The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-02-18
BEST TIE WORLD.
Lewis Nixon 50 Characterizes New
York's Municipal Government.

OrH 3 municipal Governments
New York. Feb. 1s.-rDespite adverse
political reasons-I believe that New
York is today the best governed city in
the world
This statement was made by Lewis
Nixon, the chairman Of the Tammany
anti-vice committee, in a speech he de-
ltvered last night at the annual banquet
Of the Italian Chamber of Commerce
Mr. Nixon had been introduced as The
head of the committee OF purifiers by
Coroner Antonio yucca, president of the
Chamber. He continued: yes. the best
governed city in the world. Seven thou
sand policemen can not keep 5000, 900
men virtuous- believe that such men
as betray their trust should be punished,
but no administration should be blamed
for conditions that have existed under
the different administrations and phases
Of our city's rule.
Within the last three months-I re-
fer to this because your chairman allud-
ed to i'll have been intrusted with a
task very distasteful to me Last sum
great cities over there. I believe New
York is the best city OF it's size in the
woodland much better than many
smaller ones.
Acute and arrogant disregard of pub
lie opinion is fast coming to an end here.
New York is now in the condition to
give an ideal government to it's people,
government that interfereS least with
the individual and does the greatest
good for the majority.
The development Of the government
OF the present city. where several nuni-
cfpal boroughs have been welded into
one, was expensive from a financial
standpoint But see what has been ac-
complished- Civic pride is being devel-
oped- The greater city is q good institu-
ton. New York must be looked upon as
a cosmopolitan city. with an enormous
population of Workingmen that deserve
some relaxation in the great race for its
self-support and advance, and with a
daily list Of transient visitors number
ing 100, 600.
For these people there should be pro-
vfded a proper government. They should
have, too the proper, rational and COM
mon sense enjoyment due them-not
criminal enjoyment. There is in the city
a large foreign element, a fine example
Of which see here tonight, and wrong
laws can not be forced on this element.
The personal enjoyments men had in
their own native countries must not be
taken from them here
I'VE want development of civic pride
belief in New York as the city of homes,
pride in her as such a city. Let US
bridge and tunnel the sentimental bar
riers between the boroughs as well as
the physical barriers and then let us
proclaim New York the supreme and
best home in the whole world
Mr. Nixon talked of the prominence
of Italy in science and art. said that
this country owed to no other land a
greater debt than to Italy, and mention
ed the fact that the present Italian pop
ulation in New York was equal to near
" one-third of the total population of
Rome.
This city, the Rome of the Western
Hemisphere, which some of the descend
ants of old Rome are helping to make
greater day by day, is an imperial city
by divine right. The sceptre of financial
control has been wrested by her from
London and now she is the banking
house of the world
1t used to be said of the old city of
New York that it was growing to be the
home of only the rich and very poor;
that conditions were driving out of it
men of moderate incomes. Now, the man
of moderate fortune Is the one to insist
on having good government; he insists,
for instance, on good street cars because
he has no carriage in which to ride. As
the outer boroughs are being opened and
sectional JealOusies are disappearing, we
shall find that all the people of Greater
New York, whatever may be their finan-
cia1 status. will receive the benefits due
them as residents of a great city
It has been said, and truly that the
poor men of nowadays can live better
than sovereigns of old. When this city
has model tenements and other improve
nents that we hope for, then it viii be-
come the city for all men, rich and poor,
to live in