Year: 1866

in the past bids fair to be its fate in the future
until 1t Is divested Of all party or partisan
character, and considered only as measure
for the health and not the politics. Of this metro
polis


Inasmuch as this scheme has been pet
measure Of the republican party, it might be
supposed that it would have been certain of
becoming law at any period for the last three
or four years, that party having had q working
majority in both branches Of the Legislature,
and some of the time twO-thirds Of each house
but the fact that it has not passed proves the
cross purposes and the antagonism which
exists between the factions of that party in
the State. This jealousy and contest between
the factions in the republican party has de-
feated 1t heretofore, and the same thing is
cropping out this year to greater extent than
on any former occasion. The contest between
the cliques is waxing warm, and although
great deal has been said on both sides, we have
been unable to obtain correct idea of the real
position of affairs until the republican caucus
in the House on Tuesday evening. It seems
that the Weed, Seward and Raymond wing of
the republican party have proposed health
bill which suits their purposes, and which has
vote in the Senate. 1t was opposed at
the several stages Of it's consideration
in that body by the Governor and those
Senators who, like him, train with the anti
Weed faction. But they were unable to change
its features and finally went for it, together with
portion of the democratic side. The bill, as
il passed that body, creates Metropolitan
Health Board, to be composed Of the four Po-
lice Commissioners of this city and four physi-
cians, three to be taken from this city and one
from Brooklyn. 1t is against this feature of the
bill that the Governor and bis anti-Weed asso-
ciates are directing all their fire. The Tribune
has taken up the 6ght in earnest in behalf Of
Police Commissioners from the board and give
the Governor the power to appoint the Health
Board, subject to the confirmation Of the Senate.


Although defeated in the Senate, the radicals
have renewed their fight with increased vigor
In the Assembly, and have carried their point
in the party caucus by a vote Of sixty-three to
eleven. Thus, while the Weed faction has full
control In the Senate, II can only muster eleven
votes in the Assembly. The result will be that
the House will pass the bill giving the Gov
ernor the power to appoint the Board, while the
Senate stands committed against that policy
and in favor of the Police Commissioners being
members of that Board. Now all this contest
and struggle for the mastery simply means po-
Titicsl power and supremacy; in fact, such It is
admitted to be by the partisans on each side.
The idea that the threatened visitation OF the
cholera or the health OF the city bad anything
to do with the measure was hooted down in
the caucus. If the bill becomes law, with
proviso that the Governor shall appoint the
members Of the Board, the radicals consider
that they will be able to control the party in
the State. II, on the other hand, the Board is
constituted as the Senate has fixed it, then the
wccd-Raymond wing is expected TO be master
Of the political situation. Thus the war of
cliques and factions goes on, with fair pros
pect of the measure dropping somewhere be-
tween the two houses Each wing Of the party
Is struggling like drowning man for straw,
under the belief that their political life or
death depends upon their securing it.


This contest for the mastery may be very
amusing and important game for those who
are playing 1t; but what is TO be done in the
meantime to protect this city against the
ravagcs of the cholcraf We are threatened
with q visit from that dread scourge on
the opening Of spring. Nearly one-half of the
session has already expired, and nothing has
been done to provide adequate quarantine
facilities for our bay, while the measure to


place the city in condition to stay its mission


Of death is now being thrown back and forth


by the politicians like O shuttlccock. What


we want Is the adoption OF sope efficient sani-


tary measure which will enable ms to place this


metropolis in condition 10 stay the rsvages


of the cholera. This should be done imme-


weather, or that scourge will have accom-


plished its work of devastation long before


anything Ii done toward regulating the sani-


tary affairs of this locality. If the Albany poll


ticians are determined 10 make everything sub


servient 10 party, then let them pass rcsolu-
ton confcrring all the powers which are now
vested in the Board Of Health and Health Com
missioners, on the latter, until the question be-
TIVE n 'the factions Is settled. The Commits
sioners can then go 10 work purifying, cleans
ing and regulating the city. We can then be
prepared for the worst, and the political cllques
can quarrel over the Metropolitan Health de-


partmcni just as long they please. Nobody but
themselves viii care what they do, which con-


quers, or whether, like the Kilkenny cats, they
festrnx each Other with their health cnartr rncnt