The record-union., 1896-04-10
The Question Of the Appointing Power
Again
The Club Votes to Place It Wholly in
the Mayors Hands Without
Confirmation.

NdNlng Deen un0nlSneu, was eaAeh oP-
1t related to the latter part OF section
b of the city charter Executive De-
partment), relative to appointments
by the Mayor.
At the last meeting a motion had
been made by DR.. Strader suggesting
that the charter remain as it now
stands, giving the Mayor power TO
make all appointments, not made by
ballot, to be confirmed by a majority
of the members Of the Board of Trus-
tees.
Mr.. Avery declared himself to be
still in favor of the majority report
that the appointing power be given ex-
clusively to the Mayor, who should be
absolutely responsible to the people.
Mr.. Anchell did not believe that so
much power should be given to a single
man.
Mr.. Winn thought things were in a
peculiar position in the city at the
present time but that there might have
been a difference if some other man
had been elected. Things might DO
very we'll as they are with another man
in the office.
Mr. Avery suggested that everybody
say something on the question, as he
considered the present subject one OF
importance.
Mr.. Waring hoped that the motion
before the club would be defeated, and
the real issue be combated on the ma
jority and minority reports handed in
by the committee.
Mr. Gardner said that the same troub-
les existed in the city government at
the present time which were prominent
when the government was composed OF
three Trustees. He understood that the
system of the city of Brooklyn was
good one, and thought that the people
should be able to point their fingers
at a certain person and say, You are
the man" 1t would take brave man
to stand the finger of scorn which
would be pointed at him if he did
wrong.
He believed with Mr.. Avery that the
Mayor should be given the exclusive
appointing power.
Mr. Hawley-The finger Of scorn
would have very little effect upon a
politician. 1t would be a good thing to
put a check on the Mayor and keep it
there Let each ward get in and elect
good timber for the Board of Trustees.
Dr. Strader said he knew his motion
was in direct opposition to the wishes
of the members of the club, and that
public opinion had veered away from
where it had been some years ago. He
declared it impossible TO tell what a
man elected to the office of Mayor
would turn out to be. You could not
trust any one man and public opinion
should be careful how it changed sides.
Mr.. Waring-It would be disastrous to
the city to give the Mayor absolute
INtx fhklf fvx-O
extremes would be the best thing. The
Board of Trustees should be required to
vote openly and not secretly, as they
do now. If such were the case the ap-
pointments of the Mayor would not be
knocked OUT as they are at present
Mr.. Hawley-If we had eighty Coun-
cilmen there would be little hope for
any of them getting two of their con-
stituents fat appointments, and 1t would
give less chance for a dicker with the
Mayor There should be good reasons
for each rejection of nominee by the
Mayor and those reasons should be
given in writing.
President Weinstock said what we
were all striving for was good govern
ment, and the only question which
arose was how to get such results. The
freeholders who formed the charter
thought the outlines given in 1t the
best ones, but he, as one of those free
holders, had been disappointed. The
vast majority of our citizens were hon.
est in their wish for good government,
but they seldom gave the subject enough
OF their time to secure the results de-
sired. The success of a Government de-
pended upon the interest taken in its
welfare.
AT his suggestion rising vote showed
that but five out of sixteen voters pres
ent had attended the primaries, and
that eight only had attended caucus.
Colonel Weinstock thought from the
vote he had called for that not more
than 10 per cent. of the citizen voters
had heretofore attended either caucuses
OF primaries. People could not expect
good government if they took no inter-
est in the nomination of good men for
office.
In order to make the people take a
great interest in the affairs of munich
pal government, 1T was only necessary
to give Mayor great power-power to
do good and power to do great evil.
Then the voters would realize that they
must work and vote for good men.
Cases have been seen in this city where
one man had received the nomination
of all the parties in the field, and had
been showed under by man running
independently This went to show that
the people sometimes did take an inter-
est in municipal politics. If given al
most absolute power, ana an inefficient
or vicious man were elected to the posi-
ton of Mayor, the people would rise In
their might, and il would really be a
blessing in disguise.
Mr.. Gardner said that If a vicious man
were In power he would place vicious
men in positions of trust and thus
array the good portion of citizens In the
balance against him, and that the evil
ones would also be arrayed against him
who had not been given soft political
positions.
The question being on DR.. Strader's
motion that the charter should remain
as it stands it was lost by vote of
to -.
The question was then on the mi
nority report of the committee III Is as
follows:
Section 80. After the words the
Mayor by and with the consent OF, add
the words "one-third of" and after the
words "in this charter or by law add
the sentence In all cases when acting
on nominations by the Mayor the voting
shall be in open session, by an open aye
and nay vote and the vote OF the board
voting shall be entered in the minutes,
and in no way shall the voting be secret
The rest of the section shall remain as