Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1884-02-29
vBsrIss POWER IN ONE mAN.

No more remarkable instance of the
power of public opinion and the respect in
which it is held when once it speaks its
commands has been given in recent years
than in New York in the case of the Roose.
welt bill. As general thing it is not desir-
able that legislative body should pass any
measure under the sudden or coercive men
ace of public meetings.
But the present case is phenomenal and
rises superior to all others, and the charac-
ter of the demand and of the men making
it take it out of the dungeons category of
of public threats. The Aldermen of the
city Of New York WELD power scarcely
second TO that of Congress. They have a
wider and more profitable corrupting pat
ronage.dispensipg power than any other Of
fcisls in the land. They have used their
power so viciously that New York has be.
come the worst governed city in America
inhabited by civilized people. The inter-
ests of the people are of "third and
fourth consideration, and self-gsin are
first and second matters of Importance
with the rulers of the nations metropolis
Finally the Roosevelt bill was brought be-
fore the Legislature, proposing to give the
whole appointing power TO the Mayor, and
to strip the Aldermen of it entirely. OF
course there is peril in this proposition.
But this one officer is the result of ohoos-
ing of all the people Of the city, and to
them he will be responsible for misuse of
tbis vast power True, he may be over
come by the magnitude of such vast AT.
thority and turn out q corrupt man. But
it is very torcibly replied that one man is
more easily controlled who is elected by
The whole people, than two.score of ward
striking Aldermen, chosen by vote in cir
cumscribed districts.
a great meeting was recently held by
citizens coming from the parties and repre-
senting the intelligence and worth of the
city. This meeting demanded of the Legis.
lature the passage of the bill and cent up
to Albany committee of fifty citizens to
urge it. The lower house thereupon
adopted it by an overwhelming majority.
But though the measure is supported by
nearly all the great leading papers, and is
the pronounced sentiment of the majority
OF self.respectiDg Newly orkers, the bill
meets with opposition, and true to its in.
stinets the Democratic "organs and
Democratic henchmen and ward managers
develop IS the opposing forces. This is DO
more than was TO have been expected. 1t
is in consonance with the principles of the
Democracy. Fighting civil service reform
as it does, it could not be that the party
which has but one aim-office, and one
war.cry, Put the other fellows out"
should occupy any other position. To
fortify It's opposition, the party strikers
rsise the cry of Capitalization and au-
tocrscy.p
We have noted that whenever an effort
to put strength and safety aud honesty
into government is made, that the DEM
ocracy becomes greatly alarmed for fear
that the rights of the dear people will be
absorbed by that monster, centrslizs-
ton" Capitalization has been the
ghost with which the demagogues have
frightened timid souls these many years.
1t is time the "spook should be laid
There can be no fear of any Capitalization
of power which the people unite in Great.
ing. They constitute the central power
they are the spring and source of power
whenever they enlarge a trust or create
new one, it is but appointing themedium and
defining the scope of its authority through
which already centralized power acts. The
fate of the Roosevelt bill is of great mo.
ment to the whole country, for on its de-
feat or triumph hangs, to a great extent,
the outcome of the now crusade against
ring municipal management in the United
States