New-York tribune., 1884-03-23
FOR THE GOOD OF THE CITY.
WORK OF THE CITIZENS COMMITTEE.

THE stJD-CONfNJTTTE MAKES A RLPoki-N'''
COOPER UNION MEETING TO BE HELD
The Committee of Fifty-three, appointed az 'ne
Citizens meeting in the Cooper lnstltu'c' "" 80
ruarv II. met yesterday in Room Z, IN 'ie "''i'
RniIdinc Those present were william NJ. Evarts'
a,,air.,an professor Theodore w. Dwight, Douglas
Comphcu. s. V. II. Cruger j. Tallmadge Van kehs-
soIaer Jesse Seligman, T.. Randolph ROBINSON
lanes w. Harris, Marvelle w. Cooper, Horace kus-
sell ALBION T. Man, j. ID. Vcrmilyc George w foisoin
DIR. Richard II. Derby II. n Beers, James Ialcot'.
Henry l.. Sprague, Francis NJ. Scott, ). flerponV
Morgan. Francis A. Stout. George +. Cahiieiu
Charles d. Ingersoll, Henry A. Oakley, Edwar" ~
Morrison. H. b. b. Stapler, Mortimer Z. AdaoihS'
Robert Olyphant, James II. Jones, Julian liam
merslough. George L. Rives and J. Blocker Miier
secretary.
The chairman stated that the meeting had peeh
called among other things for the purpose Oh Io-
eeiying a report from the sub committee on legis
laton.
TIE suB-COMMITTEEs REPORT
Douglass Campbell. the chairman OF that com-
mittee. then submitted the following report:
The b 70 empower Mayors of this city 10 make
appointments TO public Office without confirmation Dy
the Board Aldermen has become a law and tue nIst
has Tins been taken We deem IT TO be gratifying cir
cumstance. well worthy of note, that this p can ~ ~
sense be considered q partisan measure IL Was Ptsc
by Republican Legislature and was signed 10y Demo O.
cratic Governor. II received the votes OF Denocs h m
both houses and among the most earnest and ane
speeches uttered in It's behalf were lhose Vi i"o vi ~
Democratic Senators from this city. -, ,oo, oo,,.o
But while the Aldermanic bill, AZ II mas Dccn ca,c
seems 10 he the most important and urgent 3i III - ne =
suggested for the relief OF our city NIL 10 "
very apparent necessity for other and furner
and there arc now pending III the lSgsla.ui ,,toe a
Of bills which, in the Judgment OF your ynoTt GGlni'''e
The bill making the onice or C0niroueI I ,h
has passed both Houses and VIII and
by your committee in Difference TO the wishes ana
SfS ThG 'o ~e b wers aPpehensvc that
evil might result from investing the Mayor Win to i ,
control only of the administrative departments p
also Of the Department Of Finance and the bodIu Vi
Estimate and Apportonment ., ron.r., ,,ctet
OF president of the Board OF Aldermen mas Deeh
by the Senate and is on the order OF inlrd rag ~ and II
should he supported and Its speedy passage urged D
existing provisions of law the president OF tno
Apporionment, and in OF the death or dlst1IV o.,
tho Mayor becomes the acting MAYOR OF ,he ne CITY
to the Mayor II needs no argument 10 support tne ~
on that the president Of the BSnra r obon% S he elected
by the same constituency and In response 10 he rne
public sentiment as that wSn % r nossSy ty that
such those who have OF late years been ceceu pcs
time the enlarged powers hereafter TO be con
ferred upon the Mayor would be standing menace 10
the city
TERMS Co-EXTENsIvE WITH THE MAYORS.
One of the most important bills now pending IN the
LEGISLATURE and the one which will probably arouse the
greatest opYosti0u is that by which 1t proposed 10 n
the terms of such officials may hereafter be appointed
by the present Mayor date shortly subsequent 20 tne
c9mmcncemen OF the term office OF the Mayor TO be
elected in November next The principal Offices 10 wcl
this bin will apply those OF the Commissioner OF o
lie Works and the Corporation Counsel The terms OF tne
present ncumbents of these offices will expire In DeeeI
her Immediately prior expiration OF the term OF OF
flee of present Mayor who, unless the proposed OIL
shall become law viii be ape WIN Ine Econ
May 11ss9 The result would be that neither ho me-
| Inn
which il is the intention Of the hdermanc bl 70 mparl
and the system Of municipal government concentrate
power and responsibility in the hands OF the chief exec
utive would have an unfair tIIai az tne OUTSET IN IN
manic aud its passage by both houses should be urgeC
and insisted upon with undated zeal ana Ill unmstaKa
The nine bills reported and introduced by the speca
Committee OF the Assembly with view to tue cOIrectloi
of the enormous abuses which have been found 10 exist II
certain of the county offices should receive your htar!
and earnest support Not only Will their enactment lneV
itaby tend TO bring about more efceht honest I aI
economical administration Of such offices but IL VII als'
check the accumulation of the vast in5 o M ~
potent partin corrupiing and debauchms our nuhe pa
The foregoing bills should, think receive your con
stant aud ndiv attention until they have na pase
measures which, opinion are or great importance
ana tue passage OF which should be urged upon me Leg.
laturr IN addition to those already approved Ihe Mayor
power removal should be enlarged so "a 10 cOrrespon
moro nearly with the power OF appointment. ,,o,.r
shond he taken ont Of the hands OF the Board Of Police
and ntrused 10 nonparsan board IL 1e cb neDers sy
to remove them far as possible from the influences
| local politics.
SPRING Election FOR MAYOR.
Our last Recommendation is that the election OF Mayo
hould be taken entirely out of State and National polite
bv having him chosen in the spring. This would ene'
tuallv prevent large portion Of the deals and bargain
which now -race our politics. Make his term thre
wears and provide that his subordnates shall go out
office with m as under the Brooklyn charter andthe pee
pe of New-York would have The opportunity Tor goodEO
crnment within their reach WIN an eeeuoh t - @
Iut once in three years, DO not DceNe tdl II Nu
| I've burden With but one official 10 vote lOr on IN
nat form of good or bad government, we believe that IN
| rnponle would make wise selection The system work
we'll III our cities. IL cannot be that III WOuiu Ian neT
where the interests so much larger, ana ~nere
recent sad experience has shown te evil eHectS Vi pu
| lie apathy in respect TO municipal analrs. -,
bill has been introduced In tDe senate inahlhs lu
office of COrDOratIOn Counsel elective. Ihls Dill we car
not commend TO your approval lt seems 20 Us 10 y =
obiectiOnaDe in every aspect In the first place col
portnn counsel should he selected Tor MS pIOiesslo
attanments and ability and not for his personal pOpua
itv ar his potca affiliations. In the second place, as
nnortan part OF his duties consists III consulting VIII
and advising the Mayor, he should be selected Dy ON
nossess the confidence OF that official And In the thir
place. deem II unwiso To increase unhecessaIl! u
voted for serves only 10 divert and confuse the hteho
of the voter and lessen the scrutiny ana care VIII
which he is able TO examine nto the characeIs M an
the several candidates. and, lastly, eae
addition the list of elective oces increases inc oppo
t,m1tics for deals and dlckers by venal and tradn
! political organizations.
Your committee are for similar reasons ur1animOus
and unaeraby opposed TO the passage OF any bill ha
inc in view the election OF any other head OF depdr
All of which is respectfully submitted.
| g v r CRuGFR, CHARLES ID. NGERsoLI,
- " HENRY L. srRAGuE,
subcommittee on Legislation.
A PUBLIC MEETING CALLED.