New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-08-31
CARRIED UNDER CLOSURE.
~,,r FIRST SECTION OF THE CITY AR
rICLE SENT TO THIRD READING.
n WILL BE VOTED UPON AS AN AMENDMENT
BY ITSELF AND PROVIDES FOR sEPA-

py ITSELF. AND PROVIDES FOR sEPA-
RATE MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS.
,ur REGULAR CoRREsPoxpENr OF TIE rnrprxx.
albany Aug 30-President Choate and Elihu
,.,, to-day pressed the Constitutional Conven-
sr 10 reconsider its action on the formers
s,,on 10 replace in the City Article provision
=. the election Of city councils in New-York,
p,,oklvn and Buffalo by a system of minority
.,resentaton. This was struck out yesterday
- motion Of George H. Bush.
Nr Root opened the debate on the subject
..v,ng that the Improvement of city governments
was a most difficult problem to solve. 1t was a
,,.orious fact that government by common
,urcN was failure in NewYork and Brooklyn.
"a repres ent ative body earth had ever sunk
,oxer than the Common Council of New-York
rv In his judgment the Board of Aldermen Of
ysw.York ought to be elected at large from the
.,,re city and not by Assembly districts. There
r,s no district feeling and there were district
,seds IT, however. Boards Of Aldermen were In
10 elected on a general city tcke;, provision
.sould be made for the election of representatives
q, the minority party. In New-York the Repub-
iran party with 100 900 votes should not be ex-
e,uied from the Board Of Aldermen. and the
latter ought not to be unanimously Democratic
The system suggested for eecting the Common
Council Of Now-York would not be imposed upon
the city; II could only be adopted by the consent
of the inhabitants unless the Legislature should
or.er II By a three-hfths vote. II do not know
whether this system of minority representation
will work." said Mir. Root earnestly. but think
n worth trying. Things can't be worse than
they are now.
George H. Bush said he hoped the convention
voud not rctrace its steps and once more adopt
ae minority representation system.
"Mr. Choate's amendment strikes the true
rOte," said Elon r. Brown. Republican. for 1t
siyes the voters Of the State chance to ameli-
crate the condition o: the great cities. This
system OF minority representation has been
adopted In Illinois in ths election Of members or
the Legislature. and has worked we'll
Has not Illinois an Anarchist Governor?' in
tsrrupted Wrish: Holcomb
"Yes" replied Mr Brown, blandly, IAN Anarch-
ia, and a OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES nine
,en,hs OF the Common Council of New-York are
Democrats.
Mr. Osborne said that he IN favor or the
c,v amendment in general, but this feature of
minority representation he disliked because IL
would lead to deals in the Common Council.
Mr. Becker supported the amendment
Mr.. Veeder offered amendment providing
Tor minority representation in all the cities OF the
State "If this system is good for cities OF the
frs class" said he. it is also good for cities OF
M ~ " NcIaurhiin offered substitute. leaving
the power to grant home rule TO cities to the
Legislature.
THE CLOSURE RULE APPLIED.
II had been evident for some time that the
Democrats were hlibustering The Committee on
Rules therefore Interrupted the debate at this
poln, to submit a rule limiting further debate on
the article. Mr.. Root read the rule. 1t proVioed
that all amendments should be debated for thirty
minutes, five minutes being allowed 10 each
psaker: that substitutes should be debated lot
dirty minutes and that hour and half
Goud b. given TO debating the general SUBSTITUTE
tr the City Article offered by the Democrauc .
minority OF the City Committee. In view OF the
fact that the City Article has already been de-
ha,ed for six days. this was a generous ofer 10
the Democrats but they nevertheless hhpusteieu @ t
f,r an hour and a half to prevent the passage
of the closure rule. John NJ. Bowers. the chlef
Democratic leader. acknowledged that suihcicnt
time had been given for cepate ana 'oteu ndond aJ'
The rule Only twenty-one Democrats indeed
voted against IT, and ii was adopted by a vote ol
ia TO q. H.,
Mr.. Root pointed out that it was minority
ot the Democrats who were thus flibusterng
and wasting time on rolcalls C. b. Mclaughlin
therefore offered rule providing that the ron
should be called only upon the demand OF ewepiS
the existing rules. Mr. Vedder moved the nm
mediate passage Of this rule. ana after M hat5 &C.
hour Of conflict ii was adopted py a % rote =. 90
John Bieelow opened the debate in the after
noon He oppose. M mno,sy des!. pf the Com
mon Council of New-York should be elected by
system Of minority representation. 49, ,oo
Mr. Vedder's amendment providing TOT tne eiro -
don of common Councils in all the cities Of the
State was defeated by vote OF % 70 oO
The convention then defeated Mt. C"oa''
Amendment by a vote OF % 10 %. co >.
The convention also rejected by vote ol o. G,v 10
e. the following substitute for the entlre Clts N
Article offered by C. Il. Mclaughlin hepu''0''
There shall be in the several ei'es OF TINS 70 Sabe be
eonpoeed i" of such members and 70 be elected IN
such is or may be provrueu ps csonfer upon
ne common Council or board Of aldermen OF the
vsra cities of this state including .nosy of local
legislation and administration as the Legislature may
from time 10 time deem eNpedieh''
Almet F. Jenks Democrat followed with d
speech in criticism Of the city Ar'icle aS a "a ne
In the course Of his re marks he eXpresseu "a nia ,
surprise al the criticisms which had peeh .eN.' ~
at the city Of New-York and It's government ~
the Republicans.
EDWARD LACTERBACH'S SPEECH
Edward Lauterbach. Republican, replied to Mr.
jerks In one Of the strongest speeches 'e' "u
dressed to the convention. Mr.. Lauterpach say
ne Was born in New-York and took great p''"'
IN the city, but he thought much OF It's ereas"ess s
was due to the fact. that ii was a part OF ~ tne
Empire State. IL had It's bemishes. now nov, a.,
Asss OF It's population had resisted ti,e ia VI ,ic
1883 another part had permitted Tweeds gigan',c T.,
robbery. 1t was the State which had steppeu " ~
and rescued the city when Tweed had 1t by ,ne
throat Again and again the taxpayers ana @ Vo.'
ssd New-York State. as represented az AipanS ci,S
% Sso sprung 10 the rescue of New oiN 80 Nmy
sauhderins politicians were afraid OF thdt po"t'
a od not dare 20 far in stealing from rs.
russssary Of New-York City. Where there wa, wa
Civ " one scandal Of mlsgovernment IN Ne" ,,nrs
y, | mere would be 10 900 If the poilticai ~ h
sionns! wa, city knew their stealing couiu "o' ~
pPpea by the central power at Albany ,
e,aIsod ns od not believe in surrendering tne & 80,
was wo,y coy Of the State over New-f9pN For For in
s,a contemplated in the City Article. a trou
esa nce the Fire Department was released iro ot1
n isIhatye control except by three-hi'nns ~ CO.
cum sSe Legsls ture-which could never w