The daily morning journal and courier., 1896-12-09
HEARING FOR NEW CHARTER
ARGUMENTS PRO AND CON FOR Tn F
 CHAPTER.


 bers-Bi-partIsan Boards Discussed
 The special committee of the court of common council on charter revision was in session last evening for the pur- pose of considering any alterations and amendments to the proposed instru- ment framed by the charter eommls- sion appointed by the general assembly of 1893 and approved by the court of common council of 1894.
 Mayor Hendrick was present and four members of the committee, Al derman Bromley, chairman, and Coun- cilmen Fullerton, Unger and Hubbard Alderman Brennan was the absentee. Chairman Bromley announced that the committee would give another hearing next Tuesday night.
 MT George D.. Watrous was the first to speak He said: This charter is the joint work of five men who gave their spare time and some time that they could not well spare to it's preparation. The five-headed commission faVors the proposed charter unanimously.
 q stand just where I stood when the commission drew up the charter two years ago. I believe that New Haven needs an up- to-date charter, and that the city government should be run on business principles. I can conceive of no reason why a public corporation should be conducted on any different principles from a private corporation. T holi hot hnth SbO1ll6 be con- ducted on the best business principles. In regard to single-headed depart" ments, so strong a feeling was express ed by many in favor of bipartisan heads for the police and fire depart ments that the committee acqmesceu' But the main features of the charter ought to be retained, and believe that more and more citizens are coming to realize that we need a new charter un- der which the city government may De carried on by business methods
 Rev. E. s. Lines said: Il do not come as an expert before this committee. As a member of the charter commission l gave a great deal of thought to the subject two years ago, and l believe we should have a charter which will give the city the best government l think the great fault of our present charter is that it does not fix responsibility as distinctly as 1t ought.
 "In nothing does America set so bad an example as in poor municipal gov ernment. I think one chamber is bet, ter than two There is no reason why our city government should follow par 1iament or congress in having two branches It is not the best ouslness principle to have two branches, yet II a majority desire to have two branches I hope both will be retained in our cfty government.
 .'Another desirable thing would be the change of the date of the city elec- ton from fall to spring, and so divorce it from other elections. l speak here tonight for good citizens who nave nothing else to ask but good govern ment for the city"
 MT. J. N. States said: "As member of the charter commission l sacr1f1ced as much as any politician in recom- mending the proposed charter. l am however. heartily in favor of the char fer recommended by the commission. am in favor of single-headed commits sions. and we ought to secure one in the hoard of public works as well as in the poIice and fire departments. The responsibility of the head of the government ought to be increased. The town government, with seven men at its head is better managed than the c;tv government, with seventy men in control.
 1T am in favor of placing all respon- sibi1ity in the mayor of the city, who
 int of 1 II the commissioners and be held responsible for their acts. I believe in single head- ad commissions, who shall devote all their time to their departments and ap- point and be responsible for thelr SUD- ordinates. If the commissioners do not do their duty citizens will have last resort to the superior court.
 Anthony Carroll spoke in opposition to the charter. He said that bad city government in the past had not been caused by bad charter, but by bad officials Since Mayor Lewis every rnavor has violated the charter and taken S1. 900 dishonesty from the city. CT defv any man to point his finger at any fault of our government which IS not the fault of bad government and not of the present charter. For the mast twenty-five years nave been seeking reforms in the city government and the men who are now crying for reforms always opposed"
 MT, F. G. Buckland suggested that the previous speaker (Mr. CarrolD vyo,1ld have enabled the committee to accomplish more If he had dealt less In personalities and confined himself to the merits of the question. In regard to a charge as to the secret planning of the bill by the commission, about which MT Carroll had thrown out some broad hints, he said that MT. Carroll had appeared before the charter com mission more than anyone else.
 Attorney Buckland thought that the more consolidated a city government was the more efficient it would be. The corporations of Yale, Sargents and Winchester's do not have two manage ments and there is no reason for it in municipal corporations. He believed the police and fire departments should be autocratic and not bipartisan.
 Tn view of recent decision of the New York court of appeals I doubt the constitutionality of bipartisan boards. I believe my friend, MT Watrous, diff fers vAth me on this point" continued Attorney Buckland.
 hoIia1,o bOa rds are uO-