Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-05-10
Observation-Disclosures
CHAOS CREATED BY TIE EN-
CISE BOAikD Row.

ClSG 6OA1ktJ kSN( W.
The Alleged Aurocratic Power OF Ap,
pointmeDt Given the Mas OF by the New
Law the Cause OF the Troublesome
OF the City's Social Queens.
NEW YORK, May S.-Local politics are
In very chaotic state, OWING to SQUAD
Die over the Excise Board. There are two
boards in session, each receiving tnOu-
sands OF dollars a day. and each claiming
legal powers. The trouble grows out OF
bill passed by the legislature. and signed
by Gov. Cleveland, giving me Mayor OF
New York autocratc power OF appoint
ment. This bill was drawn by Iheou0re
Roosevelt, when an Assemblyman. u
took from the Board of Aldermen the power
OF confirmation. Through an oversight
the Commissioners OF Excise were left
out Of the list OF heads Of departments
entirely within the control OF the Mayor.
The term OF the Old board ran out on Nay
/. The Mayor recognizing the cOaiirma-
tory power OF The Board OF A ldermen sent
i'm the names of John Van Claim, Charles
II. Woodmau and ". ;. Andrews for
the new Excise Commissioners. The
nominations were tabled. In the Board
of Aldermen the Republicans hold the
balance of power between the County
Democracy and Tammany Hall. Van
Glahp is a County Democrat VINO has
held Office as clerk IN the courts for
fifteen years. He was backed by ali the
Judges and he has the friendship Of HUI
bert o. Thompson. More than all. he is
Mayor Grace's personal friend. Wood
man is nominal Republican, but is knit
TO the Mayor by the closest personal and
business ties. He is Secretary OF the
Civil Service Commission. No one seems
TO know precisely where Andrews comes
in. He is a son of old stephen Pearl An
drews. A quarter of a century ago / saw
him playing the drug clerk TO DIR. Saw
age" IN John Brougham's comedy Of
s'Playing with Fire" After that he was
an Assemblyman, and still later a COilec-
tor Of Internal Revenue OF the great dis
trict OF Brooklyn. Afterwards he turned
up as confidential friend OF Samuel
j. Tilden, and still later otiicated as Sec
rotary OF the late Democratic National
Convention in Chicago.
Under the law the old Board OF Excise
would hold over until its successor was
confirmed. Failing to secure the con-
1irmatiOn Of his nominations the Mayor
steered his new Board INFO sea of
futile effort to seize the office and books
of the old Board, and finally set up nus
mess of Its own. All liquor dealers We're
warned against any dealings with the
old Board, and the police authorities were
asked TO arrest any man selling liQu0c
under its licenses after May I. The po-
lice commissioners hesitated. but they
were showed into the ii hit by shrewd
move on the part of the Mayor The
Corporation Counsel comes within his
autocratlc range, the appointment OF that
official being valid without reference to
che Board OF Aldermen. The Corporation
Council, therefore, promptly decided in
the face of the letter OF the law that the
new Board of Excise was the legal
Board. This decision has thrown thous.
ands of liquor dealers into quandary
The police threaten TO close the places OF
those who have not received licenses
from the new Board since May |, and
there is a perfect whirlwind of political
excitement.
The real secret of the row is found in
the determination Of the Mayor to secure
autOcratic political as well as municipal
power. Before any nominations were
sent in Fire Commissioner Purroy, a
leader OF great weight IN the County
Democracy and ever n stauuch adherent
of Grace, asked that Hugh FaIrigan. pro-
prietor Of C0bweb hall, should be nOmi-
mated to one OF The vacant Commissioners
he would guarantee a confirmation Of the
new Commissioners by the Board OF
Aldermen. The Mayor refused him point
blank. This refusal incensed Purrny.
Ibey have not spoken to each ether from
that day to this. Meantime the Republi-
can chiefs protested against the political
classification of N0odman. They said
that no Republican Alderman woui.l vote
10 confirm a man who was not accepta Die
10 the party. The Mayor IN despair
burned to Tammany. He Is said 10 have
promised large snare OF the patronage
OF tue board 10 that OrganiZat on if It's
Aldermen would turO in with Il few well
creased County Democracy ial overs and
confirm the appointments. This proposi-
ton is said to have been made TO Fire
Commissioner Croker. He estimats d mis-
honor by saying: Nominate ilu- d Farri.
gan and the nine Tammany Aldermen
will vote 10 confirm the whole board"
Thus loiled IN every effort TO secure con.
hrmation the Mayor, apparently deter.
mined to hold the whole power OF grant.
lng licenses within his personal grip has
forced the present situation upon the civ
IL Will cost thu tax PAYERS SiU1, 100
before IL is settled. 10 ian only prove dis.
astr0us TO the county Democracy, Tor the
entente cUrdtdie between Croker and Pur.
ROY, indicates that it may force tue latter
with his hosts OF friends into the Tam.
many ranks next fall. Such a result
would surely upset Grace in his canvass
for reelection, and give Iammany hold
that could not be shaken until ALTER the
next Presidential election. Fortunately
Tor the party az large no State ticket il e
be elected this fail. The throat cutting j.
thus confined to the candidates OF tue mu
nicipal election.
v,s,-..