Waterbury evening Democrat., 1894-08-23
CITIES RIGHTS DEFINED
Convention to Moderate Legis- - lative Interference.
ELECTIONS ALL TO BE IN THE FALL
Judges Pensions Were Threatened and Fl. naIIy Somewhat curtaiied-The Conveu- tIon Reverses Its Vote on a Proposed Auxiliary Appeals Bench.


 ALBANY, Aug. a3-The report of the committee on cities. which was presented this morning, still adheres to tho proposi- ton to allow the governor to remove and fcappoint heads of departments of police The election section is amended so as not to provide for appointment of election commissioners, but makes election boards nonpartisan.
 Elections are all to be held in the fall. Cities are classified according to the last state enumeration-fiirst class, cities hay ing n population of 260, 900 or upward; second class, cities having population of 50, 900 and less than s5o, 0Q6; third class, all other cities.
 The legislature shall not pass any law: except general city laws. to any of the following subjects in any city: First, streets and highways, except bridges or tunnels across the Hudson river below Waterford, or across the East river, or across waters which form part of the boundary of any city and approaches to any such bridge or tunnel; second, parks and public places; third, sewers and water works; fourth, the character and structure of buildings as to safety and security and city apparatus and force for preventing or extinguishing fires; fifth, salaries of city officers and employees; sixth, ward boun- uaries; seventh, vacating reducing or postponing any tax or assessment; eighth, membership and constituent parts of the common council; ninth, the powers and duties of the com mon council or of any city offico as to the subjects heretofore enumerated. The legislature is not hereby restricted in pass ing laws affecting tho jurisdiction or pow CT of any city as to such subjects so far as 1t is to be exercised outside of the bounda- ries of such city.
 Laws other than general city laws re- lating to any of the subjects enumerated or to such matters and other subjects arc special city laws. All such laws and bills shall contain the words, special city laws" before the first section. Life Imprisonment Appeals- Nothing shall limit or affect the power of the legislature to annex contiguous l territory to any city, or to consolidate contiguous cities, or to make or provide 1 for making a charter for any city crS ated 1 by such consolidation.
 Mir. Johnson says he does not think that any legislature will pass bill against the wish of a city. The Democrats of tho committee arc still opposed to the bill, especially the pro vision giving the governor tho power to | appoint the head of n police department after removal.
 When the convention resumed, Mir Crosby offered an amendment to perfect his previous one, including sentences oi life imprisonment from which appeals shall be taken on questions of fact as well as law.
 During the debate Mir. Nicoll offered s resolution asking for Q reconsideration oi the vote by which Mir. Crosbys first amendment was passed allowing appeal: on question in life imprisonment sections After a long discussion the motion to rc, consider was carried-yeas, 72; nays, 43.
 Mir. Crosby, in explaining his vote, saiC that the great trouble vas that the judi ciary committee thought that their rcpor was too good and lovely to be amended.
 Mir. Crosby's motion to insert the words life imprisonment" was lost, thus de fcating the affirmative vote of tho morn ing.
 When the section relating to pensions for judges was reached, Mir. c. B. Nc Laughlin offered an amendment provid ing that all pensions, even existing ones be abolished. There was somo argumen on this, and before it was concluded a re cess was taken until 6 p. m,
 Tine Matter of Judges Pensions.
 When the night session opened. Mir Barhite wanted all judges pensions an hulled, and Mir. Cady opposed him in long and fervcnt eulogy of the state ju
  dietary.
 Mir. Hawlcy was opposed to all aboli tion, but was for prohibiting any pension in the future as proposed by the commit tee. Tho amendments were defeated, an with slight change In phraseulogy tn proposition of tho committee to cut oi pensions after the 1st of January, 1895 except for judges now receiving them an for judges who have already served 1 years and at the age of 70 have to retire was adopted
 Mir. F. k. Brown wanted the pension cut down to one half He believed tha the convention had power to do this, an ; it would be benefit to the taxpayer. Mir. Choate said 1t was a mean and da. tardly matter to cut down the salaries sin ply because the committee had the aut< 7 cratic power to do SO He believed ths the committee was right in its premise. and he proposed that the amendmer should not prevail.
 He quoted opinions of the court of al peals upSolding present pensions and a legged that it would bo a great disgrace the state to cut of from a pension such man as Judge Earle, who has served tt state for 2S years. They proposed to mal this man sue the state for his pension. The amendment was lost by lars negative vote.
 MT. Nedder offered an amendment pr !, viding for increasing the ago limit - judges from 70 to 75 He said it wou T ' solve the question of pensions. MT. Nelson Smith took up the time ul