Whom Shall We Send to Albany This Winter?

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WHOM SHALL WE SEND TO ALBANY THIS WINTER?

The most delusive and misleading of mottoes is that of “measures, not men.” The idea is specious, but fallacious. It lies at the basis of that blind adherence to party which has led to the elevation of hundreds of dishonest or incompetent men to official position, and its fruits are seen in an overwhelming load of taxation, and a universal annihilation of the public faith in the honor of politicians and the purity of administration.

Bad men as well as good are to be found in all parties, and are often placed by every party in power. The very worst men we have in public offices have been placed there, like the best, by some one party and some by another. The public will never be well and faithfully served until the great body of voters learn to give their suffrages for the best men, irrespective of party affiliations. The men who control political nominations will put none but good men on the track, when they find that the mere name of party cannot induce the masses to support an unfit person. At present it is well known that a party convention seldom seeks to nominate the best man, unless the chance of success is slim. Then a man of high character is selected, in the hope that his reputation may give to the ticket that strength which it otherwise lacks; but where the course is clear, and victory tolerably assured, they are content to let any candidate, however unfit, bear the standard, since they calculate that the party is bound to win, anyhow.

Were the taxes ever so light, property-owners would naturally pay with a little reluctance; but when, as now, they are exorbitantly high, and far higher than they need be or ever would have been if unfit men had been kept out of office, paying taxes is an operation about as pleasant as having sound teeth drawn from one’s head. Many are the curses which the unlucky tax-payer vents on the dishonesty and carelessness of officials, as he retires with collapsed pocket-book from the Collector’s office. Well, if such tax-payer has ever voted to elect such a man to administer the city’s affairs whom he knew to be unfit, solely on the ground of party affiliations, he is himself responsible, and can only blame himself, for having so much to pay.

Every reasonable man must concede, that the intermixture of national politics with county or city elections is utterly uncalled for, and likely to be productive solely of evil. With regard to Senators and Assemblymen, an exception might be made if a vacancy in the U.S. Senate were to be filled; but this is not now the case. Will any man make a better representative at Albany because of his admiration of, or opposition to, the administration of President Buchanan? Will any honest man be the less opposed to schemes of spoliation, and iniquitous projects for benefitting individuals at the expense of the public, on account of his political opinions? Or will any unscrupulous wire-puller be the less ready to prostitute his official influence for the advancement of his personal interest, because he belongs to this or that party?

The representatives whom we send to Albany are chosen for the purpose of legislating in regard to questions affecting the property interests of the State in general, and of this city and county in particular. They are to act as stewards, in trust for us. We ought to choose them, therefore, just as we should select a business agent—on account of their character, not of their professed political sentiments, which have no more to do with their real qualifications for the office than the cut of their coats, or the color of their hair. We are to trust them; the only question for us in regard to candidates, therefore, is, are they trustworthy?

But further—Brooklyn is the second city in the State, and deserves to exercise a marked influence in the State halls of legislation. It is for us, then, to assure our city her due weight in the councils of the State, by sending to Albany no man, of whatever party, of whom the city will have cause to be ashamed; but on the contrary selecting men whose character is such as to have earned the confidence of their fellow citizens, and whose official action will be a credit to their constituents and a benefit to the city and State.