The record-union., 1892-01-14
CHARTER MATERIAL.
Subjects Considered by the Free
holders Last Evening.
The Trustees to Select Their Own Pre-
siding Oficer-Elections by Wards,
or Voters At-Larges

! freeholderS there were present X. Il.
/ Devlin Chairman, 7. b. Hall, c. L.
| White, II. NJ. LaRue, Chris Green, Fred
! Cox, Matt +. Johnson, DIR. @. l.. Sim
mons, j. H. Roberts, V. S. McClatchy,
! G. H. Hubbard, II. Weinstock.
Secretary White reported, on behalf of
/ the Ways and Means Committee, that the
/ committee had got rate of 81 ID per page
/ for the printing of the committee re-
ports, and that typewriter copies would
cost almost as much. If printed, the
matter could be kept standing and after
ward corrected, and the type could be
used for the final printing of the charter.
! Matt F. Johnson thought it best to have
! the reports printed, and made motion
| to that effect.
/ c. L. White said the Committee on
| Ways and Means, having power to act in
/ the matter, had already determined to
have the reports printed.
Mr.. JohnSOn'S motion was carried.
The report of the Judiciary Committee
/ on the effect Of new charter on the
! Funded Debt Commission was read 1t
/ was TO the effect (as heretofore published)
| that new charter would not necessarily
! do away with the commission.
Various other committees reported
! =
In response to an inquiry by Mr.. J Ohm
son, MIR. Hall, from the Executive Com
mittee, stated that the committee had not
deemed 1t necessary TO call upon the
/ Funded Debt Commission for a state
ment Of its transactions during the past
/ ten years in the matter of the purchase OF
! bonds.
Chairman Devlin, however, thought the
! facts should be obtained, and the commit
/ tee was instructed to pursue the in
quiry.
The board then took up for the pur-
! poses of consideration and amendment
! the report OF the Legislative Committee.
! Section l refers to the boundaries,
rights and liabilities Of the municipal
corporation, and was passed as read.
Section vests in the city all public
! buildings, lands, property, rights of ac-
! ton, moneys, revenues, etc.
Section is of similar purDOrt
Section provides for the bringing of
! suits and actions, enforcement OF con-
! tracts, etc.
Chapter 2 relates to the boundaries of
the city, establishing them as at present
Section Of Chapter divides the city
into eight wards, bat action thereon was
passed for the present.
Article II. refers to elections, but has
not been completed
Article III. Section l. provides for a
Board of City Trustees, holding office for
| four years.
Section 2 provides that the board shall
consist Of nine members, one to be elected
at large and to be President of the hoard,
and that the Trustees shall be selected
from the several wards, but elected by
the voters at large.
Mr.. johnson moved to amend the sec
ton by striking out the clause relating to
the President Of the board, and provid-
ing that the several Trustees shall be
! elected DV their rpSDaPtiVa wards
Messrs. Weinstock, Johnson, Sim
mons, Green, c. l.. White, Roberts, La
Rue and others discussed the motion.
DR.. Simmons thought the Mayor should
preside at all meetings, but have no vote,
and that eight Trustees would be suffi-
| cient.
Mr.. White thought the Trustees should
select their own presiding officer, as they
could better judge OF his qualifications
for that duty. Besides, the possibility of
a trustee being promoted to the position
Of presiding officer might be an induce
ment for the better class of citizens to con-
sent to sit on the board.
Mr.. Green said the committee thought
the people at large the better capable of
selecting presiding officer.
Mr.. Cox agreed with DR.. Simmons that
the Mayor should preside and have the
exercise of the veto power.
Mr.. JOhnsOn's amendment, striking
out the clause relating to President Of the
board, was adopted.
Mr.. Johnson then moved to amend so
that eight Of the nine Trustees shall be
elected from different wards. He pointed
to San Francisco as an Illustration of the
evil results of nominating men by wards
and electing them at large. This method
gave the bosses too much power, while
The ward system could be employed as a
check upon their corrupt methods. The
ward system would also have the effect OF
much OF partisan machine. He did not
know how it was in the Republican
party-perhaps they have no boSses-but
the Democrats have, and by manipulate
ing the conventions they have made
slaves of the better element Of the party.
, c. l.. White said it had been his OBJ
servation that boss could manipulate a
ward easier than he could the city at
large. Under the ward system OF elect
ing Trustees the majority Of the voters in
a ward would have very little to say
about who shall be elected. One or two
men in each ward can usually manipulate
it to suit themselves. The new election
law would give every good candidate a
chance before the people, despite the
standing Of his party. There are more
good than bad people in the city, and
they can be trusted to elect the best man
nominated from a particular ward, what
ever his politics might be.
Mr.. Green conceded with Mr. White
that the ward system of election opened
the doors to boss manipulation and cor
rupti IN. The political boss makes q
business of fixing up things in wards
he does nothing all the year but fix things
to his liking; but in the at-large system
the people can correct the evils arising
l from boss manipulation.
Chairman Deviin said there were adj
vantages and disadvantages in each plan.
According to the views expressed. the
bosses had the best of it either way. and
he suggested that the further considera-
ton OF the subject be postponed until an
other time. 1t might be deemed best to
! have six wards and elect three Trustees
at large.
MIR. Johnson agreed that it would be
2 we'll to lay the matter over for while Sc
that the views of citizens can be had more
fully on the subject.
The clause was passed over until the
next regular meeting.
Section 3 relates to the filing of vacan-
cies in the Office of Trustee by appoint
ment by the Mayor. lNot amended.)
: Section 4 relates to meetings Of the
, Board of Trustees, and provides that five
members shall be required TO constitute a
quorum, and five affirmative votes to pass
an ordinance or do other business.
On motion Of Mr.. White the word
five was changed to six"
Section 5 relates to the power of the