The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1900-01-19
WICKED NEW YORK.
The Mazet Committee Report
Paints a Dark Picture.
PERFECT CENTRALIZED PARTY POWER
Man Behind Mayors Chair Holds Alb
sOlute Sway-CriminaIs Protected
and Conscience Debauched.
Remedies Suggested.

ALBANY, Jan. 16.-The reports of the
majority and minority members of the
Mazet investigating committees were pre-
scented last night to the assembly. Both
are lengthy documents. The former is
signed by Assembymen Robert Mazet,
Edward FL. FallOws, Harris Wilson,
Thomas M. Costello and James B. Nc
Ewan and the latter by Benjamin Hoff-
man and Anthony j. BOland.
The majority report opens by stating
that a great part of the testimony was
directed to the conduct and control of the
various offices and departments and in
this connection says:
I'm many of these grave evils were dis
closed For such as were administrative
in their nature the remedy must be sought
at the ballot box and not at the hands of
the legislature. The one clear and dis
tinct fact brought out by this investiga-
ton is that we have in this great city the
most perfect instance of centralized par
ty government yet known"
1t declares that 1--WE see the central
power not the man who sits in the may
Or's chair, but the man who stands be-
hind it. We see the same arbitrary pow
err debating appointments, directing Off
Gals, controlling boards, lecturing mem
bers of the legislature and the municipal
assembly. We see an enormous and ever
increasing crowd of ofticeholders with
ever increasing salaries. We see the pow
ers of government prOstituted to protect
criminals, to demoralize the police, to de-
bauch the public conscience and to turn
governmental functions into channels for
private gain. The proof is conclusive
not that the public treasury has been di-
rectly robbed, but that great OppOrtuni-
ties have been given by manipulation of
public offices to enable favored individ-
uals to work for their own personal ben
eft. The people alone can remedy these
evils. There is no legislative panacea for
such administrative ills.
I'VE are strongly of the opinion that
the mayors term is too long and advise
that it should be shortened to two years,
to take effect with the next incumbent.
1--WE urge the immediate passage of an
amendment to the charter by simply
striking out the section which restricts
the borough boards voting capacity to
matters exclusively relating to their own
borough.
''The conduct of the present police de-
partment of the city of New York is I'M
qualifedly bad. Not only are the laws
against pOolrooms, gaming houses, policy
shops, excise violations, dance halls and
wicked resorts of all kinds not enforced
or enforced in such a way as to be ridicu-
lousy ineffective, but the general disci-
pine is lax, grave Offensbs of personal
dereIiction in the way of drunkenness,
absence from post, inattention to duty,
etc, go unpublished or are visited with
such small fines as almost to be an en-
enlargement and not a deterrent for
wrongdoing.
"Robberes, bunko games, deceits,
frauds, thefts, have increased in an
alarming degree, and the detection of
these crimes and the recovery of property
has steadily decreased during the last
two years.
I'VE believe that the great mass of the
rank and file of the department under
proper leadership would execute all the
laws with courage and vigilance, but it is
not in the nature of things that subOrdi-
mates dependent upon their superiors for
continuance and promotion in rank should
conduct themselves in direct opposition to
the clearly known views of those superb
ors. When at the direct instance of the
gambling and pool selling fraternity Off
GERS have been pounded captains trans
ferred and chief retired, it is hopeless
to expect any other administration of
such laws than that which the over
evidence proves to exist.
In conclusion the report urges that the
meetings of all city boards be public be-
cause Sin free government publicity is
absolutely essential
The majority of the committee present
ed eight bills for the consideration of the
legislature. One provides for the appoint
ment of commission by the governor to
revise the New York city charter.