Year: 1870

Our Proposed New City Charter.


The proposed new city charter is carefully
adapted to secure an unmixed democratic ad-
ministration. The commissions established by
the republicans are not aboished-they are
only transferred into democratic hands, and
consolidated under the controlling authority of
the Mayor and Board of Aldermen. The
Mayor, Comptroller and Corporation Counsel
are to be elected for four years each. All
heads of other departments-to be appointed
by the Mayor and Board of Aldermen-are to
be subject to removal or suspension by the
elected by general city ticket, fifteen Of them,
for two years, and the Board Of Assistant
Aldermen by districts, one member from each
ward, for the same term. A large discretion
is diffused among these authorities in the
spending of money; but the Councils are pro-
hibited from levying taxes or borrowing money
without authority from the Legislature.


These are the essential features Of the bill be-
fore the Assembly, and in several respects this
prosposed charter Gf adopted by the Legisla





work WELL For instance. the Mayor will be
the responsible head Of the whole administra-
ton OF our city affairs in all their details. In
the divided and subdivided responsibilities Of
our present mixed system we can nowhere fix
the responsibility for spoliations and wastefuI
appropriations. Under the changes proposed
we can call the Mayor to account for incfi-
cheney or rascality in any department, and
compel him to rectify any detected abuses
This we think, is very important advantage
gained in behalf Of the taxpayers, and in view
of much needed retrenchments and reforms in
the disbursements Of the peoples money.


Next in the election of the Board of Alder
men by general ticket the taxpayers will have
some chance to secure lot of reasonably
honest men as Aldermen for the general
noses of the little managing ward cliques
Of grogshop roughs and repeaters out
of joint. The Board Of Assistant AL
dermen will still be in the hands
Of the ward primaries but as the Aldermen
correspond with the United States Senate in
reference to appointments, &C., they form the
important branch Of the Municipal Legislature.


But the principal safeguard Of the city
treasury, after all, in the bill providing for
new democratic dispensation, will be in this
provision-that no taxes shall be levied and
no money shall be borrowed by the Corpora
ton without authority of the Legislature.
Last year we had somewhat astounding city
tax levy; this year, as the first step in demo-
cratic reform, this levy will be lessened to
the extent of over million dollars, in accord
ance with the estimates made by the Comp
troller. With the State Legislature retained
as the guardian of our Corporation taxes and
funds, there will be every incentive to the
Mayor, Aldermen, &C., to enforce economy
and honesty in all the city departments, mas
much as no man can tell, otherwise who will
be our next Governor or what will be the
republican majority in the State Senate or
Assembly.


In our last November election, which gave
the democrats their present absolute control,
there was deficiency in the popular vote of
the State exceeding two hundred thousand.
Next November, in the elections for the next
Congress, all this reserve will be brought out,
and we know what that means in the rural dis
tricts. The very necessities of the democrats,
therefore, under their whole programme ef re-
construction, will compel them to present
good face to the people Of the city and the
State. II they fail to make fair exhibit of
their stewardship, il they give us increased
spoliations instead Of retrenchment and
reign of the roughs instead Of reign of law
and order, they will be swamped.


THE QUESTION OF METEOROLOGICAL Oh
sERvATIONs in connection with commerce was
discussed in the Chamber of Commerce yes
terday, and report of the special committee
on the subject was ordered to be placed before
Congress. All the aids of science SHOULD be
extended to our seamen and the shipping leav-
ing our ports, and the advantages Of the sys-
tenn of meteorological observations have been
so plainly demonstrated in England and else