The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-04-11
NO DTSFR fNCHTSEuENT.
The Disnnnchising Report OF the Commits
missInncr. on MmnIcIpaI Ketnrrn.

To THE EDITOR or THE SUN-Sr Tho
meeting held at Chickcrng Hall on Saturday
night To- sustain the report Of the Municipal r.
form Commission. was. we are informed. at
tended by men representing three hundred
millions " cdpitdl
There wcrc four prominent speakers on the
occasion two " them have been intimately con-
ncrtcd with legislation at Albany affecting this
citv and are Understood to be- professional lob
hysis. Another Of the speakers is a son OF a
f1rmor Attorney General Of the United S,utes.
and then w. had the power and prestige" Of
the Federal Administration brought down to our
municipality in the person Of VIM. NJ. Evarts.
Secretary OF State. who made he speech Of the
occasion.
1t is Of that speech. and It's illogical PROPOSE
tons and conclusions that complain.
Mr.. Evarts in the preparation Of his speech
gave an elaborate argument in favor Of the
property qualification ia the election Of the
Board Of Finance proposed by the Commission.
This board as proposed. can favor or nuilify
any act OF legisation which the Board Of Alder
men and the Mayor may have favored | might
say that the entire power OF the city ovcrnmcnt
for the making OF improvements and the taxa
ton Of our people. are 10 bc in their hands
The doctrine advocated by Evaris IS the old
Federal doctrine OF Alexander Hamilton and
the Federal sis in contradiction Ia the
Democratic doctrines OF Thomas Jefferson and
his friends. The Federal doctrine for the cleo
tive franchise being based upon PROPERTY ana
not upon knowledge and mdnhood. | had
thought WIS long since exploded IN the trto
simile Of Il ,nIamin Franklin. that It was the
ass and not the man who voted"
Mr.. Jefferson. whom | consider the founder
Of the Democratic party tat least so far as the
81.
has. from the time of his writing the Declare
ton Of Independence down to the present day
had the greatest number OF advocates Of his
stutsmanlike views and national principles.
| take pride in being one Of his followers. |
am a Demo rat. on" VINO adhores to 70 govern
thr riGht oi suffrage H. Nil 'luss - OF men.
rms tdca ni W'7'. and not property. voting
has h""n tho progressive idea 81 THIS century.
I'm England few years since IN" right OF
-unrnG" was conferred upon those whose rental
amounted ia cities To- ten pounds. and ia
e,ronshs TO eight pounds per anuum. Mr.
Gladstone and his liberal followers. iu ron~.'-
durn"e of III" progr"ssiven"ss of the Fn.-lsh
people. modified that right, and brought It
down 10 tho present low rate of rental: while
III" great President Lincoln advocated the eX-
tnsion Of universal suifragc . the negro. un-
The statement " Mr. Evnrts in his appeal 10
the nhoring clnsses to sustain this scheme 1f
the Municipal Reform Commiss on. that upon
them rest ~ the last nstin"" al the oppres~ ions
ot tdres and bal government" Is u refutation
ot his entire argument that PROPERTY aud not
mhnhopd. should Dee gwen the power 10 control
III, legislation of the .itv.
ftnis exclusive principle Is applicable to tho
city III Nv York. It would have boon npplionle
In all things to the cities NJ Charleston and New
Orleans az the recent Federal election and had
that prime pie applied there the present Secrr-
ttry oi state would now b" occupying his Office
ln the pra t"e Of the law instead OF being the
iremirr ~ this Administration.
There never was q more exclusive and anti
democratic proposition. or one that moro DO
served condemnation hy the people NJ thus city
ana STATE. tun that only tlOs" should vote In u.
ritv Of New York to control It's government who
areass"ssrd for property worth $500 or who may
%" turiunut" enough IN the worlds goods to pay
q rental of s25u per annum. This pr0pOsed
fundamental change. can assure Mr.. EVarfs
vii never b" adopted.
The $50 UO0 electors Of tho ctv ~ New York
with but about 1000 tiNpnyers upon our tax
LISTS, are not likely 10 give up their inallenalle
risht a. VOTE for their rulers. Cons dnring the
lnrs" vote Of tue other cities OF the State. and
their lurg" Democratic Nnt' II seems to be- pre-
po~i"runs for any on" t. believe that this prop
er'y puhli l'ltirn portion Of the COmnlss one Rs
report would DO adopted.
From Nlgnl Churtl DOWN 20 tho present time
N" peopl" Of England and America. when they
nave So ur"d rigl q ia reference a. the e!rotivn
they n"N"r W rclinrni@h tl"ir rights ia this
'itV 1r state. iy nioltnS "a proposition which Is
So ar Sta 'ratl' AMI uulcm ,'rytl' ~ Tat .ou-
tanned III the report OF the Municipal Com
m r-lO n.
As q Democrat call upon the representa-
tlV"s or thr nemo ratio party m this oity 20 call
their meeting in Tammauy Hall and y rrpud'-
Comlu4s sion. Your obcdent servant.
John H. HASKIN