New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-01-17

CONTRASTS BETWEEN LONDON AND
GREATER NEW YORK-THE TWO
MAYORS AND THE RIVAL
MUNICIPAL PARLIAMENTS.

49,. vorr roromiosion supplies a definite pas's
~ comparison between the systems Vi
mont for the two largest centres Oh P'r 49,.
q, tho world Before examining IN oe'a" III.
.a,;ent points of resemblance ana co
ourht 70 emphasize the fact tha' VIM
ROYAL Commission OF 1854 prepare"
scheme for the unhcation OF l-ohoo" Va"
ment is In a state of arrested deVe'op'".'
kosebery has taken keener interest," INC"
other English statesman in the reo' 49,
OF the government of the me'ropoi''. anu
recent description Cf LONDON DIS w go,
province OF disjected but p"pu'ous P"'
may be regarded authoritative
The amalgamation of the historic city WIN Wv
..o,Iordor organized in 1SSS has not oeeh
49,, Ui,h the County Council equally Ill
80 ,o,uoan hostile and uncompromising rae
,,ors the solution Of the complex pioo'e"
' 49, ovarnment has been deferred IN
deen,,e,y. Every vestry has its own ra'i"s' "''1
- q, a ,,ul,jnlicity of administrative ssste"'"'
-, homogeneous system of local govern
-, hoe haen proposed for Greater New ioi NJ
,a;ns &C II does organic unity Oh au'''''
,,a,,on and an equal taX-rate ana Na'""''
49,. ,a,v n,e,ropolitan area. there Is III "i'e
.o,,,.a London a tumble of iveried 'hu'i',".' >
.o.,oro,,on monopoly. legislative super ''''"
,.os,rv rule and imperial prerosa'Ne' - ,,s
a,,ovsd 70 repeat Lord Roseber!s SHINY
Io,don Is "a woman with her arms III o''o -
49, ,ocs in another. her head IN ano'he' anu
her heart in another o,,c.,,op
r,r,,1.aR HEAD AND MUNICIPAL Dio y '0''
.,,s ond authority Of the Mayor
- Wv ~. Work. he compared with those VI
,a Mayor Of London. a remarkaoe W."
~ -, - ooared One will be a meuoPo'
oad with vast Responsiveness ~
10 IN q united city Of 3.Ooo."" Pop"'
Tho other is q petty functonar!' p"' "
.or s,nele wear by the mediae'a' Az
UNIV ana exercising nominal authoi'''
- - .rea Of a single square mie anu '
49, -.o,.u,.,;on of 81. 900 The Mayor Oh "ie
:. Eewyork will lie the executive Vi 1,oo
80, ,a,ion He will be Responsible ~ '
49, ,,dar a supreme act OF sef-so>e'"'"
IL ,,ill have authority 10 appoint a." 49,.
.,;va officers with the single eA0eP"o 49,,
Co,,ro,,er. to supervise every depa' tl'en' o.o
Zoo, government: to exercise an en'
,,ou.r over the acts Of the MUNICIPAL
and n employ larger resources VI ,hor
chan are placed at the disposal VI o." -,
ohisf executive OF a muncipah'S III "',' an
,ho world The Lord Mayor OF Lo"oo"
,,anrr,ap who has been Sheriff me
common Hall representing apou. 49, .o,.o
mon of the self-perpetuating gurus TO
,,rv;vad the vicssitudes OF pohucai g..
IN. Middle Ages, nominate two Aiue' A.,
=, ord Mayor One Of these is eiec'eu ny Wv
ncipal Council and he resides a' VI" 49, A..
~. ~ rosides over the meetings OF the Al
dsrn,en and councillors. ana IS hh's"',N .,.o
,ar,,, 81 office If the honor has not peeh pre-
viously bestowed upon him ou'sioe wv 80.
.ne =, tho ancient city he possesses no au'"oi
hat
a,are,y an official fgurehead. He does not pos
rosources of patronage or power. lie
renresents not popular sovereignty o"' -.
,,I,.o, ,raditions vested privileges and corpora
ton mOnopolies. ,, Thu
r., a., ,ha nresent Lord Mayor of London Inc
De-, Commission in proposing the anlaisa
o,,on ~ the ancient city with the me'ropo''
:. .h,cb 4, Is the centre. recommended i-o'u
>,ovor for metropolitan London Ihefe 10 "o
immediate prospect of the adoption Vi '"' sue
sss,ion for comprehensive legislation ioi Ho'
don is hardly TO be expected whhe INC .
Conservative Government remains IN po"e''
the proposal were carried into erect 'he ''''N
Mayor would be more dgnined iriuHio'pa' p
sonace than the present ruler OF 'he 1"""''o
uousa. but he would have little power anu re-
snonsibility in comparison with the Mayor y.
Greater New-YOrk. AS the executive he"u %
Netropolitan London he would represent iesa'
dent popuation of 4.5OO,UO in place Oh '''oo
and AN area Of - 442 acres instead OF o'l acres
hut he would have neither an absolute aPpo'"'
ing mower nor the privilege OF vetohs inc ''e
,,res ~ the County Council. nor the response
bility of supervising the conduct OF iocai "u
ro,nis,rstion. He would enjoy all the traditional
.'n,,u.oas ~ the Lord Mayor and would be THU
lar chairman Of the London County Couhc"
istrative functions would be exercised by
series Of standing committees of the Municipal
Council as is done in every other great Engiish
town.
Since the Municipal Reform Act OF 1850 was
nassed an English Mayor has been an oihcia'
dignitary rather than an executive admins
traitor. The Aldermen and Council have elected
every year one Of their own number 10 act az
presiding officer under the title or Mayor Out
the control of local administration mas nor
passed out OF their own hands The once IS
reward for public service, and is conferred ny
colleagues expecting TO receive 1t in their turn.
hut IL is not a stronghold OF political power ana
patronage 1t is in America
. The Lord Mayor of the ancient city may De
succeeded in time by the Lord Mayor OF the Lon
don County Council. and there may be IN the
future Lord Mayor OF the Greater l-ondon Ol
the METROPOLITAN Police, with an area or w
square miles and population of IoOoOoo: Dut
these titular functonaries will never be nunici-
pal dictators in the American sense. Inc most
influential English Mayor of the present genera
zion was Mr.. Chamberlain al birmingham,
where he was twice reelected; but he had
neither veto power nor right of appointment ana
removal and when he had nominated an audi-
tor of accounts his resources OF patronage were
exhausted The English municipal council,
whether In London or in the provinces, Is re-
cruited from wealthy and public spirited citi-
zens who are willing to devote their time ana
attention 10 business of local government with
out receiving salaries or any reward. except Inc
consciousness of dischargng public duty. so
long as municipal administration Is ordered and
directed by this class of councillors the SUI
prerne exercise of one-nan power in the Mayor
ATTY will never be tolerated. American expert
once Is different The services of municipal die
tators I'm Mayors Offices are necessary. In order
10 counteract the existing evils of government
By saloonkeepers and jobbing politicians.
MUNICIPAL LEGISLATURES