Year: 1875

Charter Election in the Spring.


Governor Tilden has at last selected the
commissioners for framing new charter
which the last Legislature authorized him,
at his own request, to appoint No reason is
given for the long delay. 1t was supposed,
when he sent in his special Message on
that subject and the Legislature com
piled with his recommendation that he
would appoint the commissioners in the
spring, giving them time for mature delib-
Grafton during the summer and autumn. He
has strangely waited until within a month Of
the meeting Of new Legislature, and the
commission will hardly be ready to report
until late period of the session. This delay
indicates that the Governor does not regard
the evils we suffer under the present mu-
nicipal government a case of urgency but
on this point the public opinion of the city
does not agree with him. Our citizens, on
the contrary, think this the earliest subject
which should engage the attention of the
Legislature. They will have no patience
with attempts at procrastipatio9



publican we presume they will not wait for
the report of commission which ought to
have been appointed, if at all, several months
ago, and have been ready to report at the be-
ginning Of the session. Governor Tilden's
ideas as to the main essentials of good char
ter have long been on record and are well
known. 1t will be safe for the Legislature to
act on them. They are, in brief,
the choice of city officers in the
spring, and such municipal organi-
make complete change of rulers in every
elections Unless he has changed his opinion
the Governor is wholly opposed to commits
sioners appointed for terms of four, five or
six years. and so intrenched in Office that no
Mayor can change the administration of the
municipal departments during his term.
We hope the Legislature will give us new
charter, based upon these sound ideas. The
Governor has put it out of his power to veto
such charter, and the Legislature may pro-
ceed with confidence.


We have no doubt that the Legislature
will give US a new charter and q spring
election. The success and popularity of the
new form of government will depend on the
first Mayor chosen to administer it. If we
should have an incompetent Mayor during
the first term his personal failure would
bring the best charter into discredit. The
first Mayor must be man of capacity enough
to bring out the good points of the
charter and satisfy the people of its ex-
cellence. We would be content with Mr..
Green, Mr.. Hackett, Mr.. Stebbins or Mr..
Agnew, but our preference would be Mr.
Dana He may not want the Office, but the
Office wants him not, indeed, for permanent
service, because his talents are too valuable
in another field, but during the early and
critical stages of the new experiment 1t is
not beneath any mans capacity to exhibit an
example of what the municipal government
Of million of people ought to be, and when
Mr.. Dana shall have furnished the model it
will not require men of equal ability to follow
it. His sentiments are so admirable that
we again insert them:-''It is only when
honest men of every name exhibit deter
to revolt against the management of
party leaders and to select their own candi-
dates for themselves that parties can be kept
within the bounds of decorum and be made to
pay due regard to the public welfare in Sc
lecting their nominees" 1t is not merely be-
cause Mr.. Dana has expressed himself so
we'll on this subject that we desire his cleo
tion but because he has the force of char
acter and administrative ability to put his
sound ideas in execution. 1t is one thing to
think and write with clearness another to
act with vigor. Mr.. Dana is equally capable
Of both, and as Mayor Of the city he would
translate his sound views into useful acts.