New-York tribune., 1896-12-25
.por, to the Legislature or before Febru-
DRAFT COMMITTEES REPORT.
A REVISED CHARTER SUBMITTED TO THE
GREATER .NEw-YORK COMMISSION.


THE MAYORS rowERs-A BOARD To
CONTROL fpRrAc IMPROVEMENTS
FEW slNGLb HEADS OF
I;xrARrMB&rs.
Tho repo-t OF the Committee on Draft OF Char
Ter follows in fun:
To The Greater New-York Commission u,,,,
Gentlemen: The established rue OF law w,nai W,vh
prescribes that a charter granted 10 a muhlcipa'
rornoratjou must he construed strictly that noth-
ing may pass ny bare inference ou, os evs,y ,rs s
OF the grant. has added greatly 10 the iapors , W
your committee 1t would have oeoh eompai a.ur's 49,,
with concise sections comprehensive IN characteI;
This howevGr wenid have Ies' 10 ent ,en and su
cheney OF the powers conferred and would na1e eu
Especial LEGISLATION when awning ne" r"rs 81 for mn
nicipal scton. Ton confer upon Ihe Grcater Eew e
York sh, which sno% prden and
sary to endow H. in general and In oetail. WIN
every rish noMTT ana ,e ,hc sovereignty Of
the State. This method was further enJoined ny
is e 10 o eteot consolidation OF the various munich
pali'ies that there may be no cTeaK or gar l" .
no lack of power and supremacy in its central gov
ernment.
THE LEGISLATIVE DEPARTMENT.
We have constructed the Legislative Depart
uent of the new city a municipal assembly, 10 con-
stat of two houses-a lower house OF loi members
elected senatorial
house of 81 members excited from council districts
designated in the charter The upper house is TO
he presided over by president elected oy ,le i,u 80
pie at large All of the members o' no,n ,ir
elected for the term of two years. ana an:ie'c d.
once. ., , = oo.s
proposed for the legislative branch OF tho CITY
government w dcemed it nadvisabie TO adhere 10
single body or Board Of Aldermen "a aone @ ,one ne
plan Of Two houses has neen adopted IN tnc nope
that IL will act check upon haS'Y eeisia'loon.
scrinv and % discus both fom the membership
and the public press. and that IL viii therefore rem
der every piece Of legislation subject OF interest
and of consideration TO a pcorl" adequa'ei! en-
lightened upon their muacipe AFFAIRS -
The committee have decden W. ,innsi iS Aesemby
shall be changed at the same time. nor because peeause
they look on this his as as an dea under the
conditions prevailing in The Grea'er Ntnorx
Whether II Is considered ASIA whole or In detail
has been in the past oncsided that only IN ocSa
70 gain control. The sentiment is indeed growing
which tends to persuade the popuiianon ,;on %, our o
CITY ssues rather than State or National issues
Nevertheless the great body of the American peo-
animated bv partisan sentiments Habits arc
slowly chanecd whether ny mGTo@nss @ or or o,i,cs y?
habits Of the American elector IN ;his particular
will yield only slowly 70 The disd,pmr sn@ ,sT" IS
clear elections At large ard tcrms OF G4fsG
that make # imp9,sib,e 10 hv shanS 'nf ne stroke
would tend place the city under the DOMINION o.
one political party quite unintcrrupte1y' r"r ,i.
self Inherently better than nor. graam' he om
in the composition OF ne TWO houses 'ns '4,i, 4H,
tee have adopted the plan submitted IN 'hc "''''
no MINORITY REPRESENTATIONS.
=, ,,, ha .. hoo, q satisfaction 10 a ma iority
n, tho committee r. in connection with the election
n, members of the Mlrnicipal Assembly. 1t hah
seemed 10 them possible TO provide IN some way ior
prorortionate minority representation. y 'cE
careful s,udv of tho question. however. has con-
,N,at p1,r he
s,,,u,ion Of the State of New-lolk. all desirable
plans for securing the proportiona,e or minor % ~
representation OF such Gouhful vanui,E ma t q
..ormmissiom would not be justified in framing a
cbar,er that might prove he defective on so vital
The r"nsjderai ion OF the Commission that a CON
,stutional amendrHen dealing WIN rf'S nonnc~
ton with the charter. If the Commission so deter
min. o.,. sucscsred The committee have as
sumcd that The Greater Ncw-York mus, have ,,,a a
charter which vii give the ey 7 own me sses Th
natural and ultimate repository OF the mos, n %, o,
DO not think we have faed in allotting to this body
every right, power and priyege& & %n'cn reaer sr New
York suggest needful to the enioymtnt OF SCI W
government within BIs 4sFsec ihs CHARTERS
European and Amesi, cities. especially those OF
fSTs RrrH andhase aan "S and london
Great Britain. and those OF ST Louis and
,,pon the Municipal Assembly legislative authorl.E
over the usual subjects ot mca a ,he esatve
Novers ere bereofore vested in New-Ycrk and Brook
yn and in addSn have ~ bnd et or
over urdcr the rivers within US don1al ell ,
sruCt RHrt % ss%SssS Sose " her and more ex
pensive fun ctons necdfu to meet the wants a,is rs
ing from fha rapid growth of popua ton ana tne
sdyanCing sreatness of the metropolis; with the
lphs exceeG in cost The sum of million dollars it
shall in tho first instance have the approNaI ol a,ie
undersone the scrutiny and discussion Of tho people
and OF the press
TIE Mt NICIpAI ASSEMBLY.
The Municipal Assembly Is a conspicuous feature
IN the plan Of the draft charter. The extent aho
variety OF it's powers. as wei as its size marx ou'
sense of it's dignity and importance. Its rule VIII
embrace from the start population Of over 'nres
million reope and a yearly budget OF neariE
100000 II ought 10 attract men OF the hishes
character and intelligence. II ii shall do So the
problem q npab bsso soSsd Wht
we have conferred power upon the Munic!paI As; ni
seWsE vs4ey ys y scr se ohseR~ v" nd "s
hssiy and -advised action on its part rs resPecl.
pfTeon pf moneS Tand and the ieO creation Of debt,
have however respeSins The mess aessrhy G e~es
feet fected radical and far-rcachins distinction be-
tween those PoTcrs Which, in wb 1gaca he same
sense are proprietary in character; ,,,.os
As TO everything concerning the rights prvns.seI
and liberties of the citizen respecting munc'paI
rule the Legislative Department is suo9sc' o. 20 Iv
range Of works and properties combined in The the
general term. pubic lTrfoVenlehte We no naN II
Setermined thar the initiative, in general. snh
he with the Board OF Public improvements. aho ~
thai The action Of the Municipal Assembly shaI OF
further ,be OF the the n
ID and mag ntude OF the public works and prop
critics Of The Gresty New York presedn, sho IN
tne East River and the Harlem River, the Tolon
and the Ridsswood Water Work. Centrai nafs
and Prospect Park and oiher parks. bouieVarns
and drivcways. the number OF streets and avenues
naved or 10 he paved. or 20 be repaired ana re-
paved: the vast extcn, OF the sewer system. etc
Il is ruite obvious tina: these works shoulo o.. De
nr,mariIy controlcd by expert ana adinln'stIa,Ve
aaufhoriiy so that they may be developed ana as
fributed upon a fixed plan yielding the greates'
seryice IN the city whole. producing co-opers-
live uniformity: and should he designed and con
structed obedentlv 10 the highest attaina9le SCI.
entifc agencies. For this reason we thnk tha'