New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1877-03-29
CHARTER REFORM.

To-day n meeting is to be held at the call
of the Chamber of Commerce to urge upon
the Legislature prompt action upon the report
of the Charter Commission. The movement Is
behind time of course, as such movements
ALWAYS are but it is better that it should come
now than not at all. If the amendments to
the Constitution submitted by the Charter
Commission can be carried through this Legs-
laturc by the pressure OF public sentiment
that sentiment must be aroused. If there is to
lie any action at all during this session,
this sentiment must find expression
at once for but enc month remains,
measuring this session by its usual
length. But this, at the best, is agitation after
the fact. The way to have made sure OF
the speedy adoption OF these amendments was
to see that Legislature was elected which did
not need To be bullicd into reforms. II del
egation had been elected from New-lOrk and
| Brooklyn made up in good part OF men
of exceptional character and ability, and II
the Commission had made its report at an
early date Ill the session, there would have
been IL fair prospect of short road to
a great reform. TIE TRIBUNE urged this
view again and again last year long before
the local campaign had opened and even
before the Presidential nominations were
made, but our local rcformerS and mu-
nicipal missionaries were soon too much
absorbed i'll the Presidency to give any thought
10 the Legislature. The consequence is
that this city is represented at Albany this year
bv mach the same sort of cattle that nave
always represented it within the memory OF
! man. If these amendments can be passed In
spite of the active or silent opposition OF these
men and the men they can gather about them,
we shall he greatly rcioiced as well as greatly
| astonishcd. But we do not see that there Is
ANYTHING to be gained by shutting our eyes to
the obstacles that block their way, or by
deluding ourselves with the idea that few
buglc-calls in the newspapers and Wall-st.
meeting or two will win the victory.
| But to-days meeting can be of great ser
vice. if it helps to arouse the community to
sense of the Importance of these reforms and
| of the magnitude of the labor needed to
achieve them. IL instead of compelling this
| Legislature to do its duty it sets in motion an
| agitation winch shall make itself powerfully
felt in the election of members of the next
Legislature, we shall be more than satisfied
This is work well worthy of all the
/ best efforts OF our dooo-
Citations. The opening of the next cam
pagn ought to see the taxpayers
and nt-payers-for their interests are identI-
| cal-the men who favor reform in every de-
partment of government for principles sake,
and those who favor it for the pockets sake,
| solidly organized On the single issue OF elect
| ing "A delegation to the Legislature as nearly
as possible unanimous in behalf of these re-
! forms. The decent classes can assume control
| of this city when they make up their minds
| to. They did it in 1871. and wiped out the
Tammany Ring; they can do it now and wipe
cut the system which the Tammany Ring left us.
In this work, too, it will be necessary not TO
underestimate the task before us. The men
whose interests the Charter Commission at
tacks are the worst class OF vagabonds our
politics has produced. They are skill
full and INSCRIPTIONS, and they will find
material in these amendments for one or two
excellent demagogue cncs. The final approval
by the pcop.c of the Charter Commissions
work will not cXterminate, or perhaps even
diminish, the breed Of ward politician, but it
will greatly lessen his chances of getting a
living for nothing; and the ward politician
may be expected to conduct himself accord
ingly.