New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-05-14
LITICAL VIRTU

LITICAL VIRTUE
Albany. May 13.-Governor Flower has vetoed
..,otor Rradleys bill providing for new Board
rr,stees of tie New-York and Brooklyn
80 In his memorandum accompanying the
cato the Governor says:
,.Aougb this is an important bill. legslatlng oul
tFce as II does the four trustees OF the New ~
YORK aant any Of their successors only two communi-
have been filed with me in favor OF the meas
cauOn00 0ns is from a prominent citizen OF BrooKlyh,
uSa the other is three-line reqCest rom ',o 20
anu nNthortes of Brooklyn for my signature 70
ioca ,G1 81 Not a single charge or mlsInanSeHiieIIt
the p" the present trustees has been laid before
aea" rot single argument has Deen pieSeitet t
~ me why they should be put OUT Si TtTe tbov were
the expiIauo" - ~
aPpohn'gTe. gTe.islation is dastarly 1t is nothing but
su, usndscious grab for political spoiiS IL Is m ull.
an Sv aur" NJ The law making power. There Is not
VIZ q seTnbance OF Justification TOT IL As I'lau- t
W eser nf fact when the bill was before the @ @heEis
irs yer " and the discussion brought out some vague
!hrees from the ntroducer OF the bll asainst tie
e"negement Of the Bridge. the trustees Ill d Ioi ma
nSnmnnication the Senate requested an invest
ot;on into the charges and an opportunity 10 De
tsari in reply This request was lShoitn- IheIe
hearu ~ 49, trmstees appeared by counsel before the
VPvn VIPpvSnrbly committee and renewed the requeSl.
HAv;ng all the charges which had been maze 40
een:ss,issotion was permitted. Instead the bl was
rmsbed through the Legislature as part H'eaSuiS.
sront enough TO be its sponsor except one pflNate
LIEN and the representative OF the mayor OF
brooklyn who. under the terms & OF Iii me ern srna1
MAKE nan nt .n trustees have been in Office about
year Prior TO April. 1856 the ooard consisted o 0l
w,eldy and by Chapter 2IS or the laws OF !Sso
The number was reduced 10 ionr c 49, m ~ an an x sx
cmse for the passage Of this bill for the removal
of these four trustees were true IL w0uIu sun pe
M NJ mstihcation for this BILL but rather for the
iS,sa,ion of year ago for every alleged cause OF
Complaint against the management OF the Bridge
took pace prior TO the law OF lS%' under Whlch
the present trustees were appointed
II is difficult 10 treat such political legislation
sarouslv The great State OF NeW-io Is de-
sraSed bv IT, Partisanship will always, perhaps.
influence legislation to some extent, but iegisieton
Of which We have had so much recently-legisIatioh
which consists wholly Of partsanship, and which
IN measure after measure represents no hi6her
purpose than an attempt to secure political patron
age-such legislation is base ana demorahzihg
''0'"'0 ROSWELL p. FLOWER.
Governor Flower has also vetoed the Senate
bin providing for the reorganization Of the Board
Ct Charities and Corrections Of the County Of
Kings and for the appointment Of a Commits
sioner thereof and subordinates of that depart
ment. filing the following memorandum there
with
knowledge Of certain facts Is essential to com,
rlete understanding Of this bill. The present Board
OF Charities In Kings County consists Of three men.
the terms Of two Of whom began N January @ Iast
and will continue for four years J. hese three men
are Democrats. They employ for the county about
seven hundred men and women, and superintend
the support ana care OF between I'VE anu SIN 'hou-
sand county wards.
This bill would leg!slate the three Commissioners
out OF office Ii would provide for the appointment
OF one Commissioner IN their place by the super
visor-at-L Large OF the county. The present super
yisor-at-LArge is Republ can.
In other words the bill bodily transfers the de-
partment from Democratic control to Republican.
One Of the most important departments of govern
nent in Kings County is thus made the football OF
politics by legislative decree.
Are the present Commissioners Incapable? II so,
the fact has not been brought before me. ana
have heard the cnarge made nowhere. Indeed. Il IS
the subject OF public discussion that Kings County
never had better Charity Commissioners than those
10 the present board. II this is true, 1t would be
worse than unjust 10 them to turn them out OF
ofhce-it would be a misfortune to the public. The
plea for e single-headed commission will deceive
mands public confidence, and a majority OF the best
people undoubtedly desire Il 10 be continued in It's
present control. There does not TO be any
publicly expressed sentiment anywhere except in
political circles. in favor Of a sngle-headel com
mission If the price of such a commission is the
exclusion Of the present Commissioners and the
turning over of the Department Of Charities TO the
manpuations OF designing politicians. The inter
ests Of good legislation and Of good government de-
mani that the executive should refuse his approval
OF the bill. ROSWELL =. FLOWER.
A report was circulated in the uptown clubs ana
hotels last evening 10 the effect that Governor
Flower would act on the Bipartisan Police bill and
the Rapid Transit bill to-day. The report which
came from Albany said that the Governor would
sign the Police bill and would the Rapid Transit
measure. The Governor mas until June to act upon
the legislation bills before him, leaving out the
Sundays which intervene