New-York tribune., 1894-04-09
POPULAR OBSERVATIONS,
,c,. oswEGO ELECTION PLAN.

'HIr, OSWEGO ELECIlON AH-N-''
THE GREAT BODY OF THE PEOPLE WANTED IL
TRY IT-HoME RULE DENIED TO THEM
To the Editor Of The Tribune.
Sir: In your issue Of March 2i commenting ." U'e
ve.o by Governor FrowfS Of the measure to Grange
tho r,e,bo1 of choosing municipal officers in the
c,,;. of Oswego known as the Clark bl, you say
However we'll meant. his Dr Clarks) sys'e"
seems cumbersome. ard ii!-calcuated 10 secure e
results aimed az. Besides pointing out hu'hOer
OF defects in the measure. he Governor fIo"eD
p-onounces the pan a step backward in the science
Of gpverna.cnt and intimatcs that II VIII reSu'' III
an oligarchical despotsm." You commend the Gov
crn,r for his veto in the following expression: IL
strikes us that the Governor has good SrounoS lof
his veto 10 a complicated and impraciicab!e scnems'
Permit il To be said that in this commentator
Of Governor Flower and condemnation of the Oswego
charter amendment. you have unconsclousN HeV'"
ont injustice 10 the measure and 10 the ''N-
I crnor. Assume that IS proposed pan IS not "h''
rs thousands OF advocates IN OsweSo C!ty cam
It 10 be. namely. a thorousA-going remely LOT 'ne
rs Of municipal gover meat; assume Tor the sahe
or ar@umcn, that f. viii even result in IAN oil
garchcal doqpo;ism." turning this political captr1p
Of the Governor into profound and true prophecy
and yet The fact beng in1isputable That nnc-tenhs
of the taxpayers and as large a percentage OF the
voters OF the city want to try this remedy for the
cv.'s Of its government thc veto of the Governor
becomes violation ~ the peoples rights. and
D
professor Of Jenersonian principles who parades
hi, promise Of home rule FOR cities as the clief
cltch- phrase # his MESSAGES to the legislature
The testimony Of the Chamberlain Of the city Of
Oswego. who sat az the receipt Of rs taxes last
January and February. while this measure was
under discussion by It's newspapers and citizens
was that ninc-;enths of the taxpayers rich ana
poor high and low wanted this bill to become
law The present Mayor Of the city and the cX-
Mayor who at the city election po!ed together all
but 900 Of the votes cast testified personally TO the
Governor on the hearing that n.ne-tenths Of the
people wanted to try this new method OF municipal
government. The newspapers OF both parties advo-
Gated It for weeks. The Governor had before him
the written petition Of about 200 citizens FOR Il.
Two-thirls Of the Common Council Of the city pc
tltioned for It,
There are few prominent citizens who have not
written letters 10 their representatives In the Legs
lature to the Governor urging the passage OF the
bill The local rcpreser tatives. Assemblynen Aims
worth and Senator Mullin advocated II In speeches
upon It's passage in the Senate and Assembly.
In the cace Of all thcsc proofs. our home rule Gov
ernor vetoed the bill. and writes a message to the
gallery. which seems be constructed chiefly with
view Of avoiding any damage to himself on E'ec-
The Governors spcculatlons about the working Of
the plan are that II won't work well The Eeope
OF the city of OswcgO who alone to be affected
by IT, speculate that 1t VIII work well. and AT any
rate. that II could not work worse than IN" pre-
~, system Of The party caucus But our homo
rule Governor knows better whl, Is the business
OF the people Of Oswego than th'y 10 themselves.
chosen pian f5r mabins 'tocir c..y eove-lmsnt
better one Suppose II should nj! 10 FURNISH better
session of thc legislature
1t Is more than an impression in the city Of Oa-
wcG0 that the reasons alleged 10y th" Governor
for his veto Of this hill simply make-helieve.
hT Only ny opnnon G II IN dDd and G Gf ranncTs
who run ~" machine and the Cannus Tor rhc oincrs
! ceiNed that the plan proposed would put me p"3-
plr in power ana reduce them To- an quality win
mcnt This was too deadly draught ana thoy
fought against It at every opportunity with des-
/ pcration born of prospective death
snc"iaI mains Co. hat IL Evcn 10 Tammany wa
pointed out the cat in the meal and its phalsnx Of
Senators from Now-iork CITY fought ts adoption
with evory weapon at han1 Tho Governor. who
and the people afterwnrd Tho politicians were IN
Governor Cove st s,ransied thc neasar@ This Is he
| story of tho death OF ~" Oswcso charter hIiL
We will not enter upon discussion "f the ncr,ts rh
Tribune cannot further hc tfrspas'ed uron. ~,
We DO invite. nay, "" chtlleng" inv csu.nti2n o' IL
Tribune 10y his false veto m"'saf" - say. but ~
! simplicity iisclf aii !, Ilainly pracucnnl" I" eyes
The names of All the legal voters !n a ward ar"
placed in panel AMI divided into sections - scv-
/ city clerk. as the names 81 Jurors ar" drawn. 50
/ CIV clerk by mail 10 meet every man With the
others of his section. ard thcroupon ench sev"niy-
nrc nrc ~ lCssl Voter. IN The Fr ward Of he ciy
/ n Oswego there would b. ten representative clcc-
/ tors Thee ten meet and appoint IN" Whrd on
! cer@ IN Zach ward an of IN" representative "lc'-
tors In tho city meet and appoint the city ohc"rs
I This is the plan.
+ But TIA, tho Judgment ~ tho Governor may not
/ 90 unquos toned. and as the Hhort"st method "t
disproyuc the prophecies of III about tho m"asiir"
which hr has made. permit us 20 quote the opinion
Of authorities quite ns well instructed about sNS-
toms ~ government. 1.-THE oligarchos ana ancient
/ cities Of Greece Governor Flower h. ana wh"
/ are not running for Office either.
! "I, must eject We verify believe wherever pat
/ I'm opcration an Immediate and hlooioss revoiu-
ton displac!ng our prc9rnt oirnr'hy ri me W"rH,
/ clements of society for a gcuun" aristorracN of
intelligence honesty and patriotism. THE Phila-
/ dclphia Press
..rhe author hits tho piih of existing abuses NOR"
/ nearly than any other aprculntor w"
/ commend h!e rlan tn" earnest consideration oi
/ noii,ic,l rcfnrncrs THE New York World
Il deem the ideas important and vel eN-
nr.ssed that can DO better service - IN" cauo"
~ progress IN the Institutions Of the country than
10 disseminate n widely among the thinking men
Of the country and It's Legislators "tIoter cooper.
/ Here are other authorities than our home rule
/ Governor. Roswell l. Flower o. /. 1.
I Narnh p. hl.