The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-03-30
Municipal RECOMMENDATION OF en-
Chamber or Comm ercc.

We earnestly indorse tho resolutions
adopted by the Chamber of Commerce ct its
special meeting yesterday. We hope the
whole press of the city and the State will
take up this important subject and aid our
merchants in pressing it upon the attention
of the Legislature. The necessity for inn
mediate vigorous action grows out OF
the prescribed method of amending
the State constitution. All amendments
must be acted on by two entirely
different legislatures before they can
be submitted to q vote of the people. An
entire change of the Legislature does not
take place every year, but only once in two
years, the Senators being elected for that
period. The present Senate is serving its
last year. A new election of Senator's is to
take place next fall SO that an amendment
passed this session could be repassed next
winter and adopted by the people in the
election of 1878, whereas an amendment
passed for the first time by the Legislature
Of 1878 could not be repassed before 1880,
when another Senatorial election will have
interviewed. If, therefore, the work Of the
necessity is urgent for action by this Legis-
lature, which would secure clear gain Of
two years time in achieving very impor-
tant reform. The Chamber of Commerce
deserves credit for taking this subject in
hand and appointing committee to visit
Albany and press it. In our judgment it is
altogether tho most important subject that
<l.o of k1a
We need not recite in detail the history of
so we'll known measure. Governor Tilden,
in 1875, sent to the Legislature very able
and striking message, explaining the neces-
sity of thorough reconstruction Of the
municipal governments Of the State, and
asking authority to appoint competent
commission to investigate the subject and
frame new system. The authority was
promptly granted, but the Governor was
dilatory in organizing the commission. But
when he at last selected its members
even his enemies were constrained to
admit that it could not have been composed
of filter men. Mr.. Evarts' was the most
distinguished name in the list, but he had
no reason to complain Of being yoked with
unworthy associates. 1t was q very able
commission, as remarkable for the variety of
talents and experience it combined as for the
personal responsibility of its members.
This body of picked and trained men did
not go through their tasks in hasty,
slovenly or perfunctory manner. They
deliberately gave their best energies
to the problem, and the solution they
reached, the fruit of so much thought and
labor, cannot reasonably be put aside with
out examination. OF course nobody MAIN
tains that the Legislature should take the
plan of the commission on trust and adopt
it on blind faith in the ability Of its au-
thors 1t is their manifest duty to scruti-
nize and discuss it. If they discover flaws
and objections let them be pointed out.
But unless the Legislature can show that
the plan of the commission is mis-
taken or defective it is their clear
duty to put it on the way toward
o submission to the judgment of the
people, who should be permitted to render
final decision on its merits. 1t would be
inexcusable for the men at Albany to ignore
and treat with silent contempt the conscien-
tious labors Of one of the ab(est commissions
ever appointed in this State to examine any
subject.
1t will not do to say that the Legislature
is excused from taking any action ON the
plan of the commission by the bills now in
progress for improving the government of
this city. We have watched these bills
;ckn l.
merits. We sincerely hope they may
pass. But we are constrained to say
that we think them inadequate. They do
not go deep enough. They are mere patch
work sewing new cloth on an old garment
that is constantly liable to be rent in other
places. Even these patches are exposed to
be ripped off by any subsequent Legislature,
whereas the plan Of the Municipal Commits
sion would imbed the fundamental princi-
pies of reform in the constitution itself, md
put them beyond the reach of Legislative
caprice or political exigencies. Moreover,
the thorough-going reforms proposed by the
commission apply to all the cities of the
State, and not merely to this metropolis. If
the views of the commission are fallacious let
their fallacy be exposed. But it would be
discreditable to the Legislature to ignore its
labors altogether, when nobody at Albany,
either in tho Senate or Assembly, would
think OF challenging a comparison between
his own abilities and competency and those
of Mr. Evarts and his associates in the COM
mission. The commission gave full year
Of deliberate investigation to their task,
while no member of the Legislature can
truly pretend that he has given more than
fitful and casual attention to this great
subject.
We have no hesitation in indorsing the
plan Of the Municipal Commission as excel