New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-03-23
OPPOSING THE NV CIrY CHARTER

OPPOSING THE NEW CITY CHATTER.
NrEIrG oF ruE corNcn OF EEfoRM-"Kso-
LrllONs AroITED-EEAsONS sar FORTH WHY
TIE LtGrsIAIUEE SHOULD LII ms CITY
MON.
The Council of Reform met last evening
AID discuss al c provisions o tic proposed new cay
charter a. tine rooms ot TIE Woool"wn Gene
tery A.-ociatIon. NO. ~ LIST Tweniy-turdst.
~ H. webb pr,s.ded Previous TO tn d.cus,iou
J,hn 4 W,c,- read the proposed amendments 10 the
Old chatter. a. Included Ia tne new bIl and Wa fol
lowed hy Professor Tucod,re ". Dwight who offered
the following resolutions t-e.Ing upou the general
principles - thc charter, mainly tho appointing
power:
Resolr,d That tho amendments 10 me charter OF the
Cty of Now York nov pendn& ~ inc l.rgohue ~ So
they hpph 10 iae appointments 81 heads OF Dc
partmcrts ana o'mnss "i,'' Nlold" souhu P.iltt,'l
puncIlos n th' tol0"hk, among "'htr r.sn ,c;
tHr'-lneS M ", w uo,rd "P ~, fonr
officers instead ~ single person. The concurrence Of
MI these f. required. a least after January l.
1881. 1nc element 81 p,huc.l Ie-ponSlp'.t i"i NJ
!oinuncn 20 ONCE. so yit 10 ire selection OF o"fhDe
! oflrers. !, thus wholly wanting u unni, 81 II
40 appointments are naIr, e"tn mc1p't 9i 'ilq
Board OF Appointment may shh thc r"spousbilt' Oi
rant In political philosophy or experience second
The persons whom Tue selection % me officers IN
5 me praspect OF nsrnoncus action. The Mavor
and Controller each elected ny tnr whole body OF
tho people; president 81 the Board or Aldermen Nv
maioity Of the Aldermen elected b. Districts and the
ycr.prcsiirui by the minority That failed 10 elect the
prc.eut Each Of these persons has the sam" power
i'm the Appointing Board and the repres,ntaye of the
| minority may dictate rue appointments. IhiS l.
mighty Ingenious scurme for Transferring u0wtr To thc
minority, Tncre bc ro Other result thnn this that
either appointments will net BE- made at all eli made ~
matter OF comprOuse. ne OF The evl- OF ne e1lst-
Rcsoired TINT he CIV 4 Ncw-York demand from the
LKs.au" hat tn ainulsr'9n OF ,ne ocAl fJ'',n
mcnt shan not be tnnde FOOTBALL ~ parry peI'
WAT tao people nsK fr are sufficient pol &C. cicah ana
| pubio grounds, "ei,hmlt W"Nt'eS, ""u ,pp".iic
| protection arhin-t FIR, disease ana pr-t'.',n','
| with etnuencY. They know thai the} cannot ha'o
these simply 10y tue enactment OF general laws hover
! Ihcy viii not be satisfied unti sound meiL"dS a frr
tdop I'd for lhcir select on. nor VIII they doh """
Resoired. Inat tne sound odsiS OF our CIV syeNi ~
cvl administration IL not merely JHe nom ion INV h
the full appointment OF the hra,s OF dcpi tult - Nv
men has had fnir trial. aud has proved
n ,''' amentable failure L cannot be claimed
! that the vcsuug OF TINS power IN tho s"l"r
nI"ue Is a violation Of correct principles since ~ ony
applied 10 government Of municipal corpoiatlon'
as Il might he n smaller city or even 10 % 'laEe;
system Of combinations Of nominations 10 oihec "uked
United stat Senat" "a not 70 ,e doff'o
upon municipality to ia der'meu an'i1y roirc,i
view TO create an apparent uniformity !" po'i''''
| theories. a.. -
Resoired That the power OF removal of these same anne
city officials should ne solely vested VI tle nnnl NH
should state his reasons for the remoNai ob n1v P
ished IN The on Record. Lei there be no itlal nor
hearing OF the officer. Let the Mayor ne pnu Se
sibe 10 public opinion solely, win the eAceI-
ion Office S y f IKE GoveP9or BY adopting these
principles, the Legislature viii confer on ne pooe,
=
ton IN ap executive department does not Tequr
numbers, but may properly exist III slnE' Pr,
son. srh Mayor has great powers , Du,
he Is not Imposed upon 10y the people, IL may
confidently be expected that where snon loM.,LS
are Ia bo welded beneficiary or lDJullousJ te
people viii sulic ent good sense ana pit"llc i's
in elect responsible an once map w ooth ny
ms intelligence ana virtue property To administer me
cy affairs. These powers should OnN DC con.9, W
election of Mayor, 80 that ne shOuu 10
| elected vita these prnyisOns IN view. 49,,
| RrSOircd. That tAs CuuuCli strongly Ou9'cts l" wy
| chang. proposed IN these amendments or Aldermen .
| districts from senate - Assembly districts, anu Oh
Piyng M tr principle minority voting anu OF eject
ing certain Aldermen general ticket The uodo o'
/ electng Aldermen proposed by the amendments
should IN any cvtnt pc adoptsu' y"
present pan was establish AFTER much
consideration with view 10 the nrodu ton lnlo the
Board OF a hkey TO represent the wishes
OF the city wuole while at TIC same TIME II fee"B
nize. the principle OF minority administration; lu
amendment substantially proposes tue Ola methon vi
electIug Assistant Aldermen, and tue pracucIl thet
: of IFS adoptiOn will be 10 make Buafd Wll'l
a the equivalent OF that nov nont1isienl
. body the sole drpnsiIOry OF Aldermanic power me
4 memory OF the Boafd ~ Assistant Aldermen - qmN
TOO sn and unsvory ~ induce the people 10 long oI
lis restoration. The importance OF ms chahtr VI
methods cannot be oyercsLmaol. since, II TIE amen"
D ments 20 int0 etecr, the new Board OF Atdei
men viii select from their own lumber TWO mem