New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-08-22

been greatly exaggerated. Their mother was
woman of twenty-five years old land the mother
of three children when he nied, and she haI never
once seen him the waur for liquor" There were
vary mopy idle people L the ward, an q greas
deal o. talk" tney said. After his fathers death ne
assumed the position OF the head Oh tho mousse anu
led IN family prayers each morning. and everybody
said even the servants that thero wero never sucn
beautiful prayers heard He was generous v sEdl
however poor he might be. without bringing u
present for every member of the family; always
pound of tea for his mother, and tea was tea
then" the old ladies added.
HARPER.
Mr. Millstt,s spirited description of ramble in
Dalecaria is accompanied by drawings full OF
grace aud sentiment and skilfully engraved. Inc
illustrations of the number are, In iact exceiieht
examples of the triumphant progress OF American
engraving. The literary contents oil the magazine
are az usual valuable and timely Mr.. j. r. Is.
Marshall contributes An Unpublished Chapter oil
Hawaiian History showing the fashion IN which q
Young American saved the islands from annexation
by England The first part of story by tho
daughter of Hawthorne is given; and there is a
suggestive paper by Mr.. William h. Grace upon tho
government of cities in this State. OF the powers
of the Legislature he says:
It NAV say OF it's acts as Louis XVI. did to the
Duke of Orleans. Z" They are legal because we VIII
it, The cities have no moro protection against u
at the mercy of politicians at the Capitol Inc
Legislature which once went so lar even as 10
make our municipal budget upon the reports OF lts
own committees, can do 30 again whenever III
wills: la fact does it even now IN a modified form
when il refuses to the municipality the power to t2
the paw of ITS ircmen aud policemen, and
when IL passes laws compelling the New York CITY
Board of Estimate and Apportlonment TO pnt INTO
the local budget sums which are wholly ior local
purppses or worse yet, sums with the payment Oh
which tie locality should never be burdened at ALL
Exercising the same absolute power. II may now,
as heretofore. at any time change tie personnel OF
the Board OF Estimate and AppoTtlonment, and
specincally name such offices AS are FOR the time
bedg filled Dy dishonest and schemlng men, as ~
did 1hsn the power ovei the budget was calmly
confi,led 10 Tweed. Connolly. and Swesny. The
Legislature eau at its pleasure spend the money or
locality for puTely local purposes, although every
citizen OF the locality object. aud may compel the
levy and taxation to meet the expenditure. In a
word ID may compel municipal or local cor
pnrations to do whatever 10 may permit
them TO do. II may 20 further, and by changing
their territorial limits. or by creating new Offices
with functions. IT can Itself name the very men
WHO are to fill the offices in SPITE OF the constitu-
tonal provision that Il belongs exclusively to the
local mower TO I'LL tho Offices either by election or
appointment" No better illustration OF this could
10 cited than the action OF tho present Legislature
in appointing by name the men who are to baNe the
expenditure of from twenty 10 thirty millions OF
the money of the Mayor AID Commonalty Of the
Civ of Now-York without the right on the part OF
the citizens who are to paw for the new aquednct to
sag an authoritative wUrd is to who should MI the
offices OF cOmm sslonefs.
York which has the lsrgrst city pOpuia ion OF any
State in the Union. the government OF inunIc pail
ties Il conducted, except M tbs most picayune de-
tails by the central aud not by the local govern
ment and that the term local selfeovernment Is
in practice "A mere delusiye ml-nonler. The worst
teatute of tins system, however Il not that its
practical sect to actually strange local sell gov
crument but that IL poisons or even klls outright
a true municipal spirit believe IL Ia almost en-
trey to this clause that we owe the evil which Is
commonly supposed TO spring from other sources
mean the facilities for corrupt political oreaniLa
tons and the difficulties experienced IN eiiectlDg
a counter organization among responsible and
self respsct.ng citizens. Under sucb form of gov
eminent great numbers OF ctizcns suon lose al! In
terest in voting. and the ballot-boIes fall lnto the
possession Of those who, To tic words OF of Mr.
MIL do not bestOw their suifrages on public
grounds but sell them for money. or vote ht the
beck of some who has conlro over lhem.o or whom
for private reasons they desire To prOptllte "; and
the result invariably ~ as pointed out by the Same
writer that popular election thus practlsed, in
stead OF security against mlsgovernment. IS but
an additional wheel III ITS machinery" Tho defect
OF our system is that in municipalities tho people
have never been permitted actually 10 realize the
dignity and responsibillty oil seH-g0yernment.
They have practically been denied the right 10 that
experience which brings with II tho only political
education That renders People capable OF self
Government. This is peculiarly harmful in the case
of the larger cities the very greatness of which has
a tendency to eclipse the sense OF private aud
per ona responsibility on the part of their citizens
who being lost in tho crowd feel themselves to be
the ciphers rather than the units which go 10 make
up the grand total CT tho population
fully realize tho value of, the ones which all
most n naturally and most gladly exercise. and these
are inst the which are refused 10 city dwell
ers who need them most bccause their government
il most difficult. The result is that the history of
municipal government with MS. as with all peoples
who are deprived of these liberties Is only the long
story of an alienation of COMMISSIONS and failures
for the right of the Legislature to change our
charters to restrict, enlarge. or redistrbnte tho
powers conferred on our local representatives, Il
nothing loss than right TO work revelations at
will, without even so much as consulting the cities
themselves Good government, consequently II
we ever have il is purely accidental ana from bad
government wa have no escape except In appealing
To the State exercise IFS right OF making TevOlu-
tons for MS. thus falling the very whose
continued Interference has done most 10 produce
the prevalent evils. At ono tune another every
possible plan only excepted. has been resorted
to for the government OF municipalities in this
State and that one lis the honest democratic repub-
lican plan which permits cities Tally to rule them
selves But this happens TO he the peoples plan and
II is not regarded with favor by the politicians who
have BECOME professional caste whose interests are
not the popular interest As consequence this sim
pie but efficient plan has been honestly tried
and the politicians are to-day the most bitter enc
mics OF every amendment OF tho constitution and
the laws which would tend To lift the affairs OF
cities out of the slough Of State politics.
IL is thus apparent that under present system
II is the merest misuse of words to speak OF munc-
ipal liberties.