Year: 1871

The New Charter Proposed for New York


y city by the Csnmiitss or ssyesty.


The draft OLA new charter for the city Of
New York, published in the HERALD to-day,
ID the result Of the deliberations Of the SUBJ
committee of the Committee or Seventy and
while it is yet incomplete, the groundwork Is
sufficiently set forth to show the character Of
the reforms it proposes. 1t certainly contains
some very excellent points. Its underlying
principle is to secure TO the political minority
in the city a substantial representation
in the government To this end large
and controlling power is vested In the
Board Of Aldermen, Z while the Mayor
has few save executive functions to perform.
The number of Aldermen is fixed at forty 1--we,
nine Of whom are to be elected in each Senate
district of the city. Every elector has the
privilege Of voting nine Aldermanic ballots,
each containing one name, and he can vo.e for
the same candidate nine times, or distribute
his votes in such proportion as be may choose.
This, Of course, renders certain the election of
a good share Of the candidates of the minority
party in each Senate district. Fol-
lowing out the. same principle in the
various branches Of the government,
all the important & departments-those Of
Public Works, Public Parks, Docks, Public
Charities and Corrections and Finance-are
placed under the control Of FIVE Commission
ers, one of whom is to be appointed by the
Mayor, while the other four are to be elected
b.~A al nf In auoh al fnu
each member Of the Board is entitled to cast
four open ballots, containing each one name,
and IN Alderman may cast his four ballots for
one candidate or may distribute them in
such proportion as he may choose. This
again enables the minority Of the Board
of Aldermen to make certain Of electing at
least one candidate in each Of the above
departments, and thus secures the representa-
tion Of the minority party in the city through
out the whole municipal government. While
our experience In New York has not taught us


to place much reliance in the honesty OF those
republican politicians who have managed to
obtain recognition under democratic city
administrations, 1t Is, nevertheless, healthy
principle to secure an opposition representation
in all the city departments as well az in the


Board of Aldermen. ..


The power of the Department Of Public
Works Ii greatly increased; among other
things, taking in the duties Of the present
Department Of Buildings, Of the Department
Of Psrks, so far as regards boulevards, streets
and avenues above Central Park, and prob
ably Of street cleaning. In the Department
Of Finance the member appointed by the
Mayor is TO be Comptroller Of the City and
County Treasurer, wbile the four members
appointed by the Board Of Aldermen are
70 be called Commissioners Of the City
Treasury. The once Of City Chamberlain il to
be abolished. A matter cf >aurse all the
present onice-holdsrs are ). .sgislated out


of Office even Comptroller Green will not be
spared, but will have to take his chance of re-
appointment by the Mayor, who Is to be elected
next April, or Of election to the Finance De-
partment by the Board Of Aldermen to be
chosen at the same time. The Mayor and
Aldermen are to be elected for single years
term, and In the latter is to rest the whole
legislative power. No money whatever can
be raised for any deDartment Of the municipal