Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1886-09-02
Politics IN A GREAT METRoPo

Politics IN A GREAT METRoPo-
LIS.
/ People who do not live in New York
city are sometimes astonished at the
struggle made by men and parties to con
troll the municipal politics and govern
ment of the great metropolis. They won.
der why the struggle for the mayoralty OF
New York should assume almost national
Importance, and why the election OF other
officials there should attract equally as
much attention as campaign in any tate
OF the Union. New York city politics and
New York city officials are ever in the
eyes OF the public, and men, close read
ers OF the great daily papers, ind the
municipal news from New York steadily
interesting and sometimes rich reading
The men who thus figure so prominently
In New York politics have something to
do with it. In great city like that rest.
Ing on Manhattan island congregate men
OF brains and ambition. The opportuni-
ties and attrltion sharpen their intellec Is
and they command attention. New York
Is also the commercial metropolis. the
moneyed center of tins continent. Every
business man Is more or less Interested in
New York. But the real secret is
to be found in an array of figures THE
GAZETTE read the other day In the New
York Sun. 1t was the municipal budget
the amount Of money that must and
viii be raised from the taxpayers of the
metropolis for the current year. The
sum was SSS, 736, 0O0l This is the mount
II VIII requireto meet the expenses OF the
city for one year. 1t Is an enormous sum.
With over 100000 Inhabitants in the
great state of Texas, we manage to get
along ON an expenditure of only three or
four million dollars per annum. New
York city, with nearly two times less pom.
ulation, and covering less area than the
smallest Texas county, requires nearly
ten times as much money. This vast
amount is collected, handled and dis
oursed by the city government. II re-
quires an army of place-holders and sub.
ordinate officials. The opportunities for
peculating In thievery In the shane of
sineeures, contracts ana jobs, can be i'm.
agined but not described. These figures
tell why It's that New York politics are
so prominent, and why, we may add,
so disgraceful. They account for The
rweeds, the Squires, the "boodle alder.
men," and all that is so brilliant and vet
so disgraeeful In the conduct Of AFFAIRS In
the great city whore every interest ON
this continent centers. Our great cities
and New York Is the greatest, are the
prlde'ot the country, but with their
wonderful growth in wealth and popula.
ton they exercise, In some respects. an
influence that is baneful. They nut 10
shame, In their methods, the primitive.
honest theories that have prevailed. and
to some extent prevail yet, in what a
New Yorker would be pleased to call "the
rural districts" We do not euppose
that human nature is any worse, 40 the
aggregate, In New York than anywhere
eise. The great city ia opulent and an. |
lightened. Its hand is opened freely for |
every charity, and It's institutions OF
'eneyolence and enlightenment are nu.
nervous. 1t rewards genius, helps the
'1ruegllng and gives millions yearly 10
'elgion. But the opportunities and
emptations presented there are so
much greater than elsewhere that
weak men fall and natural.born
ascals revel, and the influence, democrat.
llng and pernicious, goes out over the
Whole country. Judging from the tone
the metropolitan press these facts are