ThemostimportantofthereformmeasuresourcommitteerecommendedwasthebilltakingawayfromtheAldermentheirpowerofconfirmationovertheMayor’sappointments。Wefoundthatitwaspossibletogetcitizensinterestedinthecharacterandcapacityoftheheadofthecity，sothattheywouldexercisesomeintelligentinterestinhisconductandqualifications。ButwefoundthatasamatteroffactitwasimpossibletogettheminterestedintheAldermenandothersubordinateofficers。InactualpracticetheAldermenweremerelythecreaturesofthelocalwardbossesorofthebigmunicipalbosses，andwheretheycontrolledtheappointmentsthecitizensatlargehadnochancewhatevertomaketheirwillfelt。Accordinglywefoughtfortheprinciple，whichIbelievetobeofuniversalapplication，thatwhatisneededinourpopulargovernmentistogiveplentyofpowertoafewofficials，andtomakethesefewofficialsgenuinelyandreadilyresponsibletothepeoplefortheexerciseofthatpower。TakingawaytheconfirmingpoweroftheBoardofAldermendidnotgivethecitizensofNewYorkgoodgovernment。WeknewthatiftheychosetoelectthewrongkindofMayortheywouldhavebadgovernment，nomatterwhattheformofthelawwas。Butwedidsecuretothemthechancetogetgoodgovernmentiftheydesired，andthiswasimpossibleaslongastheoldsystemremained。Thechangewasfoughtinthewayinwhichallsimilarchangesalwaysarefought。Thecorruptandinterestedpoliticianswereagainstit，andthebattle-criestheyused，whichralliedtothemmostoftheunthinkingconservatives，werethatwewerechangingtheoldconstitutionalsystem，thatweweredefacingthemonumentsofthewisdomofthefoundersofthegovernment，thatweweredestroyingthatdistinctionbetweenlegislativeandexecutivepowerwhichwasthebulwarkofourliberties，andthatwewereviolentandunscrupulousradicalswithnoreverenceforthepast。
Ofcoursetheinvestigations，disclosures，andproceedingsoftheinvestigatingcommitteeofwhichIwaschairmanbroughtmeintobitterpersonalconflictwithverypowerfulfinanciers，verypowerfulpoliticians，andwithcertainnewspaperswhichthesefinanciersandpoliticianscontrolled。Anumberofableandunscrupulousmenwerefighting，somefortheirfinanciallives，andotherstokeepoutofunpleasantlycloseneighborhoodtoState’sprison。Thismeantthattherewereblowstobetakenaswellasgiven。Insuchpoliticalstruggles，thosewhowentinforthekindofthingthatIdidspeedilyexcitedanimositiesamongstrongandcunningmenwhowouldstopatlittletogratifytheiranimosity。Anymanengagedinthisparticulartypeofmilitantandpracticalreformmovementwassoonmadetofeelthathehadbetternotundertaketopushmattershomeunlesshisowncharacterwasunassailable。OnoneoftheinvestigatingcommitteesonwhichIservedtherewasacountryman，averyableman，who，whenhereachedNewYorkCity，feltascertainAmericansdowhentheygotoParis——thatthemoralrestraintsofhisnativeplacenolongerapplied。Withallhisability，hewasnotshrewdenoughtorealizethatthePoliceDepartmentwashavinghimaswellastherestofuscarefullyshadowed。Hewascaughtred-handedbyaplain-clothesmandoingwhathehadnobusinesstodo；andfromthattimeonhedarednotactsaveasthosewhoheldhissecretpermittedhimtoact。
ThenceforththoseofficialswhostoodbehindthePoliceDepartmenthadonemanonthecommitteeonwhomtheycouldcount。Ineversawterrormoreghastlyonastrongman’sfacethanonthefaceofthismanononeortwooccasionswhenhefearedthateventsinthecommitteemighttakesuchacourseastoforcehimintoapositionwherehiscolleagueswouldexposehimevenifthecityofficialsdidnot。
However，heescaped，forwewereneverabletogetthekindofproofwhichwouldwarrantouraskingfortheactioninwhichthismancouldnothavejoined。
Trapsweresetformorethanoneofus，andifwehadwalkedintothesetrapsourpubliccareerswouldhaveended，atleastsofarasfollowingthemundertheconditionswhichalonemakeitworthwhiletobeinpubliclifeatall。Amancanofcourseholdpublicoffice，andmanyamandoesholdpublicoffice，andleadapubliccareerofasort，evenifthereareothermenwhopossesssecretsabouthimwhichhecannotaffordtohavedivulged。Butnomancanleadapubliccareerreallyworthleading，nomancanactwithruggedindependenceinseriouscrises，norstrikeatgreatabuses，noraffordtomakepowerfulandunscrupulousfoes，ifheishimselfvulnerableinhisprivatecharacter。Norwillcleanconductbyitselfenableamantorendergoodservice。IhavealwaysbeenfondofJoshBillings’sremarkthat“itismucheasiertobeaharmlessdovethanawiseserpent。”