Year: 1874

Il


The impression that Mayor Wickham win
begin his administration by the removal OF
Andrew Fl. Green from the Office OF Comp
troller adds largely to the sentiment of good
will which awaits his coming into power.
There has probably been no question for the
past generation. with the exception of the
| downfall of Tammany, on which public
opinion is so united as the necessity for this
removal. The republicans do not support
Mr. Green; the democrats oppose him. He
represents no party, no policy, no general
popular sentiment His Office, so necessary
in any fiscal government, especially SO neces-
sary in o government like that of New York,
has grown to be an abuse, an enormity, an
assumption, or, rather, an aggregation Of
powers never intended by the true spirit of an
honest Charter nor by the constitutional prin-
ciples of government Such an Office under
the control of such q mana wrong-headed,
implacable, obstinate man-has become
tyranny, and we cannot longer endure it. MIR.
Wickbam will not really begin to rule as
Mayor of New York until we have an end of
the rule of Andrew II. Green.


This feeling does not represent any personal


i'll will toward Mr.. Green. It would be mis-
fortune if the pea ble could rest any question
of grave public policy upon likes and dislikes.
Mr.. Green s nothing personally, L he had
+ executed his high trust with single-minded
purpose of obeying the law and giving the
city wise and liberal administration of the
finances no one would have complained of his
manners or his habits; tor no people in the
world are more indulgent toward their servants
than the Americans. We chaff and banter and
and sometimes go into matters which gen
erous spirit would as soon overlook. But no
one really ever seriously blamed Jackson for
swearing, or Stanton for his harsh personal
demeanor or Lincoln for his questionable
stories or Grant for his occasional incivilities.
Mr.. Green might be as pigheaded and per-
emptory as he pleased and the general sense
of the community would have cared nothing.
But he has been bad Comptroller, and there
begins our difficulty. :; $50


Thus the ''policy of reform which he was
to give us has proved policy Of suffocation
duu OcCdy. OO NI AIOm IclOIIu Wo AUYo Auus
as was keenly said at the time, policy Of
debt-piling as sure, if not as rapid, as that Of
Tweed and his Tammany ring of thieves.
Nothing has made any progress in New York
since Mr.. Green became Comptroller but the
taxes and the public debt. For Mr.. Wickham
to enter upon new municipal administration
loaded down with Mr.. Green as the officer in
charge of his finances would be like attempt
ing to run o race horse over the course after
tying couple OF his limbs together. It is
simply an impossibility. There are thousands
Of men in New York more honest and more
capable than Mr. Green-men against whom
there is no protest and about whom there is
no suspicion. AS Comptroller any one of
them would lead to public confidence in the
new administration. Any one of them would
give the Mayor oil that Mr.. Green warmest
friends claim for him, and would bring him
what the present administration does not pos
sess-public esteem.


Mayor Wickham is q fortunate man in many
ways He has now duty which at the same
time is an opportunity. Let him embrace it,
and in removing Mr.. Green from this Office
give his administration an impulse that will
send it at once into general favor.


Vr1sEcT1oN.-An attempt has been made in