New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-04-30
THE MAYORS BUNCOMBE.

,,.C,,.,,.r,s message explaining his veto
90 tbo bIr taking the granting OF Lrano.l .1',.
o1-o,- from the aldermen is largely Ouio l,S1
-rbo Roa,l NJ Estimate is just as mucn the ptOu
80. % ,,n,yprsal suffrage as the Board Oh -Aiuel
mo-, EI;s talk about the remedy Tor ABUSES %
authority BIZ the aldermen resths WIN u, Fl,
ME who have power TO replace unIal',ilul -,
Iic servants with faithful ones, Is just Li@0, ="
nra,,tico they have no such power Inc aluer
-, - 81 ieast large majority of them' are
the creation of small political bands IN
y-bose nolitical complexion is so one sldeo InaI
no intelligent Judgment of public Servants -
nossihIe The most notorious cOrrupuohlst WHO
had managed TO keep out Of jail WOULD Il hOlli-
mated by the right party, be electeO Ia IlOS' US
fricts OF the city. 1t is possible to replace cDn
snicuousJy unfit servant who is elected 10y Ile
CITY at large or even by a single borough. sucn
men are conspicuOusly before the puohc' AS a
trust such as that OF granting FRANCHISES Is
Ga for I'm their hands than in the aldermen 3 Do
cause they are more responsive 10 puDAc JPN
ton 90 II they are unfaithful, the people hOtlcs
= and the moral sense of the community can Dc
effectively crystallized against them The irlcKy'
bribe taking alderman, however, operates In
comparative security, particularly If he does NOT
reside IN an easily debatable district
rho MAYORS apoIogists who point to Chicago
and its reformed Council as the true example of
Tosorm for rs TO follow are INDUCING in child
isbIy academic dreams. Chicago is a city where
nolitical parties are fairly evenly divided
reform organization can hold the balance OF
mower In many. districts, and can elect winch
ever candidate of the two parties it prefers.
Thus premium is put upon good mountainous
and from them the best cOuncilmen are selected.
But how would that prescription work here?
Ry tremendous effort, when a great popular
issue is presented, it is sometimes possible Tor
all the parties opposed 70 Tammany, With the
aid of Democrats whose moral sense has been
toucheA by Tammany abuses, to overcome the
naturally heavy Democratic majority in this
civ. Even then the concentrated Democratic
vote in many districts and the concentrated Re-
publican vote in some others make the member
ship Of the Board Of Aldermen largely matter
of caucus determination and the people have no
real voice in these elections. Imagine Little
Tim" being held up in his district by the peo-
ple who. according to the Mayor, have power
ito replace unfaithful public servants with
faithful ones!
II Mr. Murphy wanted this bill which Mr.. Nc
Carren voted for vetoed, OF course the Mayor
had TO accommodate him. He will gain moth
ing BY cIaptrap about it. however. The Penn
sylvania Railroad made no cOncealment OF It's
wishes II openly advocated the measure, and
il its representatives told the Mayor that his
veto was likely to be Ineffective they Were not
exercising any supeFhuman powers Of predic-
tiOr. 1t was common talk in the newspapers,
and repetition OF il was hardly threat" The
bill gives nothing to the Pennsylvania but a
chance to have franchise applications heard on
their merits by a popularity elected board, OF
which the Mayor himself is a member. 1t takes
no power from the people, it does not invade
home rule, but merely puts the authority which
the aldermen nOtoTiOusly abuse in the hands of
the local officials who are well recognized as in
the long run likely to prove the most intelligent
high minded and responsible members of the
city administration.