New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1877-06-23
NoN-PARTISAN GOVERNMENT
LETTER FROM THURLow WEED.

Processes believe, tnat oA'"'N
nothing to do with politics. On the contrary De-
lieve that the interests Of the country ana the wei
fare of the people depend upon the existence OF
strong and thoroughly organized parties, each strug-
Cling TO secure the confidence Of electors by giving
| them good government. ! became satisfied, how
ever more than % years ago that the true interest,"
of the City of New-York could be best subseryed by
| making several Of its departments n9n-partlsan-
not by the exclusion of politicians but by The ap-
pontment of equal Numbers OF Wings and DEM
ocrats taking care that they men OF ability ana
| integrity. The first ROn-partIsan experiment was
an Emigrant Commission, under whose auspices those
benecent institutions and splendid structures upon
Wa DIS Island grew up and where the destitute emf
grant and the orphans of emgrants have been 'nnn-
tanned and educated without one dollars expense TO
the city.
| From 1890 TO 1854 the encroachmeRts from New
| York and Brooklyn Of ducks, wharf. and pier own
ers proceeded recklcssly to peril the navigation
| and ruin the commerce of our harbor and city, The
| Legislature passed a law authorizing the Governor
to appoint Ave commissioners, with ample power.
tor the protection of nav CATION and commerce. The
! commissioners were to appoint experienced survey
ors TO regulate the construction of docks, wharves
aud piers, and to establish exterior line beyond
which in future there should be no DISTINCTIONS
Much anxiety was felt by the merchants, who knew
tllt NI HttNiih- ''A'iStiNs
of enlightened and practical men, but men beyond
the reach of all personal political. pecuniary in
| duences. That commission made as nearly nom
/ partisan as practicable. 1t consisted of James
! Bowen of New-York, john Vanderbilt OF Kings,
George W. Patterson Of Chautauqua Pres
ton KING of st. Lawrence. and John A.
| Talcott of Erie. Messrs. Bowen, Patterson,
and Talcott were Wings; Messrs King and
Vanderbilt were Democrats. The Commission
acted in perfect harmony and discharged their
duties with sach impartality, Justice. and wisdom
as to secure universal approval They reclaimed
for the State lands worth more than twice much
as the expenses of the Commission. Then cane .
non partisan Board of Charities and Correction
| Commissioners That board inauguiatcd by
the appointment OF Moses II. GFinneIl and simeon
Draper, Wings; Isaac Bell and James i. Nicholson.
! Democrats This Wing concession, he Gov
ernor. the LEGISLATURE and the City Controller. by
| whom the appointments made, then being
| Wings. When at the end Of five years their terms
| expired, Democratic Controller preserved faith
| by reappOntng Messrs. Bell and Nicholson, Demo-
Gratis and by appointing James Bowen and Owen
W. Brennan, Republicans. These gentlemen proved
worthy of the trust confded 10 them. They were
all active and influential politicians but they sep
arated their political from their official duties.
| The original Central Park Commission was also
non-partisan and in other respects fortunately con-
sttuted. say fortunately because that great city
enterprise was laid out and adorned literally, in
good TASTE and with strict economy. The first Park
! Commissioners with Just sense OF what was due
to the present. and future generations devoted them
selves faithfully 20 then dates. receiving iuil doh
! lars worth OF labor or material Tor every dollar
| they expended
These auspicious results encouraged an effort in
| favor Of non-paItisan Police Board. Two years,
however, were lost because the Wings, who were in
! inn nall zeal afV1u-
tages 50 long enjoyed by their opponents. But in
Gov seynour's time the political power Of the State
was divided after frequent consultations, and
toward the close Of the session Of the Legislature
Police Board, consisting Of Judge Bosworth and Mr.
McMurray, Democrats and Mcssrs Acton aud
Bergen, Republicans. appointed. That
| Board with the late John A. Kennedy az
! superintendent, diyorcing itself from party
Influences, gave the city, through an efficient and
well disciplined force protection 70 Persons and
property But unfortunately, while that board was
perfecting ITS good work. Mr. McMurTay diod and
! In supplying he yacancy faith was shamefuy vio-
lated by a Republican Legislature and Governor.
The Board. by the appointment Of Wing instead Of
! a Democrat. became partisan, and then the den0raI-
! izations which eliminated in 1870, began. Finally,
after much bitter experience, second non-Pafilsan
era dawned. Something more than a year ago the
present Board consisting of Gen. ( Badly u smith,
Sidney Nichols Democrats, Clinton Wheeler and
Col Erhardt, Republicans. installed. These
gentlemen though entertaining, as every patriotic
! citizen should decided political CONVICTIONS have
inaugurated a Police Commission of street non-par-
! tisan character They have lab0red with great
courage diligence ard discrimination 10 promote tho
efficiency and usefulness OF the department, and0 IT'S
force. In their appointments and promotions, char
acter capacity and merit, rather than personal rpo-
litical influence have guided them. Dishonest oncels
rs FAR and rs fast as evidence e9ald DC oDtaieai,
have been tried and dismissed MlSeohdlct ia pa
trolmen is intlexibly punished, while gallant acts
and meutorisus conduct are promptly rewarded
rhe board is unit, each member assatlig Ma coz
| leagues in carrying out wholesome reform. Inc
GOOD effects Of all this Is seen ana felt There Us
among our citizens general sense or security ana
reDose arising from their cCaidcace ~ tue ehclency
vigilance, and fidelity Of the police. WIN IN lncOi-
pe.eut police captain there would have Decn tcar-
ful loss OF life on saturday evening ~ East wenty-
third-st., when Two tenement buildings, ~ "nieh
30 or 10 families resided, suddenly coiapseC. Inc
inmates. Unconscious OF Their danger, Wunid, Dub
| for the promptness AID activity II the police, nave
been buried with their eitc.ts beneath tie walls OK
| their apartments. Bat nothing less pgalsag0rthy
was to be expected from Capt. Allaire on the men
| under his command.
lam. let me repeat, party man-nay, more. ] am,
as have ever been, politician. will 60 further,
at the risk of becoming obnoxious 20 popular idea
and admit that. in the he intended, believe
/ with GOV. Marcy, that 80 the victors belong the
| spoils of Office When a Democrat or Wing has
| been elected President Governor, believe that
their respective supporters aud friends, possessing
the requisite qualifications, are entitled 90 their re-
ward. / have claimed this under all Wing Admins
/ trat;ons. and have conceded il to the democracy
when that party was in the asccudency. But there
are executions 10 every rule. The City OF NeH-lOTN
forms an exception. To- welfare and interests IA
some of their aspects nOl-paItsan. his L. es-
pecaily true IN reference % tie police. Tested W
! experience partisan police boards have been decided
failures The remark Is especially applicable 10 tho