Year: 1872

Our City Affairs I'm the Next Legisla.
ture.


There is every indication of sharp con-
test in Albany over our city affairs during the
next Legislative session. The republican poll
ticians in New York desire to make their
power supreme by adding to the federal
patronage, which they already WELD, the con-
troll of the municipal departments. They
want the Police, the Health Board, the Street
Cleaning Bureau, the Fire Department., Public
Works. Public Parks, the Docks, the Depart
ment Of Charities and Correction, the Law
Department and all the other rich spoils Of the
city in their own hands, so that they may turn
over to their own party the large majorities
rolled up in former years for the democracy
and build themselves up into power greater
than that Of Tammany in its strongest days.
There is practical difficulty in their way.
The Governor elect and the Mayor elect are
reformers in fact, and are bent upon secur-
ing to New York municipal government Of
concentrated authority and direct RESPONSE
bility entirely Independent of political con-
siderations. Fresh from victory over one
dangerous political ring, they will use all their
efforts and influence against the formation of
as that which has just been destroyed. Thor
oughly imbued with true democratic prin-
ciples they will oppose any laws which seek
to deprive the people of self-government, or
which afford facilities to corruption through
complicated machinery and divided RESPONSE
bility. Honest themselves they know that
directness and simplicity are the best means
of securing honesty in others


The State Legislature is largely republican,
and on this fact the republican politicians
rely for the consummation of their plans. The
State Legislature was largely republican last
year, and was equally notorious for its corrup-
ton with any Of its infamous predecessors
but as the republican politicians have ample
means at their command and as their schemes,
if successful, would supply them with an
unlimited capital in the shape of remunerative
positions, it is regarded as rather favorable to
their cause that the Senate Of last Winter
holds over and that q number of the old
Assemblymen will again be in their places.
The Ring programme is Napoleonic. It COM
prises the creation Of four grand metropolitan
commissions, on the principle Of the old
republican commissions which years ago
laid the foundation for the muddled, irre-
sponsible city government which alone rem
dered the enormous frauds Of the old Ring
possible These commissions are to en-
brace, first, the Police, Sanitary Charities and
Correction and street cleaning duties secondly,
the Public Works, including parks, docks and
street openings thirdly, the Fire and Build
ing Departments fourthly, the Commission
of Control, Audit and Apportionment. In
order to prepare the public mind for these
| metropolitan commissions the idea Of the
union of New York, Brooklyn and Westchester
in one great metropolitan government is be
| agitated, and the East River bridge is to
be brought into service. The argument
of the leaders of the movement is to be
that the old commissions failed because the
| foolish concession was made Of q mixed politi-
cal construction, which, in fact destroyed the
harmony and efficiency of those bodies. They,
therefore, boldly demand that the new COM
missions shall be wholly republican, and
insist that, having the power, they should be
allowed to take the responsibility of the future
AQQyarpmapt Of The MetyQpQliA The scheme is