Year: 1873




be so restricted as 10 be of little value, whlle
ambiguous phraseology is said TO afford loop-hoie
for tho retention of the Commissioner OF fuDhc
Works. tbe CORPORATION Counsel, and other Otheers'
vvbile all the other heads of departments are re-
moved. G.


The enormous power conferred upon the super
;,tondent of Police is emphatically denounced, and
an intolerable system of espionage If predicted as
the result Objection IS also made TO the Immense
patronage placed at the disposal of the Commissioner
of Pnblie Works Elections in the Spring are warmly
urged by the Committee and that the silence of the
community may not be misunderstood at Albany,
call for public meeting is issred.


THE REPORT.


As we have already given our general views on the
subject of the charter which the city should have If
only necessary at the present time TO examine al length
the amendments proposed by the Legislative "Com
mtee on Cities" far 70 see whether they are III
accordance with principles. We shall not follow
the order Of the charter, but shall consider the SUD
stance Of the leading provisions of an Objectionable
nature without quoting the language OF the sections


/ The Power of Appointment of Heads OF Departments
and other ocersTneTc is part OF the charter whlch
Of so much consequence this or whichis so inter
etinc 70 the public We had hoped that the Committee
would have placed it on solid and satisfactory
grounds Instead OF that, by kind OF perverse in
genuty they have resorted 10 a mode of appoint
ment wholly without precedent indelensbc IN theory
aud likely to be mischcvous in practice we can
understand the grounds Of plan by which the Mayor
shall have the sole power OF appointment OF one III
which the Mayor shall nominate and the Aldermen
simply confirm The scheme Of the Committee on Cities
II scheme it be called, is but tumble Of absurdes
and incongruities. Look at its principal features In
the outset il provides the Mayor may send in noni-
nations 10 the Aldermen not more than thirty days De-
fore the expiration OF term OF office. The Aldermen
NAV reject the nomination, whereupon another must DC
made This act OF nominating aud rejecting may 20 on
for twenty days. when II must cease, ana then lhe
Mayor must 20 into joint convention with the Alder
men and vote as one Of their number; perhaps no
quorum OF the Aldermen be got together during the
twenty dave then they 20 into joint convention as be-
fore The Aldermen need not even 90 through the poor
farce Of rejecting the nomination. They have only to
remain in a state of inactivity or somnoenee untll the
fatal twenty days expire when the Mayor at once Is
shorn of his functions, and becomes substantially
member Of the Board Of Aldermen. The practical con-
seouence is easily foreseen. The whole power Of ap
monument is transferred TO the Board OF Aldermen. All
that they do TO acquire Is 10 reject the Mayors
nominations or simply TO remain passive. All experi-
ence teaches that this course Will be adopted Men
love power, and Aldermen scarcely be deemed an
execution 10 the general rule They will certainly do
what the proposed charter invites them 10 DO, ana
hold out for twenty days, until the power is
secured Observe, also, that when the vote is
taken in the JOINT convention 1t IS 70 be ara
poee while when tho Aldermen vote under the
nineteenth section upon the Mayors veto II is provided
that such vote shall be taken by Yeas and Nays Why
this distinction BY reason OF 1t the Mayor has no
mower TO have Ills vote entered Of record and in the
mass of votes he may be made to appear to approve Of


the man whom the Aldermen have forced upon him. We
ask under tins plan what need there Is OF Mayor
What man having any selfrespec would accept sueh
ptable office We cannot believe that the Committee
on Cities are in earnest. They have probably acted
without sufficient reflection We brand the whole scheme
as transparent device no doubt iOsted upon the Com
mittee on Cities strip the Mayor of al real power 1t
Is unworthy of discussion. The statement Of the
plan Is its best refutatiOn.


THE MAYOR ABSOLUTELY PowERLEss.


The people Of the City of NewYOrk have before them
an idea Of Mayor which they desire at each success
i've election to realize. They conceive Of man saga
cious resolute IN purpose, prompt in action incor
rupble efposed and worthy in all respects to be the
official representative OF million Of people. Some may
say that 10 look regularly for such man is visionary
Nothing certainly Will ever secure him but position
having dignity, ana the elements OF power and cor
responding responsibility. The people never Will have
him under the plan proposed by the Committee on Cities
Instead of that they Will have subtle, cunning man
with tortuous and Shiny ways, who will strive by in
direction and schemng TO gain powers which he cannot
obtain directly. He will 1atter, fawn, wheedle and
caioe threaten where he and dare, and purchase
where he must till the subject OF city appointments be-
comes a mere matter Of barter and intrigue. The
friends Of the proposed charter are fond Of
appealing 70 analogies and Of hkening the
Mayor and Aldermen 70 the President Of the
United States and Senate Would they recommend
a scheme Of appointments whereby the President
sboud nominate and the Senate might reject and after
that the President should TO the Senate Chamber and
sit among the very who mad cast aside his nomina
tonF and vote as Of their number Let us contrast
this groesque scheme with the plan proposed by your
Committee. You propose 70 give the Mayor the sole
power Of appointment office. The main opposition 10
this is derived the argument OF analogy,
ment OF which, as we have seen, the who IL
make very light when 10 make light Of it suits their
venience But there analogy between the case OF
the Mayor and the President United States The
city has sovereign power 1t takes all It's law from
superior authority It has independent action open
to it, Its functions TALL Of which delegated to
il by the state) the and lighting OF
the streets, the preservation OF order, the re-
moval OF nulsances and the like, and the dis
bursements OF sufficient money 10 accomplish these
purposes There is legislation in the proper OF
the word. The ordinances" of the Aldermen
more than corporation bylaws under a hgh-sOunding
name The executive duties referred to require
capable energetic and honest man, just the supern
tending Of great railroad requires similar ability And
lust as such superintendent needs the power TO select
and control his subordnaes does the Mayor In this
way alone he be made responsible 10 the people and
on these alone OF the night character he
We demand in the interest of the people that
ttc Office be made dgnifed and important. insist
that we shall have true Executive and then cast upon


the people the duty Of selecting the night man. We have
no OF the result If the issue only be presented
fairly 10 them. We can, will TO
see him reduced the faint and boOdless image pre-
sented by the Committee on Cities as picture OF
their model Mayor When we are ready for that
shall propose 70 abolish the Office altogether.


We desire TO add that condemn in the most
emphatic any plan which would give the Alder
men the power Of and the Mayor that re-