The evening world., 1894-08-14
ON SELF-RUlEO CITIES
Another Lively Debate in the
Constitutional Convention.
Mulqueen Offers a Substitute for
the Committee Plan.
Mr.. Francis on the Legislature as n
"Hisher Common Council"
tBy Associated Pr,%.)

lBy Associated PftSs.)
| ALBANY. Aug. IA colorel ,lerIy-
man offered prayer In the Constitutional
Convention this morning, AMI then there
were handed up petitions for woman sui
! frage from the counties OF New York, t,s-
SEX Cayuga, Orleans, Erie. Clinton, Mon
roe. Ulster. Washington and Seneca. The
petitioners numbered ,2l5 women and i9}
men, total Of Los. This brings the
total number of petitioners up 10 49, CT
The matter of The acknowledgements Of
women will be settled by the Convention
! tonight.
Upon motion of Mr.. Lewis. the cities
| amendment was again taken up, and
the discussion resumed.
| Mr.. Dean read a long argument, in
| which he set forth that the article was
against the first principles of scod gov
eminent He did not believe at all In
the system projected by the Committee
of compelling the representation of the
minority, He believed that one of the
leading characteristics of our govern
mcnt WAS the rule of the ma jorty only
Mr.. Mulqueen thought that the amend
ment should be labelled "A bill to pre-
vent home rule for cities He did not
believe that there should be any incor-
poration OF cities by special law. He
proposed to limit The term of service of
the Mayor rather than extend it. The
the Mayor of New York for one year.
he proposed that the Mayors OF cities
be elected for one year until 1895, and
then they could be elected so that their
terms would expire in the odd years.
In classification he would have three
classes OF cities. one of 25O,Wp inhab-
itants and upward. one of $1,000 and up
ward. and the third class to take in all
others. He found one very serious de-
feet, and one that killed all home rule,
IN the section that allowed the Legisa
OF cities, and have those laws apply to
one or more cities OF another class.
That would ALLOW the passing of petty
law for the smaller class OF cities, which
would also apply to New York.
IL advocated the removal of police
officers and commissioners by the Mayor
onl.'. and on charges. He could not see
why the Governor should have to inter-
fcrc.
He thought a much simpler bill. COW
ering all the points In this. might lie
OF the Commute, Mr.. johnson. of Kings,
and Mr.. Becker. Of Erie. had tried to
blind people by making long legal doc
GERS and Commissioners of city were
state officers, and he thought the put
ting of the rower of removal of Police
Commissioners In the hands OF the
move.
r, anybody could make charges to the
Governor. AMI If ms politics was differ
mt 10 the Mayors, he could appoin;
commissioners who would pay into his
party's hands and aga inst the Mayors.
criticised minority representation. He
believed that the rule of this country
was majority rule only. In rc.ation t.
the election and the endeavcr to get Il
lair count and honest results he be-
lieveh this matter could be left entirely
10 the Legislature.
lie was not In favor of Mr. Choate's
amendment to allow the Legislature, by
a three-ntths vote. to decide questions
of city government against the wishes
Of the a,oyP1G people; That That was not home rule.
expectations, the convention would pass
some city amendment. He offered
substitute In which he struck out the OBJ
jectlonable matters referred to in his
speech.
Mr.. Mulqueen's substitute provides
that the Legislature shall not pass any
law relating to cities as to any of the
following subjects:
l. Streets and highways . Parks
and public places. .. The appointment,
or removal OF police officers of every
grade and rank. 4. Education. :. Char
tiles and correction; q. The character
and security. !, City apparatus ana
force rs. for greyGntIng and sSt!nsIishng
o Yard e. %ers 9n1 n n"P sS
'
Ing, col Letting. vacating, reducing or
postponing ANY tax assessments. t..
membership and constituent parts of
| the Common Council. H. Powers and
duties OF the Common Council or any
| city officer
Mr.. Francis of Troy. thought that the
| criticism of the proposed amendment
| Was trivial. because. instead of looking
at the whole amendment, members were
plcking apart small portions The Leg
| come sort of higher Common Council
| for cities, the members Of which did t
| know the wants of the city. and voted
local member or by their party leaders
This amendment took the right of
charter tinkermg away from the Legis-
lature, and gave home rule to cities. 1t
| gave to cities self-protection, and alto
| sether, I'm his opinion. was as good "A
substitute for the present section of the
| Constitution as could be framed.
Mr.. Emmett was against all proposi-
tons except those providing for perfect
elections, and the divorcinG OF the mu-
| nlcipal from state elections.
Mr.. Bowers. of New York argued that
| the proposed amendments gave TO cities
nothing that they did not have at pres
any alterations of city charter. any
granting of city franchise on streets
| Or Otherwise, except by the assent OF
Mr., IIo'comb disapproved of the scheme
or minority representation. He said that
| ~ MAS mHuoupteuIy un-AmcrlrAn in prin-
! clpe, This was government by the
majority, and that was the essential bot
tom to the government u the people.
! The proposition to have state COVER
nor " elections was not, in his iudg-
| mcnt. good one, He thought II would
bo an outrage ON the honest voter 10
have his election officers selected for
h N: tApplause.) II the people OF New
York were good enough to pay half nf
the taxes OF the State. they were good
enough to select their own election off,
GERS The referendum clause also, was
not to be considered. for II put a pre-
MUM on political schemes and revolu-
| tion.