New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-07-16
THE CRY FOR "HOME RULE"
THEODORE ROOSEVELT SHOWS THE
NEED OF STATE CONTROL OF CITIES

from the Irish Parliamentary party by the h'e
John Kelly. Is giving the Constitutional 'o"N'"-
ton a good deal OF trouble. The Committee o"
cities has expended days Of argument as 10 '"c
method OF besiowing "homt rule on ci'ieS, anu
has not yet come to an agreement upon the ue'"hs
of such a policy the trouble being that the commit
tee is not agreed to the extent of Independence
OF the Legislature which may be safely ana wisely
granted to the cities of the state
In the meanwhile other members or the coh'eh-
ton have been studying the relations OF cities 10
the State Legislature. one OF these delegates VINO
have thus conducted an investigation upon inde-
pendent lines is Owen Cassidy. OF Havana. Schuy-
Ter County Mr. Cassidy happened TO remember
that Theodore Roosevelt. the United States 'Wi'
Service Commissioner. formerly prominent
member OF the Legislature. representing the CITY
of New-York In the Assembly lie also remcin-
berei that Mr.. Roosevelt had been the introducer
in the Legislature of such important reform meas
ures as putting the Register and County Clerk Oh
New-York upon salaries. deprving them OF ehor-
nous fees, ami also OF the great legislative meas
urc comforting upon New-York the power OF ap-
pointing the heads Of city departments lhde-
pendcnty OF the Board Of Aldermen by deprvinE
that then corrupt body Of the confirming power.
Mr. Cassidy wrote to Mr.. Roosevelt. requesting his
views In the latter part OF the week which has
Jus, passed he received the letter given below from
Mr. Roosevelt
Oyster Bay. y. Y, July II. 1891
Cassidy.
Nv bear Sir: / wish felt more competent TO adj
wise you. 1t has always seemed to me unwlse TO
any circumstances interfere with city government
although II always seemed to me inexiedient ana
indeed Improper for the state Government 20 "a
tcrfere unless 1t was absolutely necessary ! DO
not think We can make our local boards ol slu'I-
men legislative bodies In any proper sense very
much OF the legislation must be done by The stat"
Legislature. ,,o
multitude Of private bills. and check also on
bringing In special bills. should think II would
Sav Si The " STATE Lcs.ai"Te po~eress interfere
under any circumstances the state should re-
main paramount over cities as mucn as over coun-
ties DO not let in our very proper desire to
get home rule. put ourselves In "A position whyie
am very sorry to have to write thus generally
measures before you 10 give any definite opinion
them With hearty thanks very sncsIgy yours
T.. will be noticed that Mr. Roosevelt agrees with
the newspaper organ OF the Civil Service reform
ers. Good Government" which on May 10. 1871
declared:
The present movement In the cities to amenl
Legislature from acting municipal measures.
while the representatives. 81 the cities retain W'ii
power TO iogisate FOR the Counties anu Stat' "'u
Virtually create a petty State within state. ana
give the lesser despotc power oyer ,he sr'i'ef.
The cities would become s,ill more indifferent hs 70
the class who repr~sen; them IN the ,I"S'Sidt'
and II would place the COUNTIES anu S''r 't,u
combinations" at the mercy 81 the most VICIOUS
elements OF the cities
That sounds Ike Mr. Roosevelt, himself. AMI pos
sibly he wrote II.
Mr. Cassidy agrees with Mr. Roosevelt that Il
would be dangerous Z, make the cities independent
OF The Legislature Speaking upon the subject oi
home rule" for cities to The Tribune correspond
eni yesterday. he said:
1T seems 70 me that home rule as a lv'cS'"i 10y
doc,rnaire politicians IA Gnly ,,n.rsy ~
all organized government ana inaH'S tN'Il m''u "
law unto himself and terror - evcryb"hy ',s"
Those who are asking for constitutional nom
rule for cities In effect asking that ~" '',"-
shall be allowed not only 10 mSnAsc me- ' ~"
res; OF the state. for while they ask - he r'H"vrI
from the acts ~ 6er own N" oef thai
the rest Of the state shall be- relieved 70 'he Sam
cons,,u,ionai homo. rule. for city sni copn'5y
shorn OF Soe 81 oereI NV mis- should I've done
seems Illogical indeed 20 say that the Legislature
Stat. ana moi In another constitutional home rule
for cities means simply TINS, nancy ma. ,i =,
OF aldermen shall have legislative power, si5A' !"
those Of he State Legislature. and over whicn ,"'
state Legislature Will have no paramount cy!nt'9l
DANGEROUS than The secession ~ the Carolina- rom
,he Union. nnI Y It j. pot proinp',h Ds m' snir,,
grievance !, l. prompted by mnch inc Ta't. - b.
rhe cafnor FOR cts home ruc nr-i came " IN 'h'
who's" wekel tufge'e, ssi s, men any T. seems
strange indeed 70 hear It advocated now 10y M"
%nD '~g' .re thew viii never be found The repre-
scnta,lves " the ciies claim NE rght 10 rs'a,,
for The country but acny me cp', ,brY cv W. all
bevc heard much complaint. and Justly 80 nb'lt
the amount - special statue" ,rS ~, M -reson
why should apply tn h9noc9ph,mr r, zen, 'i,'n
an1 ~ the Legislature on" better DF PiSS'"S ''"
siliutlOnal special IA"
lam " Vrooman Of New York the Republican
candidate for Lieutenant Governor In l'' mas SEM
letter here protesting against the ~" ~ MS nam"
az fnvorng certain proposed amendments - inc
Constitution suggested by special committee OF
frr.. la. and r. at.Iff
| MIR Vfooman was "A member OF this special commit
| tee but he was not present when the suggested
amendments were adopted and, having cha' nm,
| them he dsapprOves OF them Nevertheless 'hete
| IS A bulky pamphe, here advocating the ainehi.
| ments and Mr Nrooman's name appears upon II :
| lille page as one Of the members Of the spcc'a.
| committee" one Of the amendments was borrower
| hy Simon Stern from the English cousins OF ,th e
lill shall he considered until twenty days atter u
has been filed with the Secretary OF Ha'e ana INA.
no private local bill shall be conslIetei DS t
| Legislature unless 1t shall have been NEG WIN
The Secretary OF state pTSy9"s ,, 10 ,ns and ohcr
amenGments proposed by the New York Board of
Trade and Transportation Nj Nroo,mam s ,ao,e
am In favor Of sfioring them eyery opp2r,"iHS
BY PETITION or pm to n nrrk ng opposed s t" The
costly and cumbcrsome mnchicnry which Is suggest,
| hu We do NOT want the arlstocraiic and eNpen-
sive notions OF English brethren adopted az !,
| of ours we are all equals. and the huinbest am
poorest should have his day In Legislature as
|
| II further object to the report because " pro
| claims ~ the world that Leglslaiur" cannot be
! trusted That bad Legislators are occasionally
elected all will admit that The majority oil our reg
| islators are bad men. all viii deny. The people IN
This imperial state be trusted 10 right wrong
ana hurl dishonest men from the pedestal or power
| The need OF the hour is to simplify not H. make
| legislation more complex. The machinery propIsri
| hv The report would lead 10 ~ end OF inlsunlri,
standing and subterfuge. and thus destroy tn" end
| So earnestly and honestly sought
II believe the entire question can be easily ana
| sstsfoctorly solved by simple constitutional pro
| vision prohibiting the immediate passage OF any
| hin ct a period Intervene between the introduc-
| ton and final passage OF n bill say three 10 I'VE
Javs Let a further period Of three - flve days IN
tervcne between the receiving OF bin by the Gov,
| crnor and his approval or veto. and the evils OIL
| hasiy legislation will be banished ,
| newspaper and the care Of the honest legislator
| Will expose bad bin II sufficient lime be "hordei
| 10 allow examination and pub1city