New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-01-18
THE MAYOR ON CITY AFFAIRS
REVIEWING THE DEPARTMENTS IN DETAIL.


CIVIL JusTICEs-sINeLE- HEADED CoMMis-
sIoNs FAvoRED-sPRING ELECTIONS
OPPOSED AN EARNEST CHAM
pIoN OF PUBLIC CHARITIES
AND PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Mayor Hewitt yesterday sent to the Board of
Aldermen the second instalment of his annual
message. The Board ordered that it be printed
in full in The City Record" and that 800 copies
be printed in pamphlet form. The closing part of
the message will'be sent to the Board at the next
meeting. The following is the part sent yesterday :
To the Honorable tho Board of Aldermen:
The government Of the City of New York is growth
and not creation. In the early charters OF the city
the Mayor the chief executive officer, having the
control OF the police, and was himself Police Magis-
legislative body, acting as cheek upon the Mayor,
In the matter of appointment, and framing such ord-
qure. The municipality was always subject to the
control of the legislature but the intervention of that
body was rarely exercised except upon application rom
the City Government. The city budget was prepared
by the Common Council and approved by tho Legs
seldom against the protest OF the Mayor and Aldermen
pent and, practically the city enjoyed the blessings of
home rule. With the extension of the suffrage how
countries, the character OF the City Government
cha qSl SO shat By By % S and &
of the Mayor were greatly curtaiied and the Common
S sSs ea %as pUcn by S s9saSd
power. Tho change thus effected has been
each intended to meet special evil The outcome Is
form of government In which the Mayor is merely
appointment in certain cases, but not of final removal
The Compton Council is a body exercising limited adj
vested the real ADM nistratve functions of the
PRESIDED over in some cases by a single head and in
others by commissions composed Of three more mem
favor this system Of government but am Constrained
to say that after careful study of II In practical
Saapted to the work Witch It has to do do not
think that needs general revision and am listed
hat 1RntS latiV nisctn cha
vision, If It should attempt remodel the CITY
ment, would produce far more disturbance and en-
theless, the system can be amended with advantage.
the Legislature, but should first be Considered and
recommended by those who actually administer the
and needs. Unfortunately, the Constitution and
efs r ee T but be s by s he GPS That to hs f
body viii refrain from the vicious practice of I'm
nor approves. The nature Of these amendments will
best appear by simple statement of the difficulties
as they stand upon the satwtc hook It viii be seem
% GS s0 ana ay Of the mhn
eipal goyernmSnt, hat are due almost exclusively to
which IT Is designed to accomplish
In cities the police is the primary and fundamental
NIX the IN SG % b sRas1d
must make arrests for breaches OF the criminal code
The other is notorious that in these two partic
ulars the police was not al the time OF my accession
openly violated, not only sunday. but on the
other days or the week Dsreputah1p placeS
commonly called dives" to be found carrying on
their n,q1ons traffic In the most crowded thorough
The police had done IT'S duty these places could not
have driven their scandalous and noxlons trade cor
ofrespcctabty. spasmodc efforts had indeed. been
made at times TO suppress these vile resorts but It
fesire to close them ny by stern enforcement of the
@ and BY the 0p a Of he civil Vi Tf ms sy%f
i9nncons GsyisCH by The Counsel to the COrpor
these dens OF nfamy promptly closed After
repeated complaints to the police discovered that
this scandal be found in the fact that the pro-
r | Tsn arrested Were rsroy or never trongh
demand a jury trial and TO give bail which had the
Sessions. IN this way moro than 5000 cases had
nccupusted during the last two Of The term Of
have promptly TO the Grand Jury for indictment
s snd speedy trial %Gnt have resulted in CONVICTION
OF OF, such places from further violations Of the law
practical nty fo me- How far F tEs ca" cone ~ss
condition Of the criminal courts was unavoidable
for an a%d6nn de ' and ' ssant Gs
sceH cnsn nS criminal SaT thas has
BE sy bc for an M q current
70 dispose of The whom presented TO them nv The
las me VI hi, Thr nGT incUTSent Of this ofcc
current arrests for violations Of the excise and IL
possible to dsnose Of no accumulated cases. I'm:
6ut litle consequence COMPARED with the necessity
Gsv o g1T for ng n9S9 Who c may be arrested from
there is in quarters disposition 70 hclIftle the
than cases of felony sroring ifc and properly But
TINS Is an error. visit TO the great charitable IN
stitutions maintained by the city containing ropn-
laon Of over 14oOO persons. win CONVINCE the most
ehepticsl observer that the chief causc o. crime SICK
naSs and poverty which FIJI these institutions with
their tenants. TO he found IN excessive indulgence
In lnf3yicating llGuors II the ahnse of This traffic
could be prevented. there would follow an immediate
and very large reduction in the general criminal hns
ness Of lc city by which the moral tone would he
therefoe Of The prosecuting officer is to TO tho
ronrt and inst punlshmeni Of those who violate the
excise laws When this Is done. the plea Of the police
that 1t j. de 70 make arrests which are never followed
be held to strict accountability FOR the enforcement
OF the law with this achievement the greatest i'm
VII have been cmoved and ftnR # can bs . scc Cy
rllshea without any amendment whatever to the ex-
ever The DSthc-tttorney sball nnd himself unable n%T
70 bring about his desired result won'd urge that
either Of excise for trial Of these eases or
for the comforting Of power on the Special SESSIONS to
offender avails himself Of the right of jury trial
TIE DISTRICT COURTS.
The second great obstacle to good government
CORES spending TO considerable extent with the
already considered arises from failure of the Civil
Justices properly consider and dispose of
brought before them for violation of the city ordi-
Dances These violations it Is the duty of the police
10 report and Of the Corporation Attorney bring suit
for the penalty imposed by law. find that the police
as rule, have been very rcmiss in reporting these
violations. which in this city almost inmmcrable.
The excuse gwen Is that complaint and arrest
rarely followed by punishment. and this excuse is
well-fOunded Moreover, there has been great partial
ty shown in making the complaints Last year.
$4,000 complaints werc filed but these made
against only 5000 persons. showing nearly five
plants to each person. while the great Of the
vlolstors wore not reported at all. This dScrmina-
ton necessarily gives rise 10 very unfavOrabc opinions
as to the means employed TO propitiate the police.
The Corporation Attorney does not appear to have
been remiss In tn" performance of his duty. On the
contrary, he has brought suit and collected the penal
ties, where he could 90 but the Civil Justices, with
some honorable exceptions. seem to have regarded il
pc their duty 20 protect the citizen against the
plants of the police In numberesS Incidents have
been marked dismissed" without p hearing. In
others. they have been adjourned from time TO time,
even 10 the extent al cicli adjOurnments, and then
finally dismissed. Tho witnesses have been compelled
20 aLL.ul M lL.Sc alinmrnnInnis CreatlN