, 1875-03-17
THE PROPOSED CITY CHARTER.
An Answer to Objections Urged
Against IT,
How It ::DiGtrs from tbs Tweed
Charter for Now York.


to IA. Ea!nr # TIE chtrooo Eetmin1 Journal:
In Your artlcIo In saturdays rapuf yon refer 10
The "Twecd charter for New York and seem
10 arprchond that tho pronoscd Incorporation
net for cities, propsrct. by ths ciizen.' hrnoca-
tion, contatnu enfnr provisions 10 tho Nnw
York 1tw, and affords cqual Opportunities for
frauds.
Permit mo to explain lilo differences between
tho Two charters in Tho po,nsa to which sou call
attention. and 1t will be obvious Tint tho tHo arc
entirely di.sm!ar, and tha. tho I'LL NO .rc geek
Ing to paas Ia no! InttIy subject 10 objection
unon anr of tho rro,s]a III RESPECT 10 Which tho
Now York act waa found objective and danKer-
otlu: =:
Tht New York charter tas sts'ol in yorr article,
co.its tho euslss eo.esp.ueu! or hit city into liz
hands n four nleu In tbo.e pcr.ons every I'm tim
u publ!e auhuri.y was concentrated. THEY eoaId
ordinances and also rsortde tor their enforcement
In tlo proposed charter tho power to "]eyy
takeA" aittt "prcacribo ordinnnccB" il vented
exclusively in Common Council ccnaposed OF
two braucl,cB ca:h having check upon The
other and tho Mayor aud ether officers 1t tlio
city aro yosot with the powers required for tia
administration of thcir respective dephrtmentB,
and with no others; aud tic ditferen. Com
n,us,oncrs are expressly nado subject 10 tho
iu si,o Now York CHARTER, "The Ma.or, Of hin
o~n yolition. without any Obligation to connuit
with another human bong, p'rsente1 surremo
authority over every administrative o;llccs Of tho
City Goyerusneut.'
IL ths proposed charter, tho Mayer can
appoint no officer "of hts own yoi;ton.'
hit, on the contrary. he must obtain tia al,.
proyal OF tho majority Of tho Doasd OF Cum
cosa elected BY tho city nt lares on tho
minority principle; any my officer whom be re-
moYeb cAn bo restored 70 oiGte by vote Of TWO.
thirds Of tho l}nard Of Councillors. ThlB trethud
OF appointing tho chicf officers Of tho CITY Gov
ornmeut By tho ataynr, with tho approval Of the
CITY for many ynars, and has been found to worx
we'll. TLo only diGforcncc betwccn tho existing
chnrter and tho new ono, In this rosnect IL, thu:
tho power Of approval IL veHed in tue Doaid of
Councillors, Instead OF tho board Of Aldermen.
Tho Now York charter directed "eacli head Of
department. to report diressly to tho Mayor at
such times, and IN such tormg, aud under nuch
rifles, NJ ho should prescribe" No other trbr-
'.al had power to compel auy OF these oisia's to
do this.
1n tho proposed ohartor, tho Comptroller IL
required 10 report monthly to the Common Eoun.
e!L not to the Mayor; aud his duties and those Of
ths oty Treasurer are S5press!5 ire:e5.ssa ~
prescribed by law in the .prenent City Charter,
IRON which tbey havo beou transferred to the
new Ian. All the ether City ofaecss may be 70.
qtllred to report to tho Common Council at huch
times At It n1ay direct
In tho Now York chartor, 'tcach head Of 4
department WAS allowed TO regulate tho appoias-
ment and pay Of his slbosdinater."
1u the proposed charter, tho City Council fix
the amount to be appropriated Tor tho payment
Of the entire foloe employed in EACH department,
and tho heAda Of departments simply appostiou
this amount Amoug their respective employees
No othes person can 10 inselllgently and Justly
determine Tue proper amonnt to DO nlloted
sloner 10 whose aeryice thoy ara and who 10 fa-
uitla. with tho exact character and extent OF
thstr labors aud responsibilities. Dy retaining
within tbsst Own oontrol tho smount 70 ba e1-
ponded IL each Of tho departments, tho Common
Council hhra tho propbr check upou tho lumber
Of employer, and the ntnouus Of tletr salaries |;
and within suci limit It fs manifest that tho
heada Of departments arc tho bost prreons 10 ba
instructed NTH the power to hppolnt their eubot-
cient systom Of administration. Tho ealssies of
Council.
IN tho Non York charter, "The powor to do
c1pend during tho year was vested III tho Mayor.
lis Aloue vas clothed with the power to Ind out
and expose fraud. and toimpoaoh tho three other
| persons who. with himself, wero vested with tho
| outira powers Of tho Municipal Government"
No ono Of these dangerous powers Is conferred
upon tho Mayor nndar tho proposed charter.
Tho Common Council aro By 1t alone veBted With
tho powor TO decide ho" much money, shall tc
| raised, and how much shall bo expended, by each
| department. In thl6rcspoct. 10 we'll as in their
posorn to tnyestiRate fIauda and call tho city cf.
doors to account, tho City Council will possesa
the sarno powern, And all the powers, which Il
Theeo ara ali the provisions Of the New York
charter alluded 10 In your article, aud 1t II OBJ
yioub that the proposed new charter contains nc
such powers OF provisions. aud nune having any
siuailsrity to tilcm Or .hich could BY auy possf-
bilisy be rttsndea with the saSac cyl! results.
| You say tho bill is wrong "iu falling to pro-
vide any adsquase method bylwhich tl,e Mayor
and hia heads of departments may ho calod to
atslct account and punishment III the ayent OF
decentralization" The now ass ropsais noae
which hare been supposed 10 afford sufficient
safeguards for tha pu1poAe rotcrtcd 70. II thero
| il any dofsot In this respect 10 tho existing
charter, 1t las not been brought to ou1 atsen-
You object Also "thst tho bill IL not complete
in itaalf, but retains ~ iude1nita portion Of tho
old charter" In this respect tho bill Is tho
sAtne ~ that In the Qcneral Incorporation act
punbors Of cltIea llvs organized. and no d'tli-
Guilty has, no far - an adyisad, resulted from
tho psosisien retaining thatr former laws
iu force whenever Inconsistent with the
oscrpurdsnod e viii dstas to Incorporate tuto Il
ali the powers Which have from time to tina
been snsested in our City Government, and it
t,fslY from the u.st. Dstliculttes gould lave
arison, and embarrasamoutH and Losses hAys
boon ocessloned, lu taapect to municipal ohliga-
tlous, pnwers. and interests which, III tho opir.
law of1ioers Of our City, Il would be running a
yesy serious rsk 10 lucur. The evil to whIch you
rotor waa tho ssseF owl OF tho two, and could ha
eaailv Eemed!sd by row codiacatlon OF tho Laws
| Of tsaa city.
Thesa are al tho svlls 10 which you refcs, ex-
oopting tho power Of appointment aud removal
| vested IN tho Mayor aud ueads OF departments.
'l'hs mower dnauo essential to tho proper adnin'