New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-01-28
THE TEXT OF THE REPORT.
THE NEED OF REFORM AssERTED-wBERE IT - "s0-
POSED TO MAKE RADICAL CBANGRs-rHg POWER
OF THE MAYOR INCREASED.

POSED TO MAKE RADICAL cHASGRs-rHg POWER
OF THE MAYOR INCREASED.
Wher as, 1t is strongly represented that
eeunony IN tae government tbs Cry ct Nr~Y0rk
pai a~sts sniSufoaus thereof 6y redycns number
~ officers and enpoyes-a charge o. said ciIy; and,
yarinns branches ard purposes; a'so that edcemcy
IN The administration ol sad eity eau oe improved ey
prOy ling for CONTROLLING authority responsnle fof the
appoint men aud administration 81 the sLioTifaes OF
whereas The SeLate IA aot fully Informed as 10 the
proper 10 secure the objects specified; there
Resolped, That a committee OF Ave members Of tho
Scnat. appointed by the President 10 investigate
fuy a. ali relating 10 the afcre.ad,
with power send for books papers AMI persons. and
to employ a stenographtr and elerk, and that saif
wal hin ter days the next meeting of the Legfslsur
To the Senate The committee appointed pursuant to
the foregoing resolution, have made the inVestgauon
therein directed The evidence taken by the committee
| IL submitted herewith,
brief preliminary explanation s al that Is mecca
sary in reporting to conclusions at which
the committee have arrived as the result OF this nves
tigatlOn. In their opinion the administration OF tho
public business in the City Of New York has not been
too severely condemned By the public press. as an
agency management OF part Of the public adas
VI the State. Of the city. at present
constituted Is marked failure II Is baby regulated,
badly administered, e1orbitany and inexcussby er-
pelve, and ~ It's various parts substantially rresDon-
s.blc.
fhe departments are DothnZ other than independent
COMMISSIONS, over whose action within certain pre-
serihen limits, ~ to some expenditnres tnere Is no
adequate cOntIO. Acting within this limit The heal ot
the department in all matt relating 10 the public bsi-
ness BY and % Oss s "EsHsy s
such matters the head Of the department is really
unswcrahe for his The head Of thr depart
ment appoints ami discharges all the sub0rdDafss
spect lie likes salary each. and assigns each
hs dulles and fcr the discharge OF these duties ;he
Syy to incr obgatiops a. to aimat,ers u aSain
israton il the department. and as TO how these obga
| ID
stan;Ially Iha ciiy must pay az he eeriiife ...,
orS SoM no bsn ssudnrd OF a;mni1-sve
aDl ~ aud III la hdrllty indspensae.e But IN the
are appointed, because Of their acsn"w
edged or even supposed ioity 70 dischaIge me dulles
pay for their availability in promoting or msin'aniny
The iatcrss of or other OF the political organrS-
lions IN city Fidelity to I"tlca leaders Is iae pre-
en- ent qua lrcation O appolntses office. ConspeI
al accompanied with ostentatious saenlssloi to
hY aspiIans for oie ana Is certain 10 orouaaDJ eoA
In theory the Mayor responsible for thF government
~ the ctg HI supposed e. be the highest "icer 10
s Rn@ S Is"E @ praetcs 1 p Gasss sI
isng laws the M'ycr has less powsr 10 ,hs nmene
ments White the head Of depar ment caU ~ the course
Of year. Involve The city N 2eS,'"n, nite, GiaS
cannot awtuily. involve the city ia any a;u9iht
5sy3nl s2oo1 allowet h, for ciess 're, aSa S..ss
Of some OF tue departments can. OF Their ,wn .notan
pseeIfe %e eS whicS w co%ps the issue the ely bcnd
II may BE- 10 an inlmi,ed 1nouat. This highest
cannot iacreore interfere to stop :egi'a,e tho
same The-c p,wers vesied In the heads vi
sSa sSe are no. ps ss ~ any er Of the Sa,Sa ovein-
mru by oicer Of any state or munella, slysa'
mcnt ou tne continent ~ Is rot snrrrs,ng Ia tcIoe,
CONSIDERING the qualifications best calculated &c steura
appOntuCnt o "a, that the adnlnslri'i 10 II IcPss
powers Is 80 unsatisfactory.
The MAYOR HAMPERED.
Aud while the head Of the department Ia th's secure
from any supervising inn renee IN the dschlrgc % MS
duty tie Mayor, his supposed superior 90. of' 10
hauperei az every hand 10 this discharge CT te lew re-
spunsbie duties mtrused to him. HIS power 70 appoint
he Is adnlnister. "ot rom sehse Of aasy,
aud Ia furthernce OF the interest o the e.tl bnt In
obedierc tue dictates Of irresponsible parties VINO
control come OF the agencies whose cooperation ~ M
qurcd, AID who exercise thi. innueIce IN nsshs on
nutlin TO uhce persons subseryent ID tbeir pocs
interests Who Will administer asir depatisnts Ss
offices prom0llhg the political Influence WIN noS
tue Mayor of the cy under exstng laws y mpos-iIs:
II b. acts at all he VII ne eospen" n |" soss
HIM, aud his giving wa, .,,auai virtually ,o "sues wee
nun ,onS9Dr rs 'SSI SSres az uesecs ne % The
best interests Of city, The cy Offices are fed with
reianers of political organzatons who make y ,esit
nyioary duty attend to the interest oI Their poJtt
masters Aud ~ such circumstances II was oi eonr.s 20
b. expected Tat every head ei @
70 be veiection-a sample OF the hsness s sh1cy: e.
sSsSG Tl ss 70 the thai assist
ant OF subordinate In department. or orse s "S 70 nd
sal ~ emu.I tue Que or the other !gd be q,
saeriDce th interests Of the city III lac seoane VI
these officials 10 10 be followed the ,as. nus. no
cpted the city cannot be Det,.r OK soT ~ has
been In the pGs by resyective aa y. euc
meLts uI 0nces. From this opin"n '"0 'oN'
TSrse evils, far reaching in their t,srt. must %
r.Inedlet n Improvements ia the simnisth,on oI .ne
nnh,, tusI1ss iu city Is 20 be secarod 40 secArS
puroyemeut there must be accountability ssu ohunl
In eyery branch Of the administration Aph s iaI ~ e1s
sihia ,oiitiral Influences must Do ennbhssro- sos
no esJ availability. but administrative ndcnV snu c.
r.,ty nust be The determining causes ol appo
~ o:jcs no accomplish this In practice IL pfoeiet nos
easy 10 solve The subject Is Vast 'ns ana "
have be.n sus sstsa eacn having seSera seSa
fcaiures TO commend IL, but IN the opibon o. shS
committee The matter must b. deaf with rs wEo:ss
mi ,'t In isoIaled parts The rvo;s OF efsting esis
must he eradIra.cd aud system estabshsa ms x m@.x