New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-05-02
GOOD YORK At ALBANT.

The fear that the State Senate would nor
prove as favOrably disposed toward the city
reform bills as was the Assembly has iOrtu-
nately been dispelled. The Senate has gone fur
Their even than the lower house in passing wise
measures for the relief of the city, lnthe Senate
Yesterday all the bills reported by the Roosevelt
Committee were passed, excepting one held
for further consideration, and one Ill regard 10
searches in the Finance Department, which was
laid aside in the Assembly AZ the request OF Ar.
Roosevelt Five of the measures originating III
that committee have now gone to the Governor,
and there can be no question that he will ap-
prove them.
The bill relating to searches in the County
Clerks Office was passed yesterday by the
Senate in the same form in which it was first re-
ported to the Assembly. The latter body
amended it by reducing the fees to be charged
for searching the dockets of judgments and
DEGREES and for other matters of record, and
aboIishing entirely the fee of five cents for the
making of each return. The Senate acted
wisely iu restoring those fees to the original
rates That the Office Is to be a salaricd one
furnishes no reason why an experiment should
be made in the way of reducing and abolish
ing fees. The search department Of the County
Clerks Office should be self-sustaining. The
services rendered by it are not for the benefit
Of the community i'll general They are
solely in the interest of those persons
who desIIe to make investments in real
estate or to give credit TO others asking
for it. Those two classes of the community
should pay for the services rendered them.
The testimony taken by the Assembly Commit
tee makes il doubtful if the search department
would be self-sustaining i'll case the fees to be
paid the county, on the Office becoming
salaried one, were reduced to the extent
named in the amendment made to the bill
in the Assembly. Hence, that body ought to
agree at once with the Senate on this matter
and send the bill to the Governor.
As to the Park BILL it would be much better
to pass the measure in It's present form than to
run any great risk of its defeat by amendments.
The duties to be mtrusted to one man under
that bill are not One-half as great as those con-
ferred by existing laws on the Commissioner
Of Public Works. AT the same time il would
be much better to con6ne a Park Commits
siOner to the work of caring for the public
parks. But an evenly divided commission,
such as that now managing the parks and a
portion of the public streets, has invariably
proved to be an inefficient body. Rather than
continue that management il would be a decided
improvement to give the next Mayor the sole
power to appoint a single-headed commission.
1t would be wise legislation, however, to place
the entire water supply of the city under charge
of the Aqueduct Commission, and to give the
care of the streets and sewers in the annexed
district to the Public Works Department, which
has also the care of the public buildings street
lamps, free baths and many other things. The
Park Department would then be left to its
proper functions.
The good work already accomplished in the
Legislature is the direct result of the interest
shown by the people of this city In their own
welfare. 1t is an encouraging sign when mem
bcrs secretly opposed toreform reach tie wise
conclusion not to stand in its way. But there
is earnest work yet to be done. The bill which
passed the Senate to give the next Mayor
the power to appoint Commits
siOner of Public Works and a Corporation
Counsel is still strangely delayed in the AS
sembIy. The vote on this bill yesterday can
only be accounted for as the result of the work
of Commissioner Thompson's lobby. Alike i'm
pOItant with that measure is the Civil Service
bill which remains in state Of doubt IN the SEN
ate. Brooklyn asks that bills should be passed
applying to the County Clerk, Sheriff and Regis
ter of that city similar TO those applying TO
New York. 1t is a just demand that should be