Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-09-04

S - contest overSLadOwS
A state elections in
general interest. but
there are several
reasons why II is 50 in this case To be-
GIN with, the Greater New York election
Will decide the government for the next
-FOUR Years of a commrnity with popula-
uon greater than that of the thirteen coil
onies at the time of the federation. greater
than that of any one among forty of tba
icrty-hve states in the Union at the pres
ent time 1t will decide who is to handle
the SJo.Wn.nW income of the matr,no1is
an income greater than that raised Cor
state purposes by the wealthiest states
ana VINO IS to disburse the millions which
TIE city must annually spend for its own
maintenance 1t is of supreme interest TO
the poht1cianS. because il means hundreds
vi important positions TO be filled and an
IN rnehse amount of patronage to he dis
trlpnted-more than accompanies any cleo
1--WE ofnee In this country. scarcely except
ing the Presidency itself Finally it is Of
vast interest to students of politics AMI
.housntIul persons everywhere. because
III IS the first attempt to conduct an urban
area SO vast ana city population SO great
unGer strongly centralized government.
such as Is provided by the New York char
ter
surprise many people How about Lon
DOM? they say. True. London exceeds
New YORK in area by 81 square miles and
III population by million ard half hat
its form of government IS fundamentally
dinerent from that provided for New York
1t is somewhat remarkable that in city
government. in contrast with the general
administration. the plan of strong central
Ia ton has been followed in this country
while in En- gland the federative principle
mas heen observed. London is COM
posite of some ninety villages, and the
AT tonomy possessed by these separate
towns is preserved so far as possible in
the boroushs at the present time. 1t is
only in the departments of police, sewers
etc, where central control is almost essen
tial that the administration in London
has passed cut Of the hands of the local
bCroughS.
The Mayor the Pivot.
In New York tn. mayor is to be the pivot
about which the entire city administration
will move. He will receive salary of
$1,000. which is extremely large for an
elective Office in the United States. Among
the duties specifically imposed upon him
by the charter is the appointment of some
thirty-six heads OF departments. who will
control the police. the public works. the
docks and every source of the city's rev.
enue and power He will also appoint the
magistrates who will direct the administra-
ton of justice. IL will be his duty to fill
nearly 2.ri official positions carrying total
salaries of above half Il million. He Will
he the head of a vast army of city EN-
Elcyes. numbering something Ike 1JTD
men, or more than compelled CORVALLIS
u surrender at Yorktown and put an end
to the revolution
On the legislative side the mayor will
have strong check on the acts of the city
cornell by his veto, which can be over
ridden only by two-thirds vote of the
municipal assembly In any case invoiv-
Ing 1.-The creating of a debt, laying of an
assessment. or granting a franchise five
sixths vote shall he required, to set aside
the veto. Thus the mayor is given prac-
tic%lly the power 10 control these impor-
tant matters. All acts of the legislature
relating to the city will also come to the
mayor for his consideration. so that nc
has a wide latitude in legislative as well
as executive functions.
Immense Responsibilities.
As the charter was at first drawn. even
greater power and responsibility was placed
In the mayors hands. He was TO be al
lowed to remove at any time and without
giving cause any head of department
The object of this arrangement was. as
Mr.. De Witt of the charter commission ex-
pressed it, that there might be only one
head for the people TO hit in case of cor
rupt or inefficient administration THIS
power of removal. by amendment of the
legislature. is now restricted to the hrst
six months of the mayor : term.
The mayor of New York will be more
powerful official than the head OF any
other great modern city. His control OF
region containing a population greater than
most states. and one-tvelfth OF the total
wealth of the Union. will be more complete
for the four years of his term than that OF
any other man holding office under popu-
lar government. But at the end of that
time he must give up his sway and become
a private citizen for the next TOUR years
at least Under the provisions of the char
ter no man can hold the position OF mayor
for two terms in succession.
In spite of the far-reaching powers which
IL grants the plan of government adopted
for Greater New York is distinctly an
American system designed to meet the
needs and experience of popular govern
ment and universal suffrage To show how
the scheme differs from that in force in
other countries il is only necessary 10 com
pare the position of mayor of New York
with the same position in the great Euro
pean cities
London'x Lord Mayor.
The mayor OF Greater New York will
have great deal OF power. but very little
show attached 10 his office. His quarters
will be unpretentious. and he will have to
live in his own house. which may con-
ceivably be a rented one. He will have a
great deal of hard work 10 90, and will
come in for a good deal of harsh criticism
II he carries out the provision of the char
ter which directs him TO exercise careful
SUPERVISION OF all the city departments ne
will be able TO find work for at least
twenty-four hours a Cay, and 1t will be
exceedingly desirable for him to possess
Julius Caesar ability 10 do seven different
things at once. In all these respects his
position will he different from that of lord
mayor Of London. The latter dignitary
will compare 10 the mayor OF New York as
a pt acock does 10 the hard-working barn
yard fowl. There Is probably no position
that carries greater opportunities for dis
play or that is more desired by the am
bilious sub-royalty of London than that of
lord mayor. But the place. while impress
sive IL its pomp and dignity, carries little
real power. The lord mayor is elected by
the board of aldermen. who hold their
positions for life, and he must be one of
their own number: who has held the office
OF sheriff. He lives in the splendid man
sion house. drives gorgeous equipages.
gives stately dinners and wears wonderful
robes of cfficc He IS sort of personal in
carnation of the city's pride and greatness
He is striking figurehead. and that is all
ne is expected TO be. His official duties are
summed up thus: He is lord lieutenant
within the city. the dispenser of its hospi-
taiity. the chairman of the courts of the
corporation. and he holds certain other
offices. the dignity of which is now almost
nominal
Paris and Berlin.
Paris is divided into twenty districts,