New-York tribune., 1886-05-24
TIE SPRING ELECTIONS BILL
GOVERNOR HILL EXPECTED TO VETO IT.

ALBANY, May 23.-(tovernor Hill. it j. said
intends to veto the New-York spring Elections b not
wiihstsnfing tho fact that IN s annual message to the
Legislature IN January recommended slch meas ire
The opposition Of tle Democratic members OF the L"gis
ature from New-YorI to the measure however. IA too
vim mt 10 be dreg rhed keen politician "a tho
Governor They .ay tha; the section OF the bill which
provides FOR the election OF fourteen Aldermen a
general ticket wouit make It doubly dim ut and I've
fold ~ pcnsye for them be elected II that
II is he custom OF Democrat who desires to the
Assembly to form political partnership with some
Democrat who IL running for Alderman In
the district Tho Alderman running
as lie Ia. for the lucrative Office
pays twnthirds ot tho and the candidate for
A'-emhlYmnn only onc-third. Any bill therefore which
Will make it more expensive to he elected Assembly,
man naturally has the opposlcion o; every Democrat
who Is an asprant ior that oficr.
Governor Hn however Will ou.w warily take a lottier
exception to the bill He will say that the systom Of
cumulative voting provided for IN the bill suncOustitu
uonaL IL happens that he hts precedent set by
Democratic Governor In alter OF cumulative vot-
inS and the granting OF representation TO Republican
minority. That precedent made by Gov rnor Hof-
man In the year ls71 Every one remembers that in
the fall OF 1871 there considerable excitement
In New York about a DE nOcratic thief. William W.
Tweed. who had stolen millions OF the cy's property
committee OF seventy ctzcnS established To re-
form the government OF New.York; and they wrested
/
The next winter tho Conmittee OF Seventy came 10
Albany with reform charter for the City oi SevYork.
Two OF the members OF the Assembly that time were
samuel j. Tlden and David b. IIil The dstin gushing
feature OF the charter OF Committee OF Seventy
s provision FOR minority rppresenatou for the repre-
sentat,on OF the Republicans OF New-York In
the Board OF Aldermen. They were TO be
given minority representation by system Of
cumulative voting similar to that which ia provided
FOR ia the bill before Governor Hill. There were
long debates IN the Legislature the bill and there
fore all iis features have been impressed on Mr.
H- memory. IL ia natural that he should recall them
now that he is Governor.
Governor Hoffman vetoed the bill. He could not ap
prove OF bill which gave representation to Republic
Mr. Hoffman put forward his cAef objection 70
the measure the plan for cunulave voting This re-
garird - unwise and unconstitutional
Curiousy enough in his veto message Governor Hof-
criticised fourteen years IN advance Of its exist
ence another important bil now In Governor Hil's
hands namely. that which authorizes President Mooney
of the Board oi Aldermen OF NewYork TO appoint three
EScise Commissioners aking the power away from the
Mayor OF New-York Governor Hoffman firmly believ ei
that all powern NewYork should be concentrated in the
hands Of the Mayor lie thousat there should be one
officer in New-lork who could he held responsible tor
It's evil government when it b Al An evil government II
Governor Hiu follows Governor Hof nan. advice.
therefore. Dill giving President Mooney
authority 10 appoint the Excise Commissioners. Poll
OF the opinion however tn 30 the Mooney bill
Will signed aud that the Governor Will Withhold his
from the spring Elections bill There Will be
some inconsistency In TN. action. bat no active Demo
cratic politician can be expected 70 be consistent
Governor Hi viii doubtless file with the secretary
OF for the spring Elections
bil. Those Will PROBABLY be similar % those
gwen by Governor Hoffman. 1t will be interesting u
compare the two documents. The Hoffman veto Of
cumulative voting was submitted TO the Assembly Oh
/ April 80. Here partitions Of It:
return without approval Assembly bill M. ll- en-
titled An acl 10 reorgauizr tue local government OF
the CITY OF Nrw-YOrA." The bill provides new
charter or the civ OF New York tue main features ot
which are these: one Board OF torty-hve Aldermen.
elected. each senate district by novel metho
called tae cumulative vote. uuIer which one man may
vote ninr times Tor one cand late whereby minor
ity can candidate candidates against tue
Will OF tAe majority lu the district; thls Boaru or
| leads whoA are given TO the administrative
/ departments, except the Police Board, OF when
and the MAJOR - ,ie by ylrt4e OF his Office
tiona member thereof; the Mayor ls me 20 wer OF sI
pointing presiding member or the boards OF five
| who severalIy control the other departments
erInrmGIs thai the rxecutve the egslAtive ana the
judicial parments shall be separated from each Other
and that OF these shall be charged wtn or per-
mltt-d 10 exercise functions OF Jue " the Othes
This charter throws aside this principle. rrcognLed ny
the American peOpe aud approved ny he experience ol
tnr world Npshere continent Is IT essrntia
~ cn,tt,ou nf v, government AS In the city OF New
York that chief executive officer should De clothed
1i"i.frtive ie1artuents ami 80 De SUBJECT To al
divlded slby the people ana 10 public up n
ion Tor All errors sn prtcOminEs And "rongioihs Ny
snnorllnte officers Ibe administration Of the affairs
! OF that great city should in the hands
OF some one on whom the P"oIe gaze
always concentrated and from whom cannot De a.
vertrd on the plea that others share MS responsibility
and power The remedy wnicn Is relied upon asAIhst
the evils ~ misGOyernmeht uhuer ms eutlc. - ,..o
cumulative voting winch 10 introduces IN Or
secure fuller repres ntAtlon ot the minority. IL
Is claim tnat TINS Will result not ony III Dr'.rI c'ss
representatives. hut IN greater power on the pAlt OF
tie minority to restrain the majority She A'drrMeh
to he elect IN each district ana every eire'or
authorized instead OF voting once Tor cA ono u niue
candidates cast ne chooses so 10 do nlne votes ior
any one candidate cast tEree votes eAcn fOr any
three AMI 80 Ihis plan seek. 20 Iet me
party winch (. the minority IN any political suodV'
Sou put Office It's candidate In spite o me opos
ton u tAe politlcll maory, Ho,'nc Wy IN c
/ iornity wiki me provisions OF the Cohsu'u,
ton. Many OF the aole-t lawyers o.
their that II must be held TO be nnconstu
touAL 1t Is said aud with great force that t,e
regulated By this charter is not an election ID me
srnse III which that word understood al the time 1hs
/ Con-rItu,Ion was made aud IN the that It has
always been uuderstoOd among us An election IL Tue
choice OF public Ohcer Oy his receVIhE !atzrI nun
ber OF votes any other candidate IL the district en-
~ ed m Nj the Office all the electors enttlrd 70
voe such election for c'ndllae ior 'ue pace
TO nled Il Is suggested aiso that Tie Cohsttul"n
garantees thAt al electors shall De- entitled 10 vote ior
all officers be elected OY the people shu ina.
The nine Adermen To he chosen district n- single
any OF the cahd dates cannot De oVrrrue
by OLE OF al, nrighbOrs vot ng hlhr thr' iOt SUN %
aL the place without AL nIractOh OF ar ~ Ia
right Of suffrage an eiector under Tue CohstLu'on
Nor Is this TO be oyer!ooArd' tHAt tnLs ,,.r
tive method OF confer hgher money VAue Oh
the ballot OF any oLe man VINO IS co,rupo @ prrD ,n
10 sell IT, He make his vote worm 10
any one candidate nine thu us- as much as II i low.
I. might be a fatal mistake FOR us 10 10 over
cor rfent that effect OK tnl- method Or vOng VIII u
merely 10 add Influence ana power In potlcs OF
tne uuse III and vlrtuOus among the cleo ora
The prOfessOua politicians may use II more sh'Ilu.5
aud riirctua than Others aud t may ehIrencA mem -
power beyond the reach ~ the popular majority OF ..
NOM ar cond nation. wheel am tnat great
And Disastrous evils TO city key 10 grow out ot
rne enactment OF tns charter that II knew every man
In the rlty Of NewYor. was c.amorng for II, would
not give IL my approval
aIuoI IL
sepbly by a vote OF 3s 70 20 Amon- those wA) voted
to su,tan tina, veto were AssenD ymen SAMUEL Iieh
and David B. Hll Mr.. Hl.l GOuot RENE mO"F. MS
action upon that day snc does not intend to reverse MS
opinion OF cumulative voting now.