The New York herald., 1878-11-19
/. THE BOARD or ALDERMEN.

As to the Board Of Aldermen, its conhrmatory
power. &c. the following view Is taken by distin-
guished auth ority:--
"The new Board viii be composed of new material
Each man win act for himself. In this respect the
Board will lbe different from the stereotyped
have had. Its members have come in ON the popular
wave. with tho Mayor in the same boat Therefore
Gle government Of the city VIII be likely to be the
suit OF mutual discussions between the Mayor and
Aldermen. The snti-Tammany force in the Board Is
composed Of seven democrats and six republicans.
who have got TO act together to make majority
This necessity will to promote good feeling and
conciiatory temper. II is understood that anti
Tammany democrat win be President of the Board and
> republican its clerk. Since the President of the
Board win also act Mayor in Of the Mayors alb
sence is of course proper that he should be dom
ocrat in political sympathy with the Mayor. Tho
President OF the Board win also be Of the four
1semb-srs of the Board Of Estimate and Apporfion-
ent which, being authorized TO tx the annual taxes.
is really the controlling power in the city govern
ment. With such likelihood of everything working
tremendously between the Mayor and the majority of
fle Board of Aldermen. witp such powers resting in
ms President and considering the prospect that il will
be more important body than heretofore there
does not appear to be any present reason for taking
away its power over the Mayors appointments. BY
the removal Of that power the traditional harmony OF
the city government would in fac be seriously inter
fered with. STILL continuing after pause, .there
1s 20 believe that strong effort viii be made
take away from the friendly Board Just elected
Tor the reason that the Board TO be elected next year
win very possibly be adverse TO Mayor Cooper"
COMPTROLLER KELLY MIGHT IN.
-But in the meantime would not the Mayor have
made all his appointments and had them confirmed
by the Board just elected, and thus have thoroughly
htrenched himselfy'
mo. And upon this hinges the wh6e question.
II is true that durnzthe coming year. with friendly
Board Of Aldermen TO back him, Mayor Cooper will
have the appointmentof many important public Of
hcers. The terms of two Police Commissioners have
Already expired. There is a vacancy in the Excise
Board OF the departments OF Docks. Fire. Charities
ld Correction and Health there three Commission
Prs respectively. and the term Of Commissioner
IN each Department viii expire in May. All these places
the Mayor Ell during the coming year.
with the assurance OK aprompt confirmation every
appointment But two great oifcerstne Comptroller
aud the Corporation counsel-wt hold until
1sSO. Their terms will not expire until after the
newly elected Board Of Aldermen will itself have be-
come extinct. What then? IL in the meantime the
Legislature does not take away from the Board its
cUnfrrn&tory power great struggle win surely be
made By IaInInany Hall 70 elect new Board in Mr.
hight hard in the first place against any Legislative
measure to interfere With the power Of the Board.
and that il win aghi equally hard next fall to get an
'.Th,1e appears to be double difficulty In the way
OF Legislative interference in the matter this winter.
ASK for the passage OF bill taking away the con-
frmatory power Of the Board would seem like At
nront 10 the present friendly majority in it
VERY true. Yet bill might be passed this winter
which woslld be worded take effect until
losO IL eed not apply to the Board Of 1879 at all"
AscrrER VIEW IN REGARD THE BOARD.
view or the same question by another authority
'<s a. solEows:-
III seelrs scarcely likely that a republican Iep1s-
l1ature wfl destroy the confirmatory power Of the
Board OF Aldermen when tho fact is that the repub-
hcans really control the Board Wthoufthe republican
Aldermen in the Board there would be no fi-Taxn-
1nany majority for Mayor Coopcr's appointees.
republican Legislature, IL IL passed such . bill
A. proposed. would renounce the republican control.
which consists in the party's portion Of that
majority. on the other hand il IL possible
fhat the republicans. placing full confidence In
xhe Mayor, and being uncertain about the con-
fnuance Of the new combination in tho Board Of
Aldermen beyond another year. might pass
bill which would deprive possible Tanmauy
Board In 1850 OF the old and present power"
A vfEw.
third view of the fnmc question IL given land the
reader may understand anew that In every instance.
in the whole course " this survey. but autori-
ties Of the highest position and best information
quotedl:-
'sThere is no reason founded IN principle why
there should be different rule for the Mayors a
pointments for full terms of ofhce than that which
applies TO his appointments for unexpred terms
During the last i've years there have been at least
rwenty in which Gle Mayor has appointed iins
pOrtant officials to fill vacancies without their confir
lnatiou by the Board of Aldermen. This is because
tho charter power s delegated To the Board
b. confirm nominations ~ hll unexpred terms The
truth il simply THIS :--If mau--the head OF q
department let say-is originally APP
pointed and confirmed. and then resigns the
Very next day. the Mayor can appoint =
new man for the full term without confirmation.
The Board Of Aldermen have nothing 10 say IN
regard 10 The at ALL Given such power Ia
the latter instance las the law reads. in case Of the
death. resignation or removal Of any official
svhon the Mayor has power, why should he not have
at-n thsss days whsa liza Qecle are see&liax Lor