The New York herald., 1879-09-07
A DissraeeruI city Government.

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serve the people to transact certain busi-
ness for the whole community which the
individuals composing it cannot without
loss of time and great cost attend to each
for himself. There is a prevalent notion
that governments are established for the
benefit of the ofice-holders, and to give
fat living to certain large and increasing
number of politicians. But. plausible as
this theory is, it is false. In reality
governments, in modern times and in tree
States are constituted for the convenience
of the people, and not for their inconven-
ience. We may justly be asked to pay
part of our earnings as taxes to support
police, on the ground that this is, or ought
to be, cheaper than for each man to watch
his own house and goods and protect his
own and his family's lives. We pay another
part of our earnings as taxes for park COM
mission, because it is impossible for every
| citizen in turn to SO up and look
after the public grounds. Wepay dock COM
missioners in like manner because each of
us cannot 60 out in boat once a week or
month to see that the harbor is not filled
with garbage, or that the bay on which
our prosperity and the value of our property
depend is not made common dumping
ground. We pay men very handsomely to
look after our streets, and others for various
other purposes, but all to do for the body
of the citizens what these cannot SO well
attend to themselves.
1t is mistake, and a very serious one, in
the persons whom We employ for these
purposes, when they imagine that the city
really exists only for them, to give them on
easy living, to afford them time and oppor-
tunity to speculate upon it's wants and to
quarrel about its rich plunder. But that
is really and in all sobriety the attitude of
the politicians toward this city. To them
it is a rich prize, for the privilege of plum
dering which they fight among each other,
and as to any duties appertaining to their
of1ices-duties to the people, we mean-they
simply neglect them.
This has gone on so long that it has be-
come system. Even honest and repu-
table men, when they manage to get them
selves chosen care. akers for the city, utterly
neglect their duty and go to work to use
the power and privilege of their places to
advance the aims OF some political faction
or party Everybody, we suppose, will adj
NIT that o moro honorable or respectable
man than Mr.. Cooper does not live ; in
fact, when he was nominated for Mayor
the journals were filled with praises Of his
high character and prophecies of the great
and wonderful benefit the city would derive
from placing such man at the head Of its
affairs. 1t was thought almost disgraceful
to oppose his election or to pretend that he
would not bring the millennium with him in
paper parcel when he entered the Mayors
office.
Well, Mr.. Cooper has been Mayor nearly
year, and what do we see? We see the
city government in indescribable and dis
graceful confusion, and Mr.. Cooper sitting
in the Mayors chair as quiet and helpless
MS though he were a mummy We see the
Police Commissioners engaged in vulgar
squabble some of them turned out of
Office by the Mayor and Governor in order
to advance merely partisan scheme those
who have possession quarrelling among
themselves to degree which will presently
which it Is their sworn duty to watch over
refusing to appoint inspectors Of cleo
tions because each side wants to
gain some party advantage by an act
which the law intends for the impartial
protection of all the citizens on election
day and the impartial prevention and
punishment Of dangerous crime. Gould
f,,1 H., 4
gusting spectacle than this be presented to
the community? The very heads of the
force which is to preserve the peace and
prevent wrongs conniving with, or against,
each other to contrive way by which some
of them shall secure an unjust advantage
for their political organization!
Well, there is spectacle still more dis
graceful and humiliating. Look at the
Park Commission. It's members also are
quarrelling among each other, neglecting
their duties to the Park, calling each other
rascals in the public prints. Two honora-
BILE Commissioners charge third with
taking bribes; and this third man, while
scolding back with countercharges of low
intrigues against his fellow Commissioners,
has been very slow and awkward in
meeting a charge which ought to
expel in disgrace either him or the
Commissioners who have made it. It is O
vulgar and disgraceful squabble, carried
on in style and spirit which necessarily
deprives the Commissioners of the respect
and confidence of. the public, which units
them to have relations with decent and re-
spectacle citizens, and which, whether the
charges of bribery and corruption are we'll
or i'll founded, makes them. by the manner
in which they have treated these charges,