Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1897-09-19

to listen to what Mr.. Belmont has to
say on the subject.
"The fallacy of that logic" says Mr..
Belmont referring to the business"
theory, sis in its major premise. It
inheres in the point Of view of SO many
business men, from which point of view
political corporation is regarded as
a private corporation" Mr. Belmont
continues:
The charter of Greater New York de-
clares that it creates "a body polite and
corporate in fact and law" to be known
as THE City of New YORK. About two
years ago | was present at dinner to
one of our most important city officials,
practices in behalf of corporations, made
speech. He announced his opinion that
a municipal corporation ought TO be man
aged as is private corporation, and that
the heads of departments should be ike
the directors in a bank or railway corpor-
alton.
This sentiment was greatly applauded
by many of the bank presidents and bus
mess men at the table railway. a
bank, club, a joint stock dry goods firm
may be a body corporate. but it is not a
body polite like a city. The rights, du-
ties and methods of such business as
farming, mining, trading, banking and ex-
changing are universally regarded as I'M
like those of political government under
written constitution or charter and in def
erence to the wishes of the majority. Ac-
curate definitions of such words as bus
mess" politics, business men, poll
ticianS, politicaF' and partisan" are
necessary to an understanding of the re-
form contention.
Mr.. Belmont goes on to state that a
candid definition of these terms by the
advocates of conducting public affairs
as private business is conducted would
be interesting as would "a candid an
swer to the question whether the prep
aration of the new city charter was
political or commercial work" He
adds:
Were l permitted, in this connection. to
refer to my father, should say that while
for half a century in New York he was
active and successful in his private BUSH
ness, yet he was during all that period a
member Of the Democratic organization
and was twelve years chairman of the
Democratic National Committee. He was
a business man, ana also d politician
participating actively in public affairs. He
never fancied for moment that all the
affairs of a State or city could be con-
Quoted on the lines that he prescribed
and firmly enforced in the conduct of his
business. In private business there may
must be publicity.
Mr.. Belmont goes in to make these
distinctions between private business
and public business:
New York City can maintain policemen
with power to arrest and imprlSon cltl-
z6ns, but a private corporation can not
Greater New York can arrest and contine
beggars, mendicantS and Migrants. re-
move from their homes those having in
fectiouS diseases, compel children TO go
to school, prevent gambling and generally
exercise what is known as the police
power Does not the exercise of due dis
erection in such matters, where three mil
lions of people are concerned, involve pol
lucs and something unlike what is re-.
quired to manage a private business OF
any kind? Public opinion, Well as pub
lie law, must be counted with III manner
not required in private business. Mayor
Strong was absolutely and Unnecessarily
wrong when he said that not one ques-
ton arising IN city affairs required a po-
litical opinion.
The novel and interesting feature of thc
new charter, taken from the experience
Of st. Louis, is the Board of Public tn-
proVement. 1t has jurisdiction over pub
lie works. 1t is to safeguard the deot-cre-
ating by the city. 1t is 10 stand between
the demands Of the tenement H}e pop
ticially the critical wore~wvoo Vol, th df great
Board may seem edns onlesmen and dhg ac-
e oClE, Goli'i 90 squires the prudence
TG ;91d nd put 4ba IT eontroling party or
! ganization of 'p0 u pohti-
/ clans.
~ standing in the business,
and political world as ex-Con-
oman Perry Belmont, are calcu-
ED to create a mild sensation in
/ Greater New York. 1t is a direct as
: sauIt on the very citadel of so-called
reform government in New York which
has been tried and proven SO decided
a failure that the very word reform"
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