New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1921-08-21
Good City Government
Non-Partisanship the Keynote
Democrats to Fight Tammany

lVon~F drtlSdnSnlp the NeynOtc -
Democrats to Fight Iammany
To the Editor Of The Tribune.
Sir: President Curran will undoubt-
eddy be chosen at the Republican pri
maries and elected Mayor on November
8. We must not, however, stop there.
Much has to be done to avoid repeti-
ton Of the turning out Of Office Of the
best Mayor New York ever had, John
Purroy Mitchell. 1t may be that the
state constitution will have to 10
amended to accomplish most Of the
essential reforms necessary to make
good government in the city easier FOR
all time to come.
First Of all, our city and county gov
crnments should be merged and sim
plifed. We should have the short bal
lot Municipal elections should be
held in the spring, when none but city
officials are running. No party en-
blems should be used. A primary to
choose the highest three to run in the
regular election might be held as is
done, believe, in Boston. The terms
Of the Mayor and other important city
officials should be longer than four
years, with right Of recall by the voters
under circumstances guarding against
abuse. The salary Of the Mayor should
be at least twice what it now is. A man
with tenth Of the responsibility Of
the Mayor of the City Of New York is
paid 100000 year by a private cor
poration.
There should be an absolute divorce
between the city administration and
political parties. 1t should be made
a crime for any political leader to at
tempt to intimidate or influence city
official in the discharge Of his duty
Republicans and Democrats alike
should bravely face the unquestioned
truth that the conduct of the affairs
of city, county or any subdivision
of a state is business and not
political matter. There is no more
reason for inquiring as to the political
affiliations of the Mayor than of your
family physician or your tailor or
grocer. The duties of city officials are
purely administrative. They cannot
make laws or affect the political status
of the state or nation.
If a program like the foregoing
should be adopted Tammany Hall
would be compelled to confine its activ-
tiles to the purposes for which it was
formed century and third ago
lofty purposes they wcre-or go COM
pletely out of business, for it would
certainly be eliminated as a political
factor, because Tammany as now con-
stituted is interested primarily in
municipal spoils.
A movement is under way among
Democrats who are loyal Americans
and good citizens Of the state and city
first and party men second to contest
at the primaries, beginning with those
IN 1922, for the election of men and
women to the New York County Demo
cratic Committee who will pledge them
selves not to meet in Tammany Hall. in
Fourteenth Street, nor in anv building
not owned or leased by the New York
County Democratic Committee. to the
end that the Democratic party in this
county will share the same ADVANTAGE
as the Republican party of New York
County in being part of the state and
national organization and not an outlaw
body, as Tammany is, and an inef-
fectlve force as the anti-Tammanv
democrats have been in the past--I
mean Intellectual in the councils Of the
Democratic party, of course-for thcv
have been effective enough when united
with the Republicans in locnl elections.
1t may seem altruistic politics for
Republican to hope for a sound and
honestly conducted Democratic party:
but |, as a Democrat, am interested as
an American citizen in the welfare Of
the Republican party, because we are
a two-party government; a change ia
bound to come, no matter how we'll the
party in power administers affairs. The
feeling of every good citizen should he
ttat if his own party cannot win the
opposition party will put forth honest
and capable candidates.
The political power of Tammany Hall
is not merely menace to the Demo
cratic party of the state and nation. bu,
to the very state and nation itself; and
citizens, irrespective Of party, should |
combine to crush this dangerous un-
American body.
CHARLES E. CLARKE.
New York Auo ~ 1901