New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-10-30
THE SUCCESSION TO THE MAYoRNLTY.

THE SUCCESSION TO THE MAYORALTY.
rys,r,sr,cro PROVISIONS To MEET THE
EMERGENCY OF Mr. HARRSoN'S
Assassination.
Chicago. oct. 29.-Opinions vary az u 'ne
succession to the Mayoralty made vacant oS
the assassination of Mayor Harrison. Corpora
ton Counsel Kraus says that pending 'ne
election Of new Mayor the Council would In
his onirior no empowered to select a Mayor pro
TEN. Il should not Ike to give positive
onirior " Afr Kraus saws "without the statutes
before me remember looking up the mat
fer wears ago. and am quite confident that
read the laws to mean that the Counc'i ""u''
select the Mavor pro tenn" The section whch
deals with the temporary absence or inaplhy
Of the Mayor and the provision for the seiec-
ton by the Council Of Il Mayor pro tem' MI
Kraus believes is sufficient To cover the c"S''
THE intention Of the law he SAID. was 10
provide for an emergency. Even II the Ni"Io'
be dead it is only a legal temporary IN
ability taken in connection with inc Secu""
providing for the immediate election ot the
Mavor The Council will call for a specaI
election"
Alderman Madden chairman Of the Finance
! Committee Of the City Council, says: Ihe Guy
statutes are rather vague in reference 10 an
emergency Of this kind. From what can learn
| after a hastv examination OF the statutes it
appears that when a vacancy occurs IN the once
If Mavor. and the unexpired term is less than
one year. 1t is within the jurisdiction OF IN" CITY
Council 10 elect a Mayor pro tenn VINO shall
have all the powers and duties Of Mayor ana
shall fill out the unexpircd term. But in the
event that a vacancy occurs in the once oi
Mayor and the unexpired term is more than one
wear then the CITY Council shall meet and elect
! a Mayor pro tenn but shall also call special
election for the people 10 elect a Mayor 10 MI
out the unexpired term. 1t Is vague as to the
| length of time that a notice Of the special cleo
ton shall be given before the day Of election. but
| | presume IL would be thirty days. In the mean
| time the Mayor pro TEN would serve as Mayor
| of the city. and would be clothed with the iull
powers and duties Of that Office. The unexrited
| term Of Mayor Harrison IL more than one year.
and hence special election Will have To be
| called and II will be- settled by the people.
! A. :. Trude. an authority on local munlcipal
law says. Chicago has no Mayor 10 one
can succeed Mr.. Harrison. Thor" Is an anso-
lutte silence In the laws concerning TINS point,
Nobody bu. the Mayor has the veto power ana
In this the point lies. The man VINO has TINS
veto power ~ dead. and when ne - g"n" II"
porson can become his successor by right ~
precedenc, In official rank. once. In IN" Gown
administration, when the Mayor was absent
the Controller attempted To act as Mayor 81 the
city. but act 81 his was rccogniz 81 AS OH,
There is no president 81 the city Council There
is "A chairman elected at each meeting when the
Mayor Is absent, but this clecunB Is temporary
and only viva Vocc anyhow
city Controller Wethcrell says: mo provision
Is made for the filling Of the Mayoralty office
in such an instance as has been brought about
by the Mayors assassination. | have thought
Of II many times. The matter IL one which
ordinarily can be- easily taken care Of that
| suppose officials never thought much about IT,
So far as my knowledge goes. there Is no pro-
vision FOR the period between the death II the
Mayor and the election. There IS no law 81
established precedent for permanent chair
man OF the Council. the charter saying merely
that when the Mayor Is absent the body shall
elect one Of it's members 20 preside. The Coun
ell can undo It's action and elect another to
preside or Il can name Mr. Swift
| At the City Hall to-day the opinion was gen
eraI that Mr. Swift would act as Mayor until 4
spccial election can be- called. which will re-
quire thirty days notice. This will throw the
city government into the hands Of the Rcpubi
cans although there Is little probability that
any partisan advantage Will be taken OF tn,
Mayors assassination TO remove any Of In,
present holders OF city Offices.