Year: 1867

No stronger argument has been made by the
Citizens Association than that we print to-day,
addressed to the President of the Constitutional
Convention, in support of the Commissions OF
the Metropolitan District. 1t is based upon an
exhaustive statement of the workings and ex-
penses of the Commissions and if there are
any readers who are not convinced by the ar
gument, we think there are none able to answer
the facts. 1t is proved that the Commissions
appointed by the Governor, with the consent
of the Senate, are the best features of our
local governments that they are more honest,
more efficient, more economical, than the
branches of the government elected by our
voters in short, that they alone protect the
citizens of New York from an absolute reign of
extravaganza, imbecility, and corruption.


Theory is one thing; fact is another The
advocates of local governments may argue for
ever that the people of this city should govern
it but the fact remains that so far as they do
govern it it is for evil alone. The notorious
degradationYof the Common Councils the in
famous proceedings of the Board of Super
visOrs, reveal how utterly poweTless are our
respectable citizens to influence the municipal
government. The polls of NewYork are in





shop rules. Rum elects the Councilman and
the Alderman, and where the influence of the
tavern falls ishort begins that of the brothel
and the concert saloon. We fight in vain
at the polls; we find them intrenched,
and barred, and trply defended. There is no
power in Ncw-YOrk that can neutralize the
votes of majority notoriousy controlled by
Ring Of plunderers. We have tried the expert
mcnt again and again, and every year that
one set of scamps goes out OF Office, another
set enters. We need not multiply examples of
corruption, but the disgraceful expenditure of
100000 in eight months, by the Board of
Supervisors, for fitting up armorics with black
walnut furniture, is one of the least abuses
catalogued by the Citizens Association. 1t is
enough that Reform is hopeless if the people
of New-Yo are to be the reformers But we
must have reform, and the State must give it.


The letter of the Association forcibly
shows that Reform in this city is not local
matter, but one in which the whole State is
concerned. The State cannot afford to permit
gigantic corruption in the metropolis merely
because this corruption is the result of local
" self-government." The universal and direct
interest of the whole people is not TO be ruined
by the schemes of few local politicians, for
the sake of mere theory. The theory itself
is worthless. The Commissions are not ire
sponsible; they derive their power from the
people who elect the power which appoints
them. They represent the people OF the State,
who are directly concerned in the good or evil
government of the city. Nor have they failed
To demonstrate their value. The statistics fur
nished by the Association prove how
false is the assertion that the Commits
siOns spend the greater portion of the
money raised by taxation, but that, on the con-
trary, two-thirds, at least, is spent by men
elected by the people of this city. But the i'm
pOrtant question is not who spends the money,
but how is the money spent. The Association
shows in this communication how the Commits
sions spend the money they control, and
what the people receive in return and it also
shows what vast sums the local government
throws away without the slightest benefit to
our citizens. SO able is the argument, SO
thorough the analysis, that the enemies of the
system of Commissions in the Convention will
find an answer impossible. The Committee on
Cities has reported against the Commissions,
but if that report is now adopted argument is
in van All our reforms begin with the Com
missions; all our corruption begins with the
local government we choose and if the Con-
ventlon decides to restore and perpetuate the
rule of the most INSCRIPTIONS and dishonest
government that ever cursed an American city,
the State will hold it responsible for mmeasur-
able evils which will inevitably follow.