New-York tribune., 1888-04-11
MR.. HEWITT AND THE FLAGS.
A cAUsTro MESSAGE TO THE ALDERMEN

HE vEroEs THEIR RESOLUTION AND GIVES SOME
STATISTICS THAT DIspLEAsE TEEN.
Mayor Hewitt yesterday sent to the Board of Alder
mon . message returning the recent amendment W
the ordinance regarding the flags to bc displayed on
tho city public buildings so that majority of tho
Aldermen can direct what flag flags shall be so
displayed When the reading clerk had reached the
portion OF the message which gives the comparative
statistics Of the number of persons OF the various
nationalities In tho public Institutions OF the CITY,
Patrick Diver arose and moved that tho further read
ing of the message DO suspended and that be placed
on Ie In stating the notion President Forster said:
at ia moved and seconded that the further reading
of the message be suspended and that It be printed
In The City Record
@Nos cried Alderman Diver, "my motion was to
place tho message fle-not to print 1t in The City
Record
at must be placed file and printed In The City
Record, also,n decided President Forster. The
printing Is required by the Consolidation act.'
Mr. Conhling protested against Mr.. DIVERS motion
suspendng the reading and urged that common cour-
tesy demanded that the reasons given by the Mayor
should be respectfully heard Mr. Conklng alone
in his protest, however, and when the motion was
put his the only voice heard In the negative. and
the chair declared 1t carried and suspended the reading
An amusing incident occurred during the reading
of the portion permitted When Clerk Hagan reached
the place in which tho message says, alt is fair
inference therefore, that the object Of tho amend
ment Is to compel tho Irish flag TO be displayed
over the City Hall In case majority OF the Aldermen
shall dircct,n the Clerk inadvertently road, I'm
a majority of the Irishmen shall so direct"
slip of the tongue which created much merrmcnt.
The message made public by the Mayor, and Is
follows:
Mayors once New,York. April o. 1888.
To the Honorable the Board Of Aldermen
return herewith without my approval An ordinance
to amend Section 1ss OF Article XIV. of Chapter OF tie
Revised Ordinances 1880" This amendment is accom-
panied with report, and 10 not find In The CITY
Record" any evidence that its provisions explained 10
your Honorable Body therefore, restricted to such
internal evidence TO the intention Of your Honorable
Body In the Language OF the resolution
itself and the events which would to have led to
its introduction and adoption Dy the existing ordinance
sole authority 20 order the display Of flags upon tho
public buildings City Hall Park resides with the
Mayor 1t Is evident that this power must be lodged IN
executive officer because. except upon legal holidays
emergencies which make IL to display the flags
cannot rule In time for the action OF the
Common Council The exercise of this power by the Mayor
made the subject OF anmsdveson so far as
know, until declined TO order the display Of the Irish
flag the 18th Of March last in accordance with the re-
quest OF your Honorable Body. The reasons why the
Mayor acceie this request have already been
fully stated IN communication which had the honor TO
transmit the 20th day of March 1888 This comInun-
cation been subject OF discussion in your
Honorable Body followed by the passage OF the
sneniment changing the ord TO real follows
Sec 1as-An power and authority Z, display hsRs or
the Mayor Of the CITY oi Ne%Yofk uDless Otherwise
OF all the members elected t. the Beard"
The occasion Of the passage OF this amendment was con-
fesedy refusal Of the Mayor display the Irish nag
the City Hall St. Patrcks Day. 1t Is fair INFER
ence therefore, object the amendment is to COM
pei the Irish flag to be displayed over the City Hail. In
majority Of the Aldermen should so direct The
Board OF Aldermen Is legislative body which can only
through resolutions ordinances legally adopted All
resolutions be approved by the Mayor so fsr
therefore the amendment proposes to reserve to the
Board OF Aldermen the TO decide whether the lsh
flag sh0 be displayed the City Hall independently Of
the approval the Mayor 1t will necessarily fail OF Its
purpose resolution requiring the Mayor TO display the
Irish flag any particular occasion would still be subject
dsapprova for ten days after its passage and II dis
approved could be passed over his objection within
fifteen days thereafter that nearly month would nee
essary elopse before such resolution could be made e
fecye this operation would have to be repeated an
nuayt would Letter that your honorable body should
for all adopt general ordinance directing the Mayor o
such other executive officer as you may select to cause
the Irish flag be displayed annually on ST. PatricRs
Day In resolution should be vetoed as 1t un-
doubey would be by tho present Mayor 1t can be passed
over his veto O twoh thirds vote, provided the other
members your foreign birth shall concur with
their colleagues of Irish in the opinion that
foreign nays should bo displayed over the City Hail.
The issue would be met squarey and not indirectly,
ss IL is preesnted resolution herewith returned
The question practically whether the deepseated con-
yctons patriotic sentiments Of majory OF the people
Of the city be surrendered to the nconsiderate de-
papds OF a small portion OF single foreign nationality,
who fail to appreciate the liberal spirit OF our national
policy which merges all distinctions OF birth and race In
one common citizenship In my previous communication
pointed that OF the population Of this city the Irish
born amounted 10 1646 cent And yet OF the mem
bes Of the Board OF Aldermen. am informed that seven
out Of Of Irish BIRTH which Is equal 70 n
per cent than one and half times the normal
ratio of representation rule representation
prevails nearly the departments OF the city govern
ment except the police where the returns show that tho
force contains o. cent Of lrshmen born which Is
nearly double NORMAL percentage This excess is at
the expense German element which, though entitled
on the basis OF population in 1880 to 1885 per cent
actually has only Ala per cent OF the appointments But
when we examine the nationality OF the inmates
OF The institutions under OF the Commissioners Of
Charities and Correct.n, find that larger ratio ap
pears From the report Of 1885, the admissions to the
several institutions distributed follows among the
born the Irsh the Germans and other natonates
Percentage Percentage
e. I a. OF Population OF Admissions
'' ~ n According 10 10 Public