610 



NEW YORK. 



vants, well able to perform the duties for which they 

 are paid with the people's money, and the substitution 

 of those who are unfit and incompetent. In this way 

 the interests of the party may be subserved, but the 

 interests of the people are neglected and betrayed. 

 This pernicious system gives rise to an office-holding 

 class, who in their partisan zeal, based upon the hope 

 of personal advantage, arrogate to themselves an undue 

 and mischievous interference with the will of the peo- 

 ple in political action ; this breeds the use of dishonest 

 and reprehensible methods, which frequently result in 

 the servants of the people dictating to their masters. 

 If places in the public service are worth seeking, they 

 should be the reward of merit and well-doing, and the 

 opportunity to secure them on that basis should be 

 open to all. Those holding these places should be 

 assured that their tenure depends upon their efficiency 

 and fidelity to their trusts, and they should not be 

 allowed to use them for partisan purposes. The money 

 they earn they; should receive and be allowed to retain, 

 and no part of it should be exacted from them by way 

 of political assessments. It seems to me that very 

 much or all of what we desire in the direction of civil- 

 service reform is included in the doctrine that the con- 

 cerns of the State and nation should be conducted on 

 business principles, and as nearly as possible in the 

 same manner that a prudent citizen conducts his pri- 

 vate affairs. If this principle is kept constantly in 

 mind, I believe the details of a plan by which its adop- 

 tion may be secured will, without much difficulty, be 

 suggested. 



In the city of New York the canvass was 

 characterized by a local contest of more than 

 usual interest. An effort was made to secure 

 anon-partisan municipal government by means 

 of citizens' nominations. A committee was 

 appointed for the purpose at a public meeting, 

 and Mr. Allan Campbell, Comptroller of the 

 city, was nominated for Mayor, and Colonel 

 Emmons Clark for Sheriff, while William A. 

 Butler was renominated for County Clerk. 

 Before these nominations were made, however, 

 the three Democratic factions had agreed upon 

 a ticket bearing the names of Franklin Edson 

 for Mayor, Alexander B. Davidson for Sheriff, 

 and Patrick Keenan for County Clerk. An 

 effort was made to induce the Republican or- 

 ganization to support the citizens' ticket, but it 

 insisted upon John J. O'Brien as a candidate 

 for County Clerk, which seriously impaired the 

 unity of its support. 



Before the election it became evident that 

 the dissatisfaction in the Republican ranks was 

 deep and wide-spread, and that the differences 

 between the leaders of the factions were well- 

 nigh irreconcilable, while the Democrats were 

 united in an effort to profit by this condition 

 of things and gain ascendency in the State. 

 The election took place on the 7th of November, 

 and resulted in an overwhelming Republican 

 defeat. 



The official returns showed the total vote 

 for Governor to be 918,894, divided as fol- 

 lows: 



Grover Cleveland, Democrat 635,81 8 



Charles J. Folger, Republican 842,464 



Epenetus Howe, Greenback 11,974 



Alphonse A. Hopkins, Prohibition 25,783 



Blank and scattering 3,355 



Cleveland's plurality over Folger was 192,- 

 854, and his majority over all, 151,742. For 

 other State offices the votes were : 



LIEUTENANT-GOVERNOR. 



David B. Hill 534 686 



B. Platt Carpenter .......""..' 33L855 



James Allan 11 004. 



William H. Boole '.'.'.'.'.'.'.".'.".'. '. 27 153 



Blank and scattering. 4^318 



"Whole number 



Hill's plurality, 196,781. 



915,861 



CHIEF-JUDGE OF THE COURT OF APPEALS. 



William C. Euger 482,222 



Charles Andrews 409 ? 423 



Lawrence J. McParlin '.'.'.'.'. lo'&2T 



Charles A. Hammond . . . ie',284 



Blank and scattering 1^600 



Whole number , 



Euger's plurality, 78,400. 



920,605 



CONGRESSMAN-AT-LARGE. 



Henry W. Hlocum 503,954 



Howard Carroll 394,232 



Leonard G. McDonald 10,567 



Linus S. Freeman 14,724 



Blank and scattering 5,474 



Whole number 928,941 



Slocum's plurality, 109,722. 



The two amendments of the Constitution 

 were ratified by large majorities. There was 

 some doubt as to the form of ballot required 

 in voting on the canal amendment. The 

 amendment effected changes in sections 3, 5, 

 and 6 in Article VII, but the bill providing for 

 its submission to a vote of the people, and pre- 

 scribing the form of ballot, declared that bal- 

 lots should read, "For the proposed amend- 

 ment to section 3, Article VII of the Constitu- 

 tion," or against the same, as the case might 

 be, making no mention of the other sections to 

 be changed. The Attorney-General, when con- 

 sulted before the election, advised that ballots 

 should mention all three of the sections to be 

 affected, and expressed doubt as to whether 

 the amendment would have the full effect in- 

 tended unless all three were included. Ballots 

 were prepared and distributed, nevertheless, in 

 strict accord with the law, but some were used 

 which accorded with the Attorney-General's 

 view. The result was, that the vote as de- 

 clared stood : 



For the amendment to section 3 of Article VII of the 



Constitution 486,105 



Against the same 163,151 



For the amendment to sections 8, 5, 6, of Article VII 



of the Constitution 9.609 



Against the same 20,061 



Blank and scattering 260 



"Whole number 679,186 



The only counties where ballots were count- 

 ed for and against amendments to sections 3, 

 5, and 6 of Article VII, were Monroe, On 

 Putnam, and St. Lawrence. 



After the election the Attorney- General wi 

 consulted as to whether this was a valid rati- 

 fication of the amendment as affecting 

 three sections, and he gave it as his opinic 

 that it was. The judiciary amendment wt 

 adopted by a vote of 248,7*84 in its favor, 

 75,644 against it, and 626 blank and scatterii 

 Nineteen of the Representatives in Congress 

 chosen from the districts were Democrats. 

 The names of those elected, with their several 



