New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-04-10
CONTEST TAKEN TO ALBANY.
HEARINGS ON THE BILL TO CURTAIL
CONLIN's AUTHORITY.
ROOSEVELT ADVOCATES IT AND PARKER ARGUES
AGAINST rT-FAvORABLE REPORT IN THE
AssEMBLY-HOsTILITY IN THE

AssEMBIY-HOsTILITY IN THE
SENATE COMMITTEE.
Albany April 9-This was New-York day in the
Cities Committee of the Assembly. Long before
the committee met in the Assembly parlor that
room was filled with NEWCOMERS. most prominent
among whom Police Commissioners Roosevelt
and Parker. Their presence was due to the fact
that the Cities Committee was to consider the bill
Of Assemblyman Austin giving the Police Commits
sion power to make transfers and assignments on
the New-York police force by majority vote and
taking that power away from Chief Conlin
Chairman Austin announced that he would allow
those who favored the bill to speak first. At this
Commissioner Roosevelt took his station at the
head Of the committee table and began his speech.
The purpose Of the BILL he said was to make
success Of the administration Of the present Board
OF Police Commissioners of NewYork City. Lets
have a BILL" ne continued. that will make 1t
success and let be held responsible II the Police
Department under us is at fault
Mr. Roosevelt said he represented officially ma
jor,ty OF the Board. The majority consisted of him
self. Mr. Grant and Mr.. Andrews.
The object of the bill the Capitalization OF
power AS the law now stood. 1t was impossible for
the Board to transfer officer. and it could not
promote a unless II was unanimous. There
a generally unreasonable condition existing in
the Department. 1t possible now for the Board
to appoint patrolman by a majority vote Then
the Chief made the first promotion. The next two
promotions must be made by unanimous vote OF
the Board. 1t system that was constantly
meeting with disfavor.
ANOMALOUS POWERS
The present Board. continued the Commissioner.
had opposed the bill under which the Department
was at present working He wanted. he said. the
Chief OF Police TO have the power to act under the
Board supervisor of captains subject to the con-
troll OF the Board Regular promotions In the force
should be made by majority vote OF the Board
!, hat ha
not use certain of his official powers without the
assent Of the Commissioners. He wished partcu-
larry that his power Of promotions would be taken
away.
The Board wished to have some OF the power
that was vested in the Chief Either give the Com
missioners this power or dispense with them
and confer upon the Chief full power. 1t was now
Impossible for the Board to name an officer upon
probation There was clause in the law now that
would allow this, but 1t WAS a question as 10
whether the Commissioners could legally proceed
under IT, 1t now difficult matter Tor inc
Board to discharge even patro.man 1t was neces-
sary that the Board should not only have this pow
er over. the smaller officers, but over the higher
officers
Mr. Davidson OF the committee. asked II 1t would
not be we'll to give the Chief similar powers to
those OF a general in the army.
Mr.. Roosevelt answered in the negative, giving
as a reason that even then the Chief would be
should be held responsible and only one.
In closing his speech Mr. Roosevelt said: While
you expect to work for decent governmental
administration, give us the power to reach a
standard that will cause US not 10 fall short OF
the measure OF success that you have the right to
demand" And then he asserted that the police
force during the first ten months Of the admins
tration of the present Commissioners had been as
successful as at any time in the history OF the
Board. .
PARKER IN OPPOSITION
Commissioner Parker. when he began his arsu-
ment against the bill. said that II he thought that
the bill was at all party measure he would be
re uctant to appear before the Committee III had
| been asserted that last year he had opposed the
| Bipartisan BILL and advocated the Answorth meas
ure. This not so. for he had not approved the
Ainsworth bill. 1t had also been stated by Com
| missioner Roosevelt that that official had always
| made whatever changes he had in the force after
consultation with the Superintendent of Police
| Certainly Mr.. Roosevelt had done this. because he
| knew that the Superintendent knowledge OF the
| force far superior to his own.
Mr. Parker then contended that. instead OF inc
| Commission having more power. greater power
| should go to the Superintendent or the law should
remain it was. He read from the committee re.
leaders lead Of the Republican party had advocated the
Increase Of the powers q the v Chief responsible
! man." asked Mr. Finn a member OF the commit
Il do" answered. the Commissioner. regard him
| as thoroughly competent" -,
sho f Parker oen
a general in the field controlled in his movements
has been a success when he has been unham-
| pered.
POLITICS BROUGHT IN.
! Commissioner Parker then branched off into poll
tics and explained that various had been the
| charges made against him while in the admnistra-
| ton of his office He had been charged with being
| for Mr. Plat and against Mr.. Plau for James
O'Bren and against James o'Brien. letter, he
from from the Chief Of Police in which il asserted
that the Chief would not exercise his power unier
c Con- oisS This the desired
N he had the G we're ay ns
he could not consistently allow the preference or
Mr. Parker said it had been charged that he had
M @ S Ss s neS s ns& eny
actng,captalns whom he had suggested we're Re.
paper men, but he Believed that ought 70 un
h%ss aha to s law It ade IN m
Would change i back again the next year: -.
of he csse He said this was the first time h.
had heard Mr. Parker express such argumen,.
Parke said that ne was in favor Of giving extena
absolute powers to the Chief or TO the Con
Department Of NeweYork City due to the gooc
mNTs done Sa fs his as he should 90 had
been compelled to do so by the Commission Tn,
| Commission
for that reason 1t had come before the Legislator.
n had had those powers for some months not Ions
ago and II had been satisfactory
The hearing then closed and the committee wen
into executive session, finally deciding to report th
bill favoraby. the minority members dissenting.
Before deciding TO report the bill fevorably, tn
committee struck out the proposed amendment al
lowing sergeants 20 be selected from among patrol
men assigned to duty as detective-sergeants.
ROOSEVELT AND GRADY CLASH.
The Senate Cities Committee heard Commissions
Roosevelt and Commissioner Parker on the senat
bill similar to the Assembly measure. which divest
Chief Conlin Of some Of his powers The hearin
was held after the Assembly hearing and wa