The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-12-26
A GREAT CITY GOVERNMENT.

GREAT CITY GOVERNMENT.
TIE experiment about 90 be made OF
consolidation OF New York city. Brooklyn
and o,her adjoining places In one corpora
tion Will BE- watched with considerable tn
terese- London Is made up IN similar
way Of q number Of horoughs which were
formerly independent. bur are now gov
eruea az a city council. Although there
IS occasional criticism. 81 has on the whole
giyen satisfaction. and there Is at least
greater uniformity and economy in the
prosecution Of public improvements
New York and Brooklyn have been
shamefaIly mismanagsd, and enormous
sums have been sguandered. The alder
men o. the first have been frequently ac-
euse-i o. naonstrous corruption. and on
occasion have had 20 leave the city. Two
or three terms suficed 20 make aldermen
r,eh. and the salaries and fees OF some
OF the officials were small fortunes. The
chiefs Of the police department also be-
came wealthy. and down TO the patrolmsn
there was a recognized system OF black
mail which made the position even OF
patrolman profitable enough to justify
paying $50 10 $3.50 20 the appointing power
for place or the force.
Greater New York. under its proposed
new charter. VIII try the bi-cameral sys-
TEN. the upper house to have 81 members
and the lower house 10i members. The
term will be two years. and all are 20 90
out OF Office at the same time. Another
step in the direction Of responsibility VIII
be the power by the mayor of appoint
rnent and removal Of all officers except
the comptroller, whose office Is made elect
i've. This exception IS for the purpose or
keeping the auditing Of accounts entirely
Independent OF any other department.
There is wide difference OF opinion as to
the wisdom OF this office beng
elective. but there IS not the
same objection 20 Il that there would
be In a smaller place. In New York II IS
not necessary, indeed IL would not be pos
sibIe, for the comptroller to do the audit
ing himself. 50 that mere clerical efficiency
"a not needed so much as high character.
In a place only so large that the comp
trollsr must do much OF the work himself
his personal experience IS a matter Of inn
portance. and It is better TO put upon
the mayor the duty Of making the right
selection.
A peculiar feature OF the mayors au-
shorty IL that he may remove every Of
fetal during the first SIX months OF his
term, but after that time only on charges
and with the approval OF the governor.
This makes II evident that civil service is
not to be adopted. but that the advent of
a new party administration is 10 DO fol-
lowed by sweeping changes 1t - con-
cession TO the prediiection for the appor-
tionment OF SPOTS among the vectors, but
Il IL not quite clear why the power should
De KNITTED TO the Lrst six months. In the
hurry OF filing Offices men incompetent
for the special work assigned 10 them may
creep On. and Il would seem as II the dis
cretsonary power should be retained IL il
is wise to confer it--of which there is little
doubt
The administrative departments are 20
DE presided over by commissioners. one
being considered sufficient where the du-
dies are executive merely: and more where
the power r. more Discretionary. The fire
department. for instance. Viii be under
one head. while the police department will
have four commissioners. One evil feat
ure Of the old government Is unfortunately
to be retained. namely. the connection be-
tween the police department and the bu-
reau OF elections The reason for this is
that e was made the duty OF the police 10
see that ballot boxes were safely con-
veyet 10 headquarters. but the evil is that
the bureau has so much 10 do with the
appointment az election officials who, II
corrupt, could be sure OF police oonnivancs
and protection. WIN capable and hon.
est poHce commission the arrangement IS
a safeguard; in the hands Of a corrupt
political commission ii is a power for
mischief.
The charter IS, on she whole. an ad-
mlrab,y planned scheme Of government
The mayor Will DE only second to the gov
nor On power. and the city council will
control an area OF greater wealth
and OF greater population than any
state in the Union outside Of
New York state. except three. II is eSti-
mated that Greater New York win have
a population 81 over s.so.eoo. while Ohio.
the fourth state in rank. has 4ooo 90. and
Missouri. the ft,A. has only s.2ooo0. This
VIII make New York the second city OF the
world. London leading with $500 0oa.
The government Of such a vas, body IS
worthy OF special study and training. No
commercial enterprise. no railroad sys-
tenn. simple as the largest OF either must
DE. as compared with this. could &c sue
/ cessfully managed by men elected 10 I'll
the responsible Offices without previous
experience and Tor terms wh.ch barely en-
ahle them 30 comprehend the rospoHsi bib
,icS OF their oftlce. The entire success de-
ponds entirely upoa the capacity OF the
people for self-soyerament by thatr good
judgment 81 selecting officials.
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TECHNIC ALITr II EDUCATION.