The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1879-12-09

ular party men to fill the offices in their gift,
and that proved a benefit to the service.
Everybody knew where to find them, and that
they were persons who entertained positive
convictions, and were not at all averse to the
promulgation of them. In fact we were getting
along pretty well, take it all in all, until
Mayor Cooper was elected. The aldermen
were periodically exhibiting symptoms of ve-
nality but then nothing different was expected
of them. The Charter was absolutely con-
structed on the hypothesis that they were open
to bribes. 1t deprived them of power to such
an extent that they had very little capacity
left for mischief The truth is, their chances
of making ga little something" by negotia-
tions are so few and small that when an OPEN
ing does offer they snap at it hungrily. Hence
the readiness with which they rushed to the
support of the Chambers street scheme, which
will fail after all, for the organic law contains
so many safeguards against aldermen's rapacity
that it will be impossible for the ingenuity of
jobbery to surmount them all. The advent
of Mayor Cooper upon the municipal stage was
the signal for a general scene of confusion.
OF course Tammany Hall was intensely hostile
to him, and he had no party behind him on
whose united and vigorous support he could
rely. The Republicans accepted him as
choice of evils; the anti-Tammanyites were
split into so many factions that they couldn't
possibly harmonic in counsel. He was not
strong enough to adopt an aggressive course.
And yet he made an early and vehement as
sault upon the Police Commissioners. That
opened the battle at once. He removed one
oh
the allegation that he didn't keep the streets
clean. He put in his place Mr.. Mclean,
under whose administration the streets have
ever since been by general admission dirtier
than they were before. He exasperated
the Tammany leaders by removing Gen
eral Smith all of a sudden and at
time when the impelling motive seemed
to be the desire to fill the place with
partisan of the Tilden-Robinson wing OF the
party. These acts, coupled with the Govern
or's removal of Gumbeton, rendered the sub
sequent bolt of Kelly an inevitable certainty in
case of Robinson's reconciliation. Looking at
the whole matter in its political aspect, it is
perfectly satisfactory. The taking of Mr.. Til
den off of the Presidential course may not be
the best thing for the Republican party. In
fact, do not think it is. 1 should be very glad
to believe he might be the nominee, because
think he would be so easy to beat. But, at all
events, there is some satisfaction in witnessing
such desperate quarrel between the Demo
Gratis of New York. 1t isn't thing that can
be readily or speedily healed up. 1t has all
the qualities that combine to give it depth and
durability. And this terrific political force
concentrated here upon the Island and its sur
roundings is perpetual menace to the well
fare of the Republic. Anything that will tend
to weaken and divide it is welcome interpo-
sition. Therefore the existence of an irrecon-
cilable feud among the Democracy of the EN-
pre State is an omen of good to the people OF
the Union.
But outside of the considerations of party
advantage, it is unquestionably a misfortune
that there are so many hindrances in the way
of our having an able and reliable administra-
ton of local affairs Whether the laws are
habitually violated or vigorously enforced de-
pends entirely upon the caprice of the official
to whom the execution Tor suspension) oil
them is entrusted. Not infrequently he insists
that those must be obeyed which might be ig-
nored without the smallest harm to anybody
and pays no attention whatever to the duty OF
compelling the observance of statutes framed
expressly to repress disorder and crime. For
example, Mr.. Cooper's Police Commissioner
Mr.. Mclean, nightly passes by numerous gam
bling dens where credulous victims are nightly
being plucked of their own means, and too Of
ten of trust funds with which they are tempted
to WOO fortune. They pursue their nefarious
quest with absolute impunity. But presently
he reaches the Seventh Regiment Armory,
where they are rafting off prizes in a Fair to
which every subscriber has paid his money
cheerfully and with full and free consent that
the prize shall be accorded to the winner of the
lucky number. Forthwith the majesty of the
law makes itself felt throughout that vast as
semblage. The ukase goes forth that there
must be no such drawing. The gathering hosts
of ''fair ladies and brave men" are reminded
in terms more forcible than polite that they
are culprits, and they are obliged to apportion
the objects which they have been disposng of
or taking chances in, in silence and secresy.
Such occurrences as these bring ridicule and
dersion upon the officials who are responsible
for them and make our citizens more than ev-
er conscious that our system of municipal gov
ernment is lamentably imperfect and defective.
New York is a grand city in many particulars.
Her history is chequered one. She IS no'
wanting in elegant and hospitable homes, in
useful public and charitable institutions, in
multitudes of generous and noble inhabitants;
but her experiences as corporation have
served no higher purpose yet than to show
how difficult thing it is for population OF o
million of souls gathered together from many
parts of the globe and speaking variety of
tongues to carry out successfully the principle
of self-government. YARMOUTH