Year: 1877

Uo wtSo 10 BiVo uthu uii tA0 PoWcK AoCuoo


for carrying out his policy.


But if there is to be o one-man power in
the city government 1t should be lodged in


the hands of the Mayor, whom the law


makes responsible for tho success of the
municipal administration. Nothing can be
very well managed when the power is exer-
cised by one man and the responsibility
belongs to another We do not object to
the government of the city by Mr.. Kelly
if he can govern it well; but if he
is to assume this function he ought
to be in the Mayors Office, where he
could be called to account. He has no
right to attempt to reduce the Mayor,
elected by the people, to mere fgurehead
and to exercise powers with which the
charter has not clothed him. If Mr.. Kelly
can govern the city for its advantage let him
present himself as a candidate for tho
Mayoralty at the next election. If the peo-
pie indorse his claims he would at least be
powerful, and, we should hope q useful
incumbent Of the Office. But we object to
having the power and responsibility in diff
ferent hands. Commodore Vanderbilt was
useful and respectable ms the president of
his railroad, but he would have made poor
figure as an intriguer among the stock
holders and the leader Of ring to con-
troll the road by overriding the influence
of its regular officers. If Mr.. Kelly is to
rule the city in fact we prefer to SEQ him
rule it in form. The sense OF responsibility
which the Mayor cannot escape would have
q steadying and Christening effect on his
action which can never attend it if he is a
trespasser on legitimate officers preroga-
tive.


The great recent success Of Mr.. Kelly
in strengthening his influence renders the
position of Mayor Ely moro difficult, and
should call forth all his latent vigor and
sagacity. If all that Mr.. Kelly desires and
proposes should coincide with the Mayors
own judgment the city administration
will be doubly strong. But q difference
between them would lead to serious
complications The Mayor, however, has
nothing to fear if his own policy should
be so clearly right as to secure public
approval. A man of sagacity and vigor, who
has been elected by the people of this city
as their chief magistrate, cannot be shaken
by the powerful leader of a clique if he is
true to himself and his constituents. II he
is clearly right he will not be left to main
tain his just authority alone. He may rely
with perfect confidence on the general sup
port Of the press, and if, year hence,
Mayor Ely should be found in position of
antagonism to Mr.. Kelly in maintaining the
dignity and just authority of his Office, and
in pushing measures obviously conducive to
the public welfare, the press of the city will
be almost unanimously on his side and
will enable him to fight his battle with no
doubtful result. But Mayor Ely cannot
expect this powerful support unless he
does something to deserve it. The mere
pleasure of opposing Mr.. Kelly is not q mo-
tive which can influence independent jour-
nails. If, in the controversies which may
arise, he should happen to be in the right
and the Mayor in the wrong, men of sense
will prefer to see Mr.. Kelly in o position
where the strongest personal and the high
est official influence will operate together
and make strong city government. But
we have such confidence in the purity Of
Mayor Ely's motives and the instructive
business of his views that if he will only
exhibit little more energy and selEasser-
tion than official exigencies have hitherto
called for he may safely defy all the efforts
of victorious party chief to overshadow
him. Right and justice, supported by the
authority of his Office, by unbending vigor
of will and by predominant public opin-
ion, finding voice in dozen influential
journals, cannot be worsted in an encoun-
ter with any political machine.