New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-02-07
PRICE THREE CENTS.
THE MCARTY BILL VETOED.
GOV FLOWER REFUSES TO APPROVE 1T.
THE MEASURE UNCONSTITUTIONAL AND Or
POSED TO PUBLIC INTERESTS s-BRooKLYN
OFFICIALS SEVERELY AaRAI6NED.
[BY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE.

POSED TO PUBLIC INTERESTS -BRooKLYN
OFFICIALS SEVERELY ARRAIGNED.
[BY TELEGRAPH TO THE rRIBUSE.1
Albany, Feb. 6.-Governor Flower astounded
the Democratic Senators tonight by vetoing Sena-
ter McCarty's bill lcgalzing the appropriation
of sec, 900 of the good money of the taxpayers
OF Kings County by Mayor Boody and the Board
of Aldermen of Brooklyn and the county officers
of Kings County for the Columbian celebration.
The veto message Is most severe arra!gnment OF
the Democratic oGiccholGcrs of Kings County who
expended the money. Ii Is difficult TO see now
Mayor Body can escape from facing civil suie
brought by taxpayers of Brooklyn for the re-
covery of the $4,000.
Senator Asrinal, who voted against the Dill
attempted TO make a speech commencing Gov
ernor Flowers action, but was prevented from
doing so by the point of order that Senator
McCarty the introducer of the measure was
absent. The veto message is given In fuii peiow'
State Of New.York, Executive Chamber,
Albany y. Y. Feb. q, 1893
tn the Senate; Senate bill No 07, entitled 'An act to
eeaze to ratfy ond confirm certain acts OF ehe couv
CT King, and It's Board Supervisors and the puoic
officers said county, and certain acts OF te Guy "
Brooklyn and its Board Of Aldermen and the pue~
officers Of the said city in the Joint ceieoo9on y.
completion Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Aicn Gnu
the discovery OF America. held In the Guy o' . piv
and county OF Kings, in Octobc 1892" Is hercwn TO
turned without approval for the following reasons
firs-rhe bill appears violation OF Atcle . oeo'
on 49, OF the Constitution which provides mo prNa'0
or local BILL may be passed by the Less'a.ue'
shall embrace more subject, and that shsn 70
expressed the title' This measure lesaiiles sne
ratfes certain OF the Boart OF Aldermen ana puoio
officers of city Brooklyn and also certain otnes
acts Board Of Supervisors OF the county OF kngs
thus embracing subjects within the same local DILL
Socond-Tbe bill 1. OF questionable propriety' ana In
my judgment is enactment would be adverse TO the oss
lsftt, ~ lx1l
Knzs or indeed the entire STATE The Legislature 10
called upon ogazc and ratify acts OF omeiais
In critical emergency without precise auuorV
CT law or to correcs certain technical failures to comply
with the provisions Of law either through mad
But the In question presents
pa tculary fagrlnt violation Ct law committed under
circumstances which scarcely justify wholesale ratihcaton
by the Legislature In the City Of Brooklyn the ex.
pnndtIrs incurred without authority OF law and 10
violation Of the city charter
So far a. the actions Of the Board OF Aldermen ana
public officers the city of Brooklyn are concerned the
circumstances about follows: The Common Coun'
ell recognizing its inability to incur bills against the
city without Of law desiring 20 make provision
for the 4ooh anniversary OF the dis
covcry of America passed on March 2l last the fo''
lowing resolution:
Resolved That the Corporation Counsel be and hereby
is authorized directed prepare bill 70 be pre-
sentcd to Lcglsture for its ps'age authorizing tho
Controller Of this city transfer the sum OF SOOoo from
fund the contingent fund OF the Board OF
Aldermen, the said sum, so a. may o0
necessary, be used in payment OF expenses 70 De n'
the celebration OF the 4OOh anni'
versary Of the discovery Of America
No such legislation obtained. but the com.
mtee Aldermen appointed arrange for the ceebra-
directed confer with the Mayor went aheaa
made the plans and incurred the expenditure withous
authority Of law and apparently with the knowledge has
they authority Of law for their action But ths
was not ALL The charter Of Brooklyn p~scribcs thas
al contracts and agreements by which the city shall bs
liable 10 pay money shall be under the authority OF the
Council except IN certain specified 'ns~nees,:
contract for work or material exceeding So
shall be given except the lowest bidder upon puo'
lie advertisement for Notwithstanding this rrovi'
son bills exceeding $3.50 and aggregating atogetncf
about so 900 incurred by this committee OF tne
Roord Of Aldermen without contract and witn'
out bids being invited by public anNerisemehs'
Moreover the charter again provides thst mo
bill or claim shall be audited unless the same 10
node out in items" matter OF fact, most OF tne
hills were not made items. but were stated In inoss
general terms, thus received audited anu paio
bv tho Auditor Mayor and Controller They have since
teen shown to Je very eXtoo'tte. II not ffauouiehC
fact which would been mere rea1iy reNeaied ha~
the separate items been stated Again, the charter
rrohbits the Mayor from signing any warrant or o1her
obligation unless proper voucher therefor shall move oeeh
first examined and certified TO by him. lie ha'uray
could not certify properly TO unemized bis ye' 'he oS
I'm question received ccrtihcaiion in their illegal 'or
Thus the mot fundamental SAFEGUARDS for economy ana
bonestv in the OF the government OF brooklyn
we're unjusnaby broken down and ignored hy Aiuercn
and nublic officers The restrictions imposed
bv the charter on expenditure OF public money were
too familiar features municipal government 70 perms
justification OF these Illegal acts upon the erouho Ok
Icnoranre Such ignorance would be ineAcusable, ana
sucb lax administration public affairs ana sueh careless
custody public ought not TO be encouraged ny
hasty legalzing acts of the Legislature. Inc cr.un'
stances which the county bills were incurred E
rho Roard ct Supervisors scarcely more fa'oraoe
for legislative Justification of the Illegal acts than those
under which the city bills were incurred
not only doubt the prCpcty, as 1t areces INC p"oAS
interests Of legalzing and confirming sheh odreies'
and perhaps criminal acts Of pubic ohcers' o.'
1 question whether the bill would not, II enac'e"'
rraytnt any successful criminal poecution against oneia
who may have been guilty Of penal onences IN tner
relations 10 this local scandal. know that the o'n
purport to exoneratc any officials rom cnna'
prosecution and the provision In 1t to gusrd asass
such a result but this provision is artfuiy "oruei anu
doubt seriously whether it would be ehectNe aer "
procedure Of the payment of all expenses mas ocen
ratified and confirmed by legislation. Legislation should
NOT be- doubtful In iCs terms at any tme III local OIL
cias are guilty OF misconduct the law should taKe us
course and no legislative aid should be invoked 10 save
them. To legalize and confirm such nagrant msdeeds
OF local officer, b. municipal officers
everywhere IN NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. To iN on them the
civil and criminal liability OF their illegal acts VIII
be to incucatc wholesome lesson through all muncipa
governments ROSWELL p. FLOWER.
A great abuse of power pointed out by
Senator Mullen tonight. lie called attention to
the fact that Assemblyman Answorths bill CIV
ing new charter to Oswego, which passed the
the Senate 1t is known that the Democratc
leaders do not desire the passage oil the act.
IMPORTANT BILLS IN TIE ASSEMBLY.
TO REMOVE THE NEw-YoRr, CITY nALL-MAYoR