New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-04-07
SHORT TERM FOR MAYOR.
PeoD1e Can Call Him More Efec-
tiUeIy to account.

To the Editor of The Tribune
Sir: There are strong reasons for again anneIU-
ing the charter by restoring the four-year term OF
ONCE for the Mayor but. on the WHOLE Ia'Or '"s
two-yeaT term ,,.,..s
ar, well aware that little be accomplished
IN tvvo short wears for good to certain or Tue
Iaroa- eDtArprtses Of city concern. Nevertheless
great deal can be effected IN that brief period LOT
good government il the Mayor Is really IN eai"0s'
and independent He can. for instance. MaAe @P
pointn,ents Of heads Of departments who VIII not
merely draw their substantial salaries out Iaooi
for the CITY remain at their posts. personally
wise the work Of their subordinates ana OOeS no
outside influence other than that. possloly' Oh uii
selfish public spirited advisers interested IN lnds
the administration really serve the people Inc
MAYOR can furthermore. bring about the removal
of beads of DEPARTMENTS who fail to reach the
proper standard of service. and thus require Oh Suo
heads the best possible results
In two years the Mayor and his associates can
Tins nresent an ideal so high that citizens generally
will become educated to a proper notion OF tne
possibilities OF good city government No successor
administration no matter how Imperfect IT'S lOeals'
will dare to fall entirely below the stahuaIu mus
set by a good Mayor
Now, as TO a weak or dishonest Mayor such
one can in two short years do much harm BUT ne
can work infinitely more injury to the o Sy Years 50o o
better government hardly remove r.snors,bfI
our char I HI,t0r The people accordingly watch
ny more closely than all other officials besides It
is r well Sl n hSt ne opnOn at the end Of period
of service in order that the peoples crIuclsH. ~
on, NAV he made effective. If he has done well,
he will be continued in Office, or. after a snort
DeriCd Of hOnorable retirement. be recalled 70 eX-
allied public station. =. l., 49,. - or,o
The people make mistakes it Is true, and some ne,
times do Injustice to worthy public servants out
not often OF for long. They appreciate clean pup
lie service especially If IL is brave and vigorous
as we'll and they condemn mediocrity ana insln-
certify. ,.,- . rr,,o-.
are critical civic bodies and alert individual! citl-
zens 10 guard the peoples rights and TO call our
chief magistrate to task, If he fails to be Mayor
to be a 8OOO Mayor:
on the whole. as 1 have said. l favor the right
Of the people effectively TO can ther Mayor 10 ac
count short intervals.
Consider the effect Of frequent eleetons even
on the MAYORS subOrdinateS. May we not. for in
stance have cleaner streets between now and Elec-
ton .Day, simply because Election Day Is near at
hand? On that day shall again determine un-
der what theory of municipal government the ctti-
Gems desire the streets to be Cleanedwhether under
machine rule, for the benefit Of a machine or
system or under nOn-paTtsan rule for the bene-
fit of the entire city
Does it not seem to you that IL the election were
two years off streets might be buried beneath
accumulated filth and the debris Of fallen tenement
houses? 1t does sometimes to me.
FRED W. HINRICHS.