Morning journal and courier., 1881-03-01
Revising the City Charter.

Revising the City Charter.
The Proposed Changes to be Introduced
Important NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. fan
Exciting Discussion Before the CoEnmit-
tee.
At the present time there is good deal of
excitement about the city in reference to
the proposed revision of the city charter and
the amendments as suggested by certain Re-
publicans. What the end win be u no man
can tell" Tho first proposed amendment
which 1egislated out of Office the Boards of
Police, Fire..and Road Commissioners with the
entire olice department. and several of the
officers connected with the road and fire de
partments, and which also provided. for the
appointment of two from each party to be
appointed on the commissions, and the fifth
member of each board to be appointed by
the Governor, met with considerable opposi-
ton, mostly, of course, from Democrats, al
though there were some prominent Repubh-
cans who thought that many of the provi-
sions should be modified The authors of
the bill, coinciding with the views expressed
by members of their own party, decided to
change some of its Objectionable provisions
and to this end the hearing before the legis-
lative committee, which was to have been
heard last week, was postponed until Thurs
day, March 10. Since that time the inter
ested parties have been busily engaged in
their work. and with the printed revision of
the city charter before them have drafted
certain amendments, which, though yetincom-
plete, will show the general drift of the pro-
posed changes. In the revision now pend
ing it is proposed in section % that all cleo
tions for officers in the Court of Common
Council shall be by 'tyeas and nays, by each
member naming his choice; also that a ma
jority of those present and voting shall con-
stitute quorum. This section it is proposed
to change by making the vote in such cases
by ''ballot," and also requiring that major
ity of the members elected shall constitute a
quorum. In the same section where it pro-
vides that stif the votes for any one person
shall equal all the votes cast for all other per-
sons, the Mayor shall have the right to vote, .
it is objected to on the ground that it does
away with plurality elections.
In the 26th section, which gives power to
each Board of the Court of Common Coun-
Gil, commissioners and committees to compel
the attendance of witnesses, it is proposed to
add clause providing as penalty for perjury
or false swearing by witnesses.
In section 81, which relates to the police
department, it is proposed to SO change the
section as to legislate out of Office the entire
police force, the officers excepted. The pre-
vious proposition making the president of
the Board of Police commissioners ''superin-
tendent of police, will also be dispensed with.
The proposition of three grades with the
appointment or selection from a super
numerary force, will be retained, leaving, it
with the Police Commissioners to decide re-
garding the appointments Beside the prin-
cipal officers three ''doormen'' are provided
for, which is intended to retain the present
men in Office acting in that capacity.
The proposed amendment to section 80 re-
lating to the fire department will as pro.
posed, be amended so as to give the Chief su-
preme control over the fire department un-
der the direction of the Fire Commissioners,
the proposition making the chairman of the
Board superintendent of the department. be-
ing dispensed with. The Fire Marshal, how
ever, under the proposed amendments is leg
islated out of office. It is also provided that
the officers and men of the fire department
shall hold Office during ''good behavior"
Section Al in the codifcation provides, as
proposed to amend, that the president of the
spector," and virtually legislates out of Office
the present City Inspector appointed by the
road department.
It is also proposed that the several boards
shall be non-partisan in, that two from each
political party shall be appointed by the
Board of Aldermen, and not by the Court
of Common Council as previously suggested.
The fifth member is to be appointed by the
County Commissioners, and in case they fail
to agree within ten days then the Governor
is to appoint. This changes the previous
propositions giving the Governor absolute
power to appoint the fifth member of the
several boards.
AS matter of course, these several propo-
sitions will necessitate change in section sc
of the codifcation, which provides for the
appointment and retention of the several
commissions.
There are other changes which are yet in a
comparatively crude state, but which will be
brought out before the time for the hearing
before the committee. The more important
changes are, however, given. From present
indications there will be lively time before
the committee and the Legislature regarding
these several propositions.