New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-05-09
TWO SIGNIFICANT VETOES.
GOVERNOR HILL sLYLY INSISTS THAT MAYOR
GRANT MUST HAVE THE NAMING OF

GRANT MUST HAVE THE NAMING OF
THE RAPID.TRANsIT COMMISSIONERS.
Albany May observation-disclosures Hill intensified
the differences between the Senate and the Assembly
upon the Fassctt Rapid Transit bill today by sending
message to tho Legislature declaring substantially that
he will not sign that bill If the Rapid-Transt Comlns-
sloners are named in il. The message was avowcdly
ono veoing bill relating TO Ogdcnsburg. but the Gov
crnors intimate friends took pains to inform the men,
bcrs of the Legislature that it actually message
having reference the Rapid Transit bill
The Governor raises the CRY Of bone rnle' ana
fairly insists that Mayor Grant shall name the mem
bcrs OF the proposed Rapid Transit Commission The
message must be read between the lines in order TO be
understood. II is given below:
State Of Ncw.York.
Executive Chamber, Albany. May s. 1890
To tho Senate: Senate bill no. 563. entitled IAN act
TO amend chapter 95 of the laws Of 1ssl entitled an
act 10 chapter 1886 of the laws OF lsoS ehteo IAN
act 70 incorporate the city of Ogdensbui: and the acts
amending the same. as amended by chapter 7'' OF INC
aws OF 1885 and Board Of Commissioners OF
Public Works for said city, and TO borrow money 70 I'M
proyc the streets of said city" herewith returned WITH
approval ~
The most important amendment contained in this bill
IL that which creates Board Commissioners Of Public
Works. Six persons specifically named IN Inc DIi
who are 70 constitute such commissioners. ana their terms
NJ Office arc also fixed therein.
There objection personally TO the citizens selected
Three of them each political party. and they
ara einently qualified the positions Tor which they
arr named but my objection to this portion of the bill
IS based upon principle and the personnel OF the
commission Itself. distinct violation Of the doc
trine OF rule Six officials legisiacd into ONCE
without any action the part OF the local authorities
The Mayor and Common Council and all the other officials
OF the city. who duly elected by the people ave
entirely ignored. The Legislature at Albany assumes
TO dictate shall be certain officials OF osdensbug Tor
several years Instead OF permitting the tN'
payers and citizens of that city to have voice az TO
tho ransf
functions of the city government the Legislature sr''P'
the responsibility Of arbitrarily making them.
Such course violation Of the principle OF ioca!
self government The local authorities should MAKE uese
appointments tho people should elect such officials
There is no question OF politics involved The Mayor
and majority the Common Council are Of the saihe
political faith. But insist strenuonsy upon 'he
rights Of n Republican Mayor and other Eepuohoah
local authorities OgdensbuIg do for the rRh' oil
Democratic Mayor and Democratic local authorities Of
New.YoI& City. The same principle IS involved am
opposed which is continually being made 10
deprive municipalities Of their just rights
caro- not whether the Commissioners oil PubIc "o'"
ra nam,d by the Mayor or by the Common Coun'
ell or whether nominated by the Mayor and confirmed
hy the Council but clear IN my CONVICTION us' hcS
should not be selected by the legislature
There must 4 nguiar state oil afaifs IN os'
densburr IL the citizens city nNng u trust
their own elected officials, but prefer 70 delegate he
power Of six important officials TO theI
representatives in the Legislature
urlncipc contained bill bad and cannot
consistently permit IL become law. am satisfied
st my position upon this question is sound and canno;
rccede lr0n t.
The Constitution declares as follows IAN city. town
and village officers election appointment Is 10,
provided for by Constitution shall BE- elected by ne
electors Of such cities. towns ana villages. or some
division uOe0f appointed by such authorities thereof
a. the I.c Stature shall designate for ust purpose
While &, MAJ be claimed that this provision dors not "a
pr,ssIy apply to officers "CommssioHc, u Public
WORKS" because officers q that particular nature were not
known a, tAe Of IT. adoption, yet nevertheless the
,t n not the sfrlc letter OF Constitution Is viola ID
whatever the tocnca construction Of the Constitution mag
be policy which II declares - essential {" good gov
eminent should be followed
have requested tn ntroducor Of this bill IN ~" SENATE"
and the immediate representative Of Oaden-burg IN the
Assembly to recall this bill and amend 10 b} giving some
local the power 70 name these officials but ''
have declined q do There Is Therefore no o'he'
course le for except 70 Withhold approval fiom this
measure r wing the Legislature and the people rra
sons therefor. DAVID u hIi''-.
The Governor also hammered upon the .amc nail
Of home rllc' in the following veto:
STATE Of New.YoFH. Executive Chamber.
Albany, May :. 1890
To the senate: senate bill No. $50 entitled. An at 20
amend Chapter Of the Laws Of 1873 enurod An at
providing the Bridge IN course Of construction o''r
the East River between the Of NewIosK and BCo
Ism BY the New-York Bridge Company shah b" public
work Of the cities Ncw-York and Brooklyn and iof no
dissolution Of said company and the completion and man
agerncnt Of Bridge 10y he said citc- IS herewith
returned without approval
The object q this bin Is regulate the compensation q
the E,ooklvn Bridge policemen By the law In foco
the compensation Of The Bridge police force Is fixed IS o
Bridge Trustees wholly within their discretion with
out minimum limit. This bin provides that
":he compensation u SAID Iohcemen shh' be not los ti
81 100 per annum."
From such information have It would seem that the
sum named bill Is than ought % be paid
for the services rendered but have repeatedly insisted
ncal and Legislature,
the compensation De paid their employees at such rates
a, they think and may be mutually agreed
upon between them and :hc!i employees This IS the tfs
principlc OF doctrine o. home rule" quote from my
veto message OF bill Of last Public Papers q
1899 at page 2l2J that cannot consistently de-
part from application Of this saluary doctrine In this
case a. follows
In the second place, Of subordinate officials
% Municipalities such policemen. hrcinen. teachers
clerks similar employees usually appointed by and
uno or the control Of department already having power
regulate the compensation which hey should receive
shor arbitrarily increased by the Legislature Tut
the power or authority only such Increase should
be upon such board other proper local author
tiles. within certain defined limits
"I was upon grounds that certain vctocs wero
based which appear pages il2 and 1l3 Of my Public
Papers Of 1856, and at pages 81 and 50 " my Public
| Papers Of 1888"
re,ret that worthy should no: be properly com.
oensae for their such be the the local
authorities properly intro;ed with The duty Of adjusting
the cornnsation held responsibility for In
Justice in their action and appeals for remedy should be
addressed to them. rather than 10 the Legislature
DAVID B. HILL.
| TIE SENATE PASSES THE RANNEY BILL.
I Albany, May Z (specia)-Acng on the suggestions
! In this mornings Tribune, the Republican senators
rallied to tllc support of the Ranney or BachweIs
Island Bratgc bill, and passed 1t by more than the
| necessary number of votes. To Mr.. OConnor, tho
energetic Republican representative from Bnghamt,n.
| thi, result is largely due. Mr.. Ahearn, OF New
| York. also worked hard tor the measure on tho
floor DR.. Ranncy, the father Of the project who
is a walking portrait Of Thackcray's Colonel New
come, wept tear Of JOY when the result wrs an
nounced He was overwhelmed with congratulations
nv senators OF both parties, 10 whom he has been a
familiar figure for many years
| Mr. stadlcr Of course, renewed his obstinate OBJ
lection to the bill. lie opposed its being taken up.