New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-02-09
MAYOR EDSON'S CHARTER.

MAYOR EDSON'S CHARTER.
II has been known ever since the new Mayor
entered office that this Legislature would be
asked TO make extensive changes i'll the city
charter. Mr. Edison has been in consultation
with the advisers whom he trusts, and the re-
suit of their deliberations is now given to the
world. The proposed changes are so radical,
that if carried into effect they would upset our
whole municipal system in little more thah
fortnight. The great body of citizens are
not likely to regard them with favor, while
they are sure to excite the most active
hostility in many quarters. Inc Two
chief features of the plan are these
Single heads for all the departments ex-
cept that of Education, and unchecked power
of removal and appointment in the Mayors
hands. Single heads for most of the depart
ments would be a great gain in the direction
of simplicity, efficiency and direct responsible
ity. if the heads should prove 10 b. OF the right
sort. And good Mayor with courage, and free
from any Obligation orresponsibility to anybody
save the whole body of good citizens, could
vastly improve our city government II ne couid
appont and remove officials whenever the public
interest clearly required it. But is Mr. Edison
Mayor of that kind ? Such appointments rs
those of Police Commissioner Sidney !. Nichols
and Police Justice Patrick G. Duffy have led
TO melancholy uncertainty on that point. IL
these charter changes should be made, would
the heads of departments named hy him be men
whom the respectable classes would delight to
honor, or would they be merely the managers
of Democratic district committees
1t certainly is not wise or safe to Overturn
the entire structure Of our city government IN
order that the Democratic factions should con-
troll it even more completely than they control
it now Especially IA to the Police Board, we
do not believe respectable citizens OF whatever
party can regard with composure plan to
abolish the non-partisan feature, and lntrust
the whole control of the police and OF elections
to one Tammany appOintee. There has not
been time yet TO forget what Tammany GId
before with the ballot box when it had
the power In his appointments thus far, Mr..
Edison has seemingly recognized no obligations
save to the Democratic party, and not the
best elements of that. He was not elected TO
Office with any understanding on the part OF
the voters that the government should be rev.
olutonzed during his term and his powers
so enormously increased as this charter would
increase them 1t would be little else than
to Mayor not chosen on that very issue such
powers as this charter would put in Mr.. Ed
sons hands. For bear in mind that
il legslates ont of office on March 1 of this year
every member Of the existing Boards and
Departments of Police Public Works, Parks,
Docks, Fire, Charities and Correction, Excise,
Health and Taxes, and also the Controller and
Corporation Counsel, and gives Mayor Edison
absolute authority to appoint new and single
heads Of all these departments without the
necessity of confirmation by the Board of AL
dermen and without check Of any name or ma
ture Is there sense or reason in imposing
such responsibility and such authority upon a
gentleman now only month III office, who has
yet furnished no proof of special fitness for 80
great a tasks This charter would give
entire control of Our Bureau of Elec-
tons to the single Police Commissioner
whom the Mayor is to appoint. As Mr.. Ed
son thought proper only few weeks ago to
show his confidence in Mr.. Nichols by reap
pointlng him O member of the Police Board, it
is not unreasonable to suppose that Mr.. Nichols
might be his choice as the single head Of the
department With Mr.. Nichols to run the cleo
tons, Tammany Hall need never feel any anxiety
about the result. If Mr.. Edison should con-
tinue to apply the same principle to appoint
| ments under the proposed charter that he has
applied hitherto, the Republican party Of this
city, representing as it does the major part of
the intelligence the wealth, the substantial
interests of Ncw-YOrk, would speedily be
deprived of lot or portion in the government.
II would have no voice and no influence in
the great departments Of Taxes, Police and
Health, or III the other divisions of our NUM-
cipal system on which the comfort, prosperity
and happiness of every citizen so completely
depend.
Fortunately there is little probability that
any such revolutionary scheme as this can
become law. Public sentiment will never
sanction it, and the Legislature and the
venture TO make so sweeping changes. If
| it is desirable to overturn our municipal sys-
ten this snot the proper way to do it. A new
| city charter of this kind should only be-
| come operative under the administration of a
Mayor chosen with the express object
| of carrying such changes into effect. GIVE
| the people a chance to vote on the issue with
their eyes open. That was the way in which
Brooklyn worked out its regeneration. When
the voters on the other side of the East River
elected Mayor Low, they knew perfectly well
that they were making him the responsible
head of their government with complete con
troll of the departments. But when the majority
of the Democrats of New-York put Mr.. Edison
in Office, neither they, nor the Republicans.