New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-07-02
CONSTITUTIONAL PROBLEMS,
CONVENTION HAS REACHED NO DE-
CIs1oN ON ANY POINT.
CITIES HAVE ALREADY SEPARATED STATE
o,, MUNICIPAL ELECTIoNs-THE QUEs-

c,rrrs HAVE ALREADY SEPARATED STATE
on MUNICIPAL ELEcTIoNs-TIIE CUES
TON OF HOME RULE"
,.,ox TIE REGULAR CORRESPONDENT OF .'ih TRiHo>'
IlS0" ,,lv THE Constitutional Convention
A'O,' ve. come to i decision on any OF the prop
mas ,ich It has undertaken to solve
lens san,raton Of city from State elections has
inc 49, most trouble because 1t has been believed
cause 1sr n accomplish this it would be neces-
tna' " ohsnge the tenure of office of the Governor
sA; ,hsr State officers. and to provide Tor city
ahu in the odd years and for the election or
CIV Ulcers In the even years. such plan would
% e,,her to the extension OF the term OF "oVer"or
lea. yaars or TO its being shortened to two years
TO lou. are opposed by various delegates, one
bo'" t.ldng that a two-year term is too short a
pVu' -, covernor and the other that four years is
u" 80 a term. Indeed, a majority Of the delegates
io0 - he OF the opinion that the constitutional
se. ".srrent Of 1874 providing that the Governors
an'7"- 1h.u be of three years duration has worked
'e." ,cor,lv and that change Is desired in this
So by the majority Of the voters Of the state
resp s',.c,te Of prominence said the other day:
oH' ms 70 me that the Convention will disclose
IL ~ ~ constructive ability If 1t feels Itself COM
sied 10 change the terms OF once OF an ne Stte
pcers in order 20 separate city from STATE elections
Tbst step Is absolutely unnecessary bY me, mercy
~ snring or at some other time than IN NoNemD,r.
us Isrns OF the state officers can remain as they
ind
Of M IN the spring or at other time than in
safe or National elections, ana have chance 10
enasr upon that heavenly existence which AL re-
formers predict they VIII attain 10 as sooh as tny
MSv thev do nor already disclose the fact that they
wy governed wisely since the voters in them are
moi troubled by any considerations OF state or Ma
,ionai politics Is 10 me mystery.
70 me II seems that the simplest way OF dealing
with this matter IS to provide that me seven cities
which now hold their elections IN November SHAH
hereafter hold them in the spring or IN EecenDeT
n ,hey So will. and thus no city IN the STATE VIII
bereafter hold its election on the same gay as d
he other day however, that the city OF New ork
orce held its elections in December. and that CITY
was Just badly govern.d as al present rur
n rf' the New-York city election in November IN
order take advaniage or me supe'1Tr l it
Inrronort,on of voters OF both the Republican and
he Democratic parties vote at ci'y e,ec.ons |hg
also a President Governor Is to be elected. Il
would appear that this would be exactly what re-
formers should desire-a iuA expression OF the pop
The cities OF Brooklyn. Buffalo Long Island City.
Nev-York. Poughkeepsie. Utica and WATERFOWL. or
seven in all. now hold their city elections In No
vsnber at the period Of the general State election.
rhs other twenty-seven cities hold their elections IN
~ ~ months than November They are Albany.
Amsterdam. Auburn. Binghamion, COh0es: CoTniigs'
11nntirk F1mira Gloversvue. Hornellsville Hud-
- Ithaca jamestown. Kingston, LOckport Md
Sistown Newhurg. Ogiensburg. Oswego. Roch-
os.r Rome Schenectady Syracuse, Troy. Yon-
rstes hoid their elections in March. $3.50
The Convention also Is finding II dithcult task
70 carry out the home rule idea OF freeing tne
cS,,ss from notifications OF the charters by the
IAc,sature The Committee OF Twenty-ore Of the
Vnnjcpal clubs have proposed substantially that
10 law passed by the Legislature shall go mo
ssect In city unless approved by its authorities.
!, is obvious already from the talk OF the delegates
70 the Convention that they will not accept ms
Wholesale scheme 10 make the cities independent
NJ ths Legislature In their judgment such an
Amendment of the Constitution would create thirty
four little states within the state Of New-York
free from the authority OF its Legislature. Seth
Low has suggested that the Legislature have au-
fbority over certain city departments sucn "a have
any relations with the police or the elections Dut
moi over other city departments such a. the de-
partment OF parks. Jesse Johnson. the chairman
Of the Committee on Cities. has submitted an out
line Of an amendment combining the Plan OF SetR
low with that Of the Committee OF Twenty-one.
but this suggestion Of Mr.. Johnson has not yet
been adopted even by the Committee on Cities.
The Convention apparently is about ready 70
amend the Constitution so as 70 permit o. me
bonding Of the State the extent OF slZ,yOJVD 10
improve the States canals under the Syracuse
plan The Convention also may abolish pensions
Tor Judges OF the Supreme Court and the Court or
Appeals and 1t will probably approve an amend
rnent prohibiting the use OF the pubic money LOT
the support OF any sectarian school