New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-01-26
FOR GOOD CTTYGOVERNMENT
THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE ENTERS
THE LISTS

MENT FAVORED.
Representative business men of New-York, men, |
beers of the Chamber of Commerce. met yesterday |
afternoon at the Chamber. in answer a call for |
special meeting 10 consider what action should |
be taken to secure good municipal government in |
this city There lively discussion all the |
topics presented. Strong arguments made by |
Cornelius y. Bliss. John Clahin. Joel 3. Erhardt |
and Others in favor of reform in the municipal
government. and particular emphasis was laid upon
the need of reform in the Police Department
AS soon as Charles Stewart Smith had called the
meeting order John Clahin offered the following
resolution:
Commerce Of The State OF New-Yorl< that the gov
eminent OF municipalities when corrupt Is great
source Of danger. and. when honest and efficient
adds strength and stability to the nation and
Whereas, The commercial prosperity Of city
proper wharf accommodations and wel-paved
streets are important to the successful prosecution
Whereas. 1t IS the interest Of all the people Of
hs STATE th9t the natural ant acquired position Of
foreign commerce. which have conferred upon New
York State its commercial supremacy, should be
vigorously maintained and extended: and
Whereas. 70 this end laws should be enacted
which viii encourage capital to flow freely into
in order that the state may continue TO prosper
financial centre of the Nation. vt may hope to be-
come tn" chief depot of the exchanges of the com
Resolved That a committee Of five be appointed
this chamber before the Legislature and the Con-
sti'utional Convention with regard 70 any laws
anl the commercial prosperity Of the state.
MANY IMPROVEMENTS POSSIBLE
Mr.. Clafin spoke in support Of the resolution. He
said that h. thought the members were all agreed
that there We're many directions in which improve
ment In the city government might be obtained.
He spoke especially Of the present system Of taxa
ton favored the abolition Of the on personal
property.
The resolutions seconded by Louis Wind
muller. who spoke in part follows: "That the
government II our municipalities often Is corrupt
IL largely due the fact that municipal elections
held az the time Of other elections. Political
questions may be disastefu 20 many taxpayers
municipal affair and they would go 80 the poiis
on nays "hr orher i arr no. ,be, soon
would outnumber those who simply vote to further
siderable influence on municipal government.
Home rule I'm taxation Is another important pr1n
cipe 4 chartered municipality ought to have the
to levy and disburse taxes which are necessary 20
its proper maintenance 1t also may be well to
whore should not be compelled TO deposite with the
secure our citizens against loss
SEPARATE MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS URGED.
Mr. WindmGllcr Gustav II Schwab and Cor
nellus " Bliss offered resolutions which were com
bned into the following:
Resolved. that the committee Of five appointed
10y the chairman 10 represent this Chamber before
the Legislature and the Constitutional Convention
Of this state be requested TO advocate tse separa
ton OF municipal elections from me Sta.T anu
National eecto Is. AID genuine ballot reform.
Resolved. That said committee be further re-
quested to advocate single head for the Police
Department # this city ,.,.u -, .n,s cnar,.r
thor should be a thorough Legislative investsa-
ton Of sad DEPARTMENT before any radical cnanse
Jacob II. schin said he was in accord with the
objects OF the resolutions. but he thought that
in entering into municipal politics the Chamber Was
In danger Of going outside rs PROPER sphere anu !"
- doing OF icssening It's influence
THE PEOPLE BELIEVE THE CHARGES
Cornelius ~ Bliss then spoke the motion as
follows: For twelve months We have been over
whemed with charges against the police involving
men from the highest rank to the lowest OF the
force and before We attempt to suggest 10 'he
LEGISLATURE that shall have a bipartisan BOARD
or that the great department shall be ntrusted to
q single man. We should ask the Legislature to
subject the department 10 thorough investsa-
ton and find out how mich OF the'e GnarsJ ,S, IS
tri,e | believe nine-tenths OF the people. pelitNe
the charges are all true. and I think their truth
should b. ascertained before We se,,,r , upon ON.
luton II they not the police should be justi-
fled"
rX.COMMIssIONER ERHARDT SPEAKS.
A, the request of the chairman. ex-Collector Joel
y Erhorlt who was a Police Commissioner In
1915 read a typewriter argument In favor or a
nee-headed police department. He referred 10 MS
experience ~ a Police Commissioner. ana TO the
history OF the department for many years ana ne
declared that the Police Board. as at present con-
stituted was the safe refuge of all the guilty men
I'm the department. and that 1t was Impossible 10
convict members OF the force for neglisence or a
BETRAYAL of duty. He said it would always De SO;
even II the Commission were made a iour-heaueu
This Commission" said Mr.. Erhardt. us relic
Of the old Tweed lsesme ana was 'r niers % cod
alike be protected. What has politics 10 10 wirn
whether an officer who captures thief. or carried
children out OF a burning building be a Democrat.
~ is,.. +" Keen "A nonpartisan Board. II it were
possible to start with one. You can only provide
and two 70 another Who appoints them? Who
reads their hearts? Vino knows that they ar are ai-
he? Who say how long their views VIII coin
eide with the party who paSed them IN r pow per
iufrea,ient where ncumbents have changed their
politics TO save their Office
DOUBTS As TO \ NONPARTIsAN BOARD
."rhere has been introduced in the Legislature and
referred To the Committee cities a so-called
non-partisan bill. 1t provides for the appointment
OF fuor police commissioners. two from the party
having the greatest number of votes at the preceding
election and two from the party paving the next
greatest number rms on Is nomihaay N ,mr IN
II IL Is known TO many of those who are It's spon-
sors that Will not better the present situation.
but viii create more mischief than ever sprung
from Pandoras box. You cannot create 4 non,
in a partisan atmosphere but 1t will not clarity II.
1t means four partisans instead of one. and there
fore is four times pernicious.
DANGER or SYSTEMATIC DISAGREEMENT
with a bipartisan board two commissioners are
appointed because they disagree with the other two
They are to oppose Systematically whatever the
other two advocate Their presence Is to keep
politics In the department There il no reason
why the department should be political until 1t has
been shown that "A political reason should lie be-
hind the enforcement OF every law.
mo more pleasing gift could De made 10 the 1883
men than TO give them one head who knows their
wants. who will be just punish them II they violate
the rules promote them II they entitled TO II.
instead OF being subject 10 the whms and caprices
OF ever-changing board with personal spite TO
crafty or friends TO obYe: transferring officers,
compelling them their families again and
again.
'ACCURSED SYSTEM-FAST ROTTING."
"When the period arrives that nations shall have
four Executives States four Governors: cities four
Mayors. two of whom shall be elected or appointed
because they disagree with the other two; when