New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-05-14
THE pEVFYUE OF THE HALLS.1


ANYTHING that lessons the revenue of the
Democratic shalls" Of this city is gain for
the cause of good government. The reform
legislation of last year, which VIII make the
next County Clerk and Register salaried officers,
will be of benefit In largely decreasing the
assessments paid by candidates for those offices.
In the same way similar bills affecting
the city of Brooklyn passed Tuesday
will be equally beneficial to that city. The
enormous assessments levied on candi-
dates practically amount TO division OF
the recepts of an office. The practice ought
TO be stopped, particularly in the case OF
iudges or candidates for judicial offices. Inc
Bar Association took up this subject some time
AGO. bnt it seems to have dropped it. Inc
evil is recognized and condemned by all the
MANNERS of the association. Candidates for
iudicial Office in the higher courts have been
repulary assessed $4,000 to $4,000 each by
the Democratic halls" Failure to pay means
defeat, and only such men are nominated as are
willing to pay. The association desires to stop
such assessments, but how to do SO, SNORT Oh an
absolute prohibition of payment OF any money
for political purposes, is difficult problem
In England the expenditure of any can
didate for an elective public office Is limited.
PERHAPS such O plan might meet the recog-
nized evil here, if absolute prohibition oil
assessments does not commend itself to the
legislature The legitimate expenses of
campaign in this city, including the printing
of tickets, the manning of the polls, the rent OF
Headquarters, .andl other necessary things
amount to about $4,000. If no better way
can be found by the Legislature to meet
the evil. it might be we'll to pass law fixing
n limit to the amount which any candidate
for n specified office can contribute to his party
either before or within certain time after
an election.
There is need of radical reform in present
methods Ofice-holders, obliged to pay enor-
nous sums to political bodies, go to work with
view of getting their money back. What that
has led to in the county offices was shown last
year, when an Assembly committee investigated
the conduct of the Sheriff, County Clerk and
Register, each one of whom had to pay $4,000
or more for his ele ctiOn. There should be 10
more bills passed TO create unnecessary salarled
officers, such as the proposed new Immigration
bill as it is only another means OF aiding the
"halls." The present non-salaried commission
is working well enough Another class of bills,
designed for the same purpose, authorizes the
city authorities to pay old and bogus claims OF
former city officials. One of the latest OF these,
which is working its way through the Legis-
lature, was introduced by Senator Cullen, and
legalizcs the increase of salary voted by the
Tweed Board of Supervisors in 1870 to certain
District Court employees. If the money is ever
obtained from the city treasury, good share of
it will 90 into the treasury of the "halls
whose supporters at Albany secure the passage
of such measures. 1t is incredible that honest
and intelligent legislators when modo aware
of the facts can support such bills