The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-04-04


joint resolution for amending the State con-
ststution rs one-relating to the government
Of this city are now pending in the Senate
or Assembly. Two or three Of the many
ought to pass. Although our charter has
been constantly tinkered by the Legislature
for the last seven years it is about as bad
framework Of municipal government as
could be imagined. It's basis is the noto-
rious Tweed charter passed by wholesale
bribery in 1870. The constant tinkering since
has left the Tweed charter substantially I'M
changed. The chief purpose Of the many
trivial attentions made in it from time to
time has been merely to displace this or
/ that or the other officer and install some
body else in his place. Several OF the
numerous bills now pending are prompted
| by similar motive. This. kind Of legisla-
| ton is always to be deprecated. If the
amendment proposed by the Municipal
Commission shall be adopted our city gov
eminent will no longer be the football OF in
terested political schemers here operating
through the State Legislature, which is 20
contamination devoutly to be wished"
Our present municipal system is sub
stantially the Tweed charter, which was
bribed through the Legislature in the last
year Of the infamous Tammany Ring, when
its power eliminated and passed to
speedy, signal overthrow. The purpose of
| that charter was to make the city govern
ment independent of the people. 1t estab-
lished municipal executive without sub
stantial executive power and municipal
legislature without legislative power. The
Tweed charter, which is. in all it's essential
features, our present city charter, made it
impossible for the people Of the city to
change the personnel Of their government by
an election. While the Mayor is chosen for
two years the heads Of departments whom
he appoints hold for varying terms of three,
four. five and six years. The consequence
is that each Mayor inherits his subordinates
from the preceding administration and ap-
points those of his successor Under SO abb
surd a system the Mayor has no real power,
and however dissatisfied or outraged the
people of the city may be they cannot change
their government by an election. Such
system is unrepublican and absurd. Gov
ernm-n. by the people is pretence, farce,
an insult, when they cannot change their
servants by new election.
If the people cannot be trusted the honest
thing to do is to confess that popular gov
eminent is a failure. What sense is there
in continuing to hold elections by which
nothing can be decided? We go through
the form Of elections and pretend to respect
the will Of the people; but it is preposterous
to make periodical appeals to the ballot box
by which nothing is decided beyond the
fact that powerless Mayor is to
be succeeded by powerless Mayor B. The
true system, the common sense system, the
republican system, requires that the people
be enabled to make complete change of
municipal administration in every election
if they think complete change necessary.
All the heads Of departments should come
in and 60 out with the Mayor How can the
Mayor be held responsible if he has not the
choice of his own agents? How can he
correct abuses so long as his subordinates
are independent Of him and able to defy
him When he has full authority to appoint
them. and power to dismiss them for good
reasons, of which he is the sole Judge,
the responsibility of the Mayor will be
real and the people will regain control
of their own affairs. In the government of
great city any other system is absurd, be-
cause by no other can responsibility to the
people be concentrated and enforced.
Another great evil, an evil with which
the Tweed charter is not especially charge
able, is the homogeneous blending of our
municipal affairs with State and national
politics. The interests of this city are too
important to be o mere makeweight for
turning the scale in elections which have no
relation to the city government Our
municipal affairs are great enough to
deserve and demand separate considera-
ton. They ought to be decided on their
own proper merits, free from entanglements
with irrelevant outside questions. The
local government of city should concern
these is the utmost efficiency in promoting
order, cleanliness, health and comfort; the
other, to accomplish these with the least
expense These are matters which have no
connection with the canal system of the
State or any question OF State policy, and
just as little with the tariff, the currency,
or any other question Of federal politics.
Still more irrelevant is the solidarity of the
ofiice-holding interest, which is the real
motive for mixing up our city affairs
with general politics. While our municipal
elections and the State and national cleo
tons are held on the same day the nomina-
ton of city officers is usually the result Of
bargain by which the friends of candidates
tor the Legislature, for State offices and for
Congress engage to support municipal cam
didates who will in turn support them.
The consnnuenca is that orr mnnicinal