Sacramento daily record-union., 1883-11-05
MUNICIPAL AFFAIRS AND MIsRBPRE-
eSNPATIoE.

There is persistent and mendacious at.
tempt being made In certain quarters by
ward managers to misrepresent the
motives of this journal with regard to
the debate on municipal government,
that demands come little attention.
Oar evening contemporary, which has en-.
gagged in the debate with courteous vigor,
and in some respects differed with US, is
not amenable to any of the reflections in
this article. Some months ago there began
at the East very interesting debate rela-
tive to the government of cities It was
heightened BY the cry for charter reform in
New York, in which the leading journals
joined. Ex-Mayor Grace, of New York,
added to the debate by an article in Har.
psr's Monthly, holding that the needed
economies in city government would be
soonest brought about by giving cities
greater freedom from legislative interfer.
ence. Mr.. Kasson supplemented that
with an exhaustive paper in the North
American Reoieao, claiming that the suf.
frage should be limited in cities to those
having property interests. a non. .parti-
san movement in Brooklyn renominated
Mayor Low in opposition to the dictation
OF local and corrupt bosses. The Repub-
lican party indorsed that nomination, and
its action received the almost unanimous
support OF the press. The gross
extravsgsuces disclosed in municipal
management by the Investigations of the
Philadelphia Committee of l0O;" the
sanitary reforms accomplished in New
port by a citizens organization, and many
other instances, gave interest to the de-
bate in which it has pleased this journal to
take part. 1t has appeared to us that the
time will come when municipal affairs will
be divorced from politics, and the domina.
tion OF rings and bosses be reduced to the
minimum. Such is the tendency of the
day, and he is shortsighted indeed who
does not see it. That the administration
of affairs here might be bettered by more
hearty union of citizens, instead Of their
division by party lines, would seem to be
undeniable. We do not believe that the
policy of this city relative to its domestic
affairsis best declared in political convention
made platforms under "boss dictation
The presentation of these views antayo-
nized the mere party partisan, as matter
OF course, To him there is in their advance
mens simply an assault upon his party,
when in fact the end and aim of the prin.
ciple involved is to disentagle such matters
from party Issues, leaving parties free to
proceed upon all the great questions of
policy that create them.
Some sort of a citizsns' society has
been formed here, and its declara.
tions OF purpose have been published.
The effort has been made TO con.
meet the debate referred to with that or.
ganization. Nothing could be more untrue
or unjust. If any such society should
seek to erect itself into third party and
to set up third system of " bossism, " IS
would merit as bitter reproaehes as do the
existing political would.be dictators who
cripple the parties they assume to aid 1t
is well understood by political disputants
that when cornered those holding the un.
tenable views very often resort to the
meanness of assailing the opponents mo.
tives, and questioning their political in.
tegrity. We are not the advocate nor
coDfidant of the citizens organization of
this city, let it be understood, nor of any
other or contemplated one. We have no
knowledge that any such movement as we
should desire to see is on foot or will
be. We have exercised our right to debate
public question now attracting wide at
tention, and to illustrate it by local refer.
ences. We have been discussing principle
of universal application, business PROPOSE
tions of undeniable correctness, and doc.
tEines that viii as certainly predominate in
the cities of the United States as that our
system of civilization will continue to ad.
vance. In that debate we Lave had occs.
sion to denounce the boss system which has
brought municipal Indebtedness to exceed
the aggregate indebtedness of all the States