Year: 1873

WORSE THAN THE FIRST


1t is time the people of New York who sup
posed they had Reform triumph IN their
municipal election, last Autumn, should know
what is in store for them. We told yesterday
of the rupture of the successful coalition; but
probably not even our readers have suspected
the nature of the CustOm-hOuse demands from
which the Committee of Seventy at last revolt.
The present purpose is to force through the
Legislature a charter, which shall seem to
leave the appointing power to the Mayor, but
subject to confirmation by the Council. The
real effect will be and is intended TO be TO
deprive the Mayor absolutely of all power to
appoint, and to vest it in Council,
whereof a majority are already pledged
to act as a unit in the execution
of a programme now agreed upon. The pro-
cess is neatly concealed but very simple. The
Mayor is allowed to go through the form
of making appointments. The Council have
twenty days wherein to confirm. a failure to
confirm in twenty days is to be taken
as evidence of hopeless disagreement
Then comes the real appointment. The
Council and Mayor are then to elect-the
Mayor having but one vote, and the majority



is trick as transparent as the thinnest
of Tweed's devices; but it promises imme
diate success as assured, and subsequent mis-
government az wretched.


For what do the gentlemen who fought for
Reform, last Autumn, suppose is to be the
municipal organization thus prOvidedR


For Controller, George II. Andrews, present
Tax Commissioner, in place of Andrew II.
Green, to be removed.


For Chamberlain, Thomas Murphy, in place
of f. A. Palmer, to be removed.


For Corporation Counsel f. Delafed Smith.


For President of the Police Board, Henry
Smith-the inevitable Hank without the
daily column of abuse of whom no RefOrmer
could last Autumn digest his breakfast in
peace.


And for President of the Board of Public
Works-Geo. NJ. Van Mort, or not, as the
degree of his subserviency to the plans of the
Custom house shall determine. If he gives the
least trouble, the election is not to result in
his favor.


We prefer to leave the people of New
York to the enjoyment of this tempting dish,
this morning, undsturbed by many comments
of ours. This is the complexion to which last
Autumn's Reform has come. For Chamber
lain the new Ring is TO give US Mr., Thomas
Murphy, in place of Mr.. Peter B. Sweeny.
Mr.. Andrew II. Green, who put Connolly out
of the COntrollership, is himself to walk the
plank next, that room may be made for Mr..
George II. Andrews. Mr.. Havemeyer is to be
made dummy. The new Ring is to grasp
the government and, free from any healthy
responsibility, is to renew the old rule Of the
politicians of the baser sort The appeal
TO the Committee of Seventy is tardy
and, unless that body proves more
active than of late, will be useless. But there
are reputable Republicans at Albany who
know the disreputable nature of this whole
business. Can they afford to be parties to it
Mr. Speaker Cornell, for instance, whose worst
enemies have never doubted his gen.
eral desire for an honest government;
does Mr.. Cornell think he can afford
to aid in communicating the triumph
of Mr.. Thomas Murphyi Do the honest Re-
Dublcans from the interior think this is the
way TO remove the stains from the party,
and strengthen its moral standing before the
people of the Statef Even Gov. Dix, we
should imagine, would not regard the abandon
ment of Mayor Havcmeyer as eitlef person