Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1899-08-14

md time to his duties as ! citisen.

and time to his duties as citizen.
There are something like 10000 men
In New York city who disfranchtse
themselves every year by neglecting to
i vote. Those are the men who are the
loudest in their outcry against machine
politics. A man who has the right to
vote and who willfully shirks his re-
sponsibilities as an elector ought to be
treated as an alien.
1.-THE one great need OF New York city
just now is the right 90 govern itself.
The charter under which the Greater
New York was consolidated IS q most
defective law. The more experience we
have of it the more plainly are its
faults proved.
1.-THE various departments Of the city
government should be administered by
lsingle heads. That is the only sensible
way OF conducting the business Of the
city. 1t gives sufficient power to the
head of department to carry out his
plans and at the same time he can not
evade responsibility.
Take the police department, for In
stance. The police force of New York
| is the finest body of peace officers in the
world. But so long as we have a police
I board consisting of two republicans and
| two democrats the inevitable tendency
is toward a struggle for patronage and
party power which wastes the time of
the commissioners and tends to demor-
alize the uniformed force.
THE splendid condition and economi-
zeal administration of the fire depart
ment of the Greater New York, under
the direction of a single commissioner,
shows what can be done by common
sense methods. We should have a single
police commissioner with full power.
| But remember that, while l am in favor
| of single-headed commissioners, make
one exception. The bureau of elections
should be non-partisan. 1t is not neces-
| sary to give the reasons--they are too
obvious.
II have lived for fifty years in New
4 York, and what say is the result of
my constant observation and expert
4 ence as a citizen.
4 Home rule is Just as essential to the
/ successful and economical conduct of
/ New York city as it is in any other kind
4 of business. The city government is
simply business house on large
/ scale.
\ about one-half Of the inhabitants of
4 the state of New York live in New York
z,
taxes. Yet they are not permitted to
j run their own government. l appeal to
the record of the democratic members
of the state legislature from New York
4 city to prove that, in all legislation af-
fecting other communities in the state,
whether cities, towns or villages, they
have invaria bly, accepted and supported
the propositions of the communities
themselves.
New York city has never attempted
to dictate outside of her own municipal
! borders. This is well-known fact. ]
regard this principle of municipal home
rule as the most essential element for
good government not only in New York
but in every state of the union.
Business men. especially ought to
, recognize the Importance of this, be-
'Ecause their experience ought to teach
them that no large business can be well
managed under the restraints and re-
strictions of outside interference.
In Tammany hall the principle OF
= home rule is absolute. There are $780,
900 Tammany democrats in the city, anG
: the people of each district are free tc
= choose their own leaders without help OIL
lhindrance from headquarters.
: Il have read in the newspapers {
y statement by Mr.. Sheehan that before
= left New York for my annual vacation
/, gave orders that he should be heater
y and deposed from the leadership of the
) Ninth district.
: MIR. Sheehan will remain leader OF
: the Ninth district as long as he is able
y to carry 1t. What / think or say about
him. or what anybody else thinks oil
: says about him, has nothing to do witt
it,
Mr. Croker was asked whether he ia
,. vored any close alliance between the
United States and Great Britain.
II am absolutely opposed to 1t" hs
said Nothing could be worse than Il
: form the habit of relying on the friend
{ ship of England. We have nothing II
gain by it, and everything to lose"
Mr.. Croker refused to discuss the d C
,. ton of William Waldorf Aston in be
= coming subject of Great Britain.
81 suppose you have heard of Judg
Van Wyck's boom for the presidency
Mr.. Croker was asked.
= No. That's news. / don't care t
= discuss that matter now.
-e II. b. REED DFCINES TO TALK.
l. Avoids All semblance of an Inter
,e view When Reaching New York.
New York. Aug. 14.-"Tom Reed ha
r been riding bike again, calculated a
m admirer as he took a peep at the ex
lie czar of the house of representatives. de
to scending the gang plank of the st. Pau
lie land Mr.. Reed admitted it.
I'd This explanation was given for tn
xt rather remarkable reduction in grit
at the somewhat fabby cheeks, and tn
~ generally tired feeling that appeare
Ill upon the Maine statesman's face.
SIS Mr.. Reed looked more like Quake
a. than ever in his plain black cutawa
suit and panama hat with immens
&c brim And he was just about as con
RS rnunicative when dozen newspaps
Sc men clustered about him and fired vo
n legs of questions.
n, Yes, have met Mr.. Croker daily G
n the trip, and have learned to know hi
we'll We have formed pleasant a.