New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-09-01
DEMOCRATS IN MOURNING.
r,,ry NOW REGRET THEIR EXTREME
HOSTILITY TO THE CITY ARTICLE


CONSTITUTIONAL CoNvENTIoN-wARM DIS
cr,ssIoN OF sEcTARIAN APPROPRIATIONS.
ssox THE REGULAR CORRESPONDENT or 1un rKIBUxA
Albany. Aug. Sl.-An the Democratic delegates to
,hs Constitutional Convention were in mourning to-
s.v over their adoption Of the policy of extreme
ss,llity at least in appearances. to the Home
ALE city article of the proposed State Con-
,,uton Actually the article contains large num-
-, If provisions which the Democratic leaders
,ould highly value II they could get them ncor
,rated in the Constitution. Chief among these Is
.ne authority 1t grants to Democratic Mayors to
.s,o the acts passed by Republican Legislatures
,,, being provided by the condition that the Legs
,,,ure can only pass a bill over Mayors veto by
,,ree-ffths In its favor in both houses Of the
legislature, which practically could not be accom-
plished
But the Democratic delegates. with a graspng
s,,-t, had demanded concession after concession
tro,n the Republican leaders in order obtain their
acceptance of the article. Thus the Republicans at
,ser demand. had struck out the provision for
STATE Election Board. with authority to give non
ARTISAN election boards TO the cities. The Demo-
Gratis followed this up with demand that the Gov
snor should be deprived of his authority TO appoint
ancestors to such Police Commissioners of cities
az he should remove from office because of abuse or
heir powers. The Republicans granted this demand.
Then the Democratic delegates attacked the princi-
ME OF having the minority OF the voters IN city
represented In Its Common Council. Aided by Few
Republicans the Democrats struck out minority rep
rsentation. and thus deprived the 100000 Republican
voters OF New-York City of the power to obtain
saeouate representation in the Board of Aldermen
OF that city
Nv this time good many of the Republican dele
oates had begun to think that about all the Re-
publicanism originally In the City Article had peeh
oblera,ed and that there was little left In 1t ex-
csnt what would be of value to the leaders of the
s,ances last night tnat the Republican majority de-
,ached the first section of the City Article, pro-
viding for the separation of municipal from state
elections. from its MANNED brethren and made 1t
seoarate amendment 10 the Constitution
CONSCIOUS OF THEIR MISTAKE.
When the Convention met this morning the
Democrats conscious of their mistake in attacking
ceaseessy the City Article, containing SO much
n value 10 their party organization put forward
John NJ Bowers, of New-York. with a motion that
ne fifth and sixth sections Of the City Article also
he made separate amendments to the Constitution.
These sections contain the provisions freeing GER
tain city departments of New-York and other cities
from the too keen scrutiny and supervision or Re-
pubican Legislatures, the provision giving the
MAYORS the authority to hold for fifteen days any
hill nassed by the Legislature In regard 10 these
DEPARTMENTS and then to veto the BILL and declaring
that the Legislature cannot pass SUCH Dill over
Mayors veto. except by three-hfths vote IN us
favor In each house
The Republican delegates upon Mr.. McMllan's
Nation laid Mr.. Bowers's motion on the table
ONO ~ the leading Republican delegates, Edward
1auterbach, said. in explanation of his vote:
Most Of the contested city bills are not passed
nv q Legislature until the beginning Of April In
any year. and the Legislature adjourns the latter
mart of that month Mayor. in that first week
:, Anil would know he would have fifteen days
10 consider such city bill, and then could veto It,
Then the bill would have TO go through the
LEGISLATURE again. This would take at least
weeks time and would require three-fifths vote
IN its favor in both houses. At last. then the
Governor would receive the bill. Governor OF
Mr. Flowers type would keep the bill ten days
and then II requested TO do. by, say Mayor
Curov would say that the bill needed amendment
and back It would go to the Legislature. But II
amended in any respect, 1t would become new DILL
and the Mayor Of the city touched would nave
another fifteen days to consider II. and again IL
would have 10 be passed by the Legislature ai'ei
weeks struggle.
such a provision Of the Constitution would Keep
the Legislature hfty-four days in Albany after
April l. or to June, not counting Sundays in order
10 get a bill into a Governors hands. Twice the
bill would have to be passed by three-hfths vote
IN both houses of the Legislature. Such scheme
s utterly impracticabe. The Democrats are
chagrined because they did not let up on the oppo-
ston to the City Article long before they did' ior
they were conscious that this Mayors veto power
legislature would be immensely valuable to them
trust the Republican delegates will refuse 10 90
ANYTHING further with the City Article, beyond
passing the amendment providing for a separation
Of city from State elections
WANTED ANOTHER COMMITTEE.
Almet F. jerks Democrat, OF Brooklyn. moved
that special committee Of six be appointed 10 re-
port to the Convention before September new
home rule amendment
Jesse Johnson the Republican chairman OF the
Committee on Cities. Indignantly said: 1 regara
this motion as most extraordinary propositlon'
and move that the motion be laid on the taoe'
In the course of the vote several speeches "eie
made Mr. Barh!te. OF Rochester SAID tha' ne re-
garded the motion OF Mr.. jerks as deliberate IN
suit 10 every member OF the Committee on Citles.
Mr. jerks said he had not thought OF '.su''-
ing Mr. Johnson; he merely wished to provide TOT
some compromise the home-rule question: i"e
question OF giving home rule t. the cities o. INV
State was important than Questions VI "
Que,te. -
cit,es ~ New-York brooklyn and Buffalo were not
the whole State and constitution should not DC
made for them exclusively. AS TOT MIN nc va"
opposed the home rule provision
Mr. NicoN said he was In favor OF MT. 'e"A0
motion because 1t afforded the very last chance
which the Convention would nave Oh FeSui'ee
the home rule measure.
President Choate SAID in part: 1t appears III"
this resolution emanates from ana II supp
chiefly by those who voted solidy against 'he en-,
tire report Of the Committee on Cities IL wou'u
now appear that they repent to some extent Inv
attitude which they then took IL So II see'"' -
ne that there some suitable ways ior "'9. =.
express their change OF mind. The appointment %
new committee would. In my Judg"eh'' ~
lay and a hihdrance The subject Is not no" oe
Tore, or in the hands Of any committee. or IN NV
control Of any one but the Convention. one se'''O'
has been adopted :.
The remaining sections. one ana al. "nas
adopted and treated and handled by the CONVENE
better than bv any committee. 1t would be I'M
possible for 4 president to appoint committee oe'
~f Informed more accomplished. than 'he Oo'"
mH,ee On c,,ies has heen and will be TO the emu