The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1890-05-27
The biennial Investigation.

What Of late years has come to be re-
garded as necessary prelude to every cleo
ton Of a Mayor OF New York. is the appoint
ment Of an investigation committee by one
or the other branch of the Legislature. This
committee Is usually appointed in April, and
Its sessions are held in May, June, and July.
1t Is q biennial affair, occurring only before
elections at which Mayor Of New York is
to be chosen. The meetings Of the commit
tee are generally we'll advertised and we'll
attended, and the testimony adduced be-
fore it Is often sensational and always in
terestlng; but, strangely enough, the effect
OF such inquiries on the succeeding election
Is always contrary to what might be ex-
pected, and what was intended by those
who put the ball of investigation in motion.
The Investigations prosecuted by the
ROOSEVELT committee in 1882, 50 far from
resulting favoraby to the Republicans in
this city. led to their overthrow and efface-
ment in that year, every candidate named
or supported by the Republicans on the State,
County, Judiciary, or Congressional ticket
being defeated. The investigation of the
Assembly committee Of 1884 was even more
vigorous and elaborate. 1t was directed
chiefly against the Department of Public
Works and the Sherifr's office, the former
being then In the control OF the County De-
mocracy, the latter in control Of Irving Hall,
since extinct. The disclosures then made,
so far from bencflting those in whose in
terest they were undertaken, resulted in
the election Of the candidate for Mayor
who was put in nomination by the very or
CARNATIONS investigated. They triumphed
over both the Tammany and the Republic
can candidates by strong majority. The
investigating committee Of 1856, upon the
laborS OF which the reformcrs who sup
ported Mr. ROOSEVELT had set great store,
served only to unite the two Democratic
factions and to discredt MI ROOSEVELT
himself, who was 10000 votes short OF being
elected Mayor, and 5000 votes below the
second candidate upon the list. The investi-
eating committee of 1885, which dealt chiefly
with the new aqueduct, failed to dlscredit
the officers OF the State Democracy or to
strengthen the hands OF Mr. HEWITT, who
had improved the aqueduct management by
taking its control away from the contractors
and their friends and lodging it with officials
whose independence. skill, and probity were
not questioned.
Why, 1t may well be asked, should state
OF things exist that seems so paradoxicaI
and perpleXing? How Is it to be explained |
or accounted for2 The answer is easy.
In the first place, whatever radical abuses |
exist In the internal administration OF New |
York city are due primarily and VIGOROUSLY |
to the fact that the right Of the people of this |
town to home rule management Of their
own concerns. has been wrested from them
and assumed by the Legislature, which, be-
Ing the real cause OF the chief existing
evils. cannot with good grace undertake tho
Investigation of the troubles it occasions.
In the second place. tho Legislatures
"hich SEND these committees here have in
the opinion OF most New York voters, no good
ttie OF their own. While the present mon-
strous injustice OF an apportonment made
In 1873 Is permitted by the rural Republicans
10 oelace the statute books, the mon who
come down from tho interior counties are
themselves the representatives of a minority
eL pest ana carry forward their inyestipa-
uohs IN the very localities which suffer most
from their lnjusticel Small wonder thatth
dlstranchised voters should object.
III the thirdplace, In the conviction of tho
general public, these investigations are NOT
undertaken In good faith. These commit
tees nave always large Republican maiori-
tes' though tho Republicans have not car.
RED New York in n State fight since 1881.
New York and Brooklyn Democratic cities
are always the towns to be investigated. In.
curry Is never extended to rural Republican
localities. whatever gross abuses NAV exet
N them. They are not always conducted
with fairness, and tho chief end of those in
charge Is to discredit the municipal Govern
ment OF New York without doing anything,
Vi even proposing anything to improve it by
surrehdering to its electors the rights and
pUwers OF which they are unjustly deprived.
before these investigations are concluded
'NeS generally degenerate Into question Of