the constitution Of 1921
and with its adoption may be said the idea OF homo
ruc or local self government In this State originated.
But while that instrument was step In the direction
OF progress, was, after ALL ony tub to the whale Il
abolished the central appointing Council at Albany,
but with the exception OF sherFs and county clerks
u made mono Of the local Offices elective. Local
thorties were constituted, with whom lodged the
Dower OF appointment to the local Offices; but this did
Dot last long, aud tho time and thought spent try
ng to solve the question of how to dspersc tho ap-
POINTING power and yet preserve accountability the
btate was we'll spent Its solution found In
1evce proposed by Daniel d. Tompkins, which to
separate the OF appointment from the power of
removal This unquestonably tho natural coroary
Of the idea OF homo rule but II has only been found 10
work satisfactorily where the Offices elective.
None Of the local Offices the State have been better
filed than the two which were first made elective, and
the OF this Is that while the power OF election
n the people OF the county the power OF removal
was In the State for cause TO bo exercised by the
Governor. THIS system worked we'll and gave such
general satisfaction that under the constitution OF 1S46
II was widely extended. and It Is now in operation AZ
TO the principal officers of the counties including dis
srict attorneys coroncrs surrogates and judges
OF the Supreme Court The new systom Is the result
Of the highest political wisdom, and after being in
nlo finn hirtv In mt ba.
levsd to DO any necessity for change in the plan.
which grew out OF tho germ OF home rule engrafcd in
the constitution Of 1921.
RAaLY MUNICIPAL ADMINISTRATIONS NEW YORK.
Unfortunately, progress In municipal government
has not gono hand In hand with the improvement Of
county administration Tho tendency to enlarge the
power OF localities In the management OF their
affairs not been allowed TO exert itself freely
the cities as in the counties. Indeed, until within
few years municipal administration was almost en-
trely neglected In the Legislature, and when the
question touched at all only to provide
inadequate remedy for abuse which resulted wholly
from inadequato powers and responsibility. Anterior
to ls46 the governing population OF this State
agricultural and the cities not considered Of
much Importance. This Is much to be wonder ed
at when wo consider that what then tho
city OF New YORK was confined within
what IL now q single Congress district Tho
municipal machinery was simple and inexpensive.
New streets and avenues were constantly needed Is
tree but 1t required Board Of Public Works with
immense powers, revenues ana patronage TO provide
them. No Park Commission was required TO care for
the few squares which then dignhed with the
name OF parks. Tb, police WAS a comparatively
ARE inexpensive and, Il may DO added, inefficient
body, which required special board TO msgoverni IL
Sanitary regulations attracted little attention. and
-cr
and the ten governors The city had gono for many
years under simple system OF popular government.
Substantially the administration conducted by the
Mayor and two boards of the Common Council, their
committees and the officers appointed by thcm. The
elections were annual and In the spring. Public opn
could oasy be concentrated any matter OF unic
ipa administration, and In tho main il was effective
IN controlling tho policy OF government Elaborate
plans OF public punder were unsafe, because Of the
constant danger publicity anG the liability to change.
Il was only popular leader safe in the confidence OF
the people, to whom any abuse was possible, and IL
was such leader who furnished excuse Tor the
changes which wcro subsequently made In our munic
tpai system. If the abuses which committed In
the ten years following the adoption of the constitution
Of IsaG had committed in tho previous decade, IL
Is not likely that the question OF municipal govern
mcnt would have been utterly dsrcgarded IN that
instrument or that the charters OF cities and ncorpor
stod Villages would have lett absolutely In tho
hands OF tho Legislature.
uxDKR THE CORNERSTONE
II s primarily to this neglect IN the constitution TO
which most OF the evils from which the city OF New
York has suffered during the last twenty years arc
due. Fernando Woods administration Afforded an
excuse Tor Interference, and It was acted upon In
way utterly 10 destroy home rule In municipal govern
mcnt Il was then the system OF government BY CON-
missions was adop.ed and afer twenty years ex-
perience /, must that more obnoxious system
OF municipal administrations was never devised Tho
Mayor and the two boards OF the Common Council we're
allowed TO exist, but they stripped OF every power
except 10 do mischief. They no longer useful,
.na ,bev ceased even to be ornamental The only
,owcr left them was vote away the peoples money
without responsibility aud the result Of tins was to
m ore the name OF New York Alderman Infamous IN
IL. sars Of all men. "What for do chuck olum