New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-03-10
POSTPONE 1T, SAYS THE BAR.
ACTION TAKEN ON THE CHARTER FOR
THE GREATER CITY.
REPORT OF wELL-KNowN LAWYERS TO THE
ASSOCIATION SEVERELY CRITICIsTNG vARl-
oUs FEATURES OF THE DOCUMENT
OPPORTUNITY FOR REvIs-
ION CALLED FOR


report submitted by a special committee, recent
" appointed to investigate the proposed charter
for the Greater New-York. number OF the
prominent lawyers Of the city were members or
the committee and they had made united
study OF the chapters of the charter. Their re-
port was submitted in a pamphlet OF twenty-sM
printed pages and il was adopted, with scarceiy
any dissent. and without argument, by the wv
or more members OF the association VINO attended
the regular meeting last evening IN the spiehuiu
new hall in Forty-thrd-st.
James C. Carter presided at the meeting ana
expressed thanks account Of his election 10
sacond term as nresdent OF the association. The
report Of the committee was read by Wheeler H.
Peckham the chairman. and was listened 10 Win
close attention. After the reading. the assocla-
ton adopted resolutions which the committee had
recommended. the following being the important
one
Resolved That in the judgment Of this assoca-
,fr he enacfnent OF the proposed body OF law con-
tanned in that charter would give rls" 10 InS.iIi,
far outwcighing any benefits "hich may isLSo%'5y
he exnected TO flow from II: that ample opportunity
should be given for thorough revision; simpllncaI
charter. and that the true welfare OF the commun
ties 10 be affected by the proposed act VIII 1e @
soiidatlon shall take effect and by referring the
bill for redraftng before it is enacted INTO law.
An opportunity was offered for discussion De-
action
none OF the members present desired 10 SPEAK
POINTS IN THE REPORT.
The report addressed Ito the Association ol
the Bar OF the City Of New York. began WIN
statement that the time allowed for the eXalhlha-
ton Of the proposed charter for the Greater New
york had been too brief for a full scrutiny Of
work OF 95S pages The method OF the work OF
the committee Of the association was shown by
els u.hi
tee thought the charter ought to have fulfilled.
The statement was made that while the Charter
Commission had made efforts TO comply WIN
some OF the requisites It had failed in others;
In the beginning Of the criticism OF FEATURES u
the charter these statements were Haue
The proposed charter contemplates some twenty
administrative departments, some OF mem SIN J
| Some many headed. In certain instances: az. LOT
| example in the OF the FIRE ana BuIulns ~
| ner.mnnts their functions and duties appear 70
pp,.a-iar IN the internal organization OF some OF
| The departments division OF responsibility j. cdn
| ried TO what seems to us very injurious GA
But the most conspicuous instance OF a division
of resnonsibilty among various departments OF me
civ government Is found in the sections authorz-
| ing public improvements In the case OF & a.
| work 10 DE done under the authority OF any ue,
.rreDt other than one OF those represented in
| the Board OF Public Improvements, the scHeuIe -
src, ~ Inc nreparel By the department concerhe'I
- 4, Dvolves incurring a debt II must next be APP
nroved bv the Board OF Estimate ana AppDI y .i'm- ~
| mont Il must then be passed upon separately ny
%lae % of tba tvo houses OF the Municipal Assembly
whose power however. is limited TO mere accept o
ance or retectinni anu man Nv the Mayor and it
again may come before the two houses OF In NJ NJ
niclpd! AsIy ~ y,orx - he done IL a local improve
meni where the cost Is 10 De me- II, W olr hs,d a.
| part by assessments upon the property penenltu
the local board Of the boroGsR m r5 ~ axe KIND hnt
- memo the oOc ~ the denartments coming under
the Hoard Of public improvements. the body last
named iius. snar5 against hasty action this plan
seems effective but should any projected improve
ment fail between these NaI.Ga9 sx he Tesnons
quite lmpossi3s LOT 'N7 P''P''
hli'y iof "S uei'"
NOT A CHARTER NOR A CODE.
The proposed charter OF the commission i ho' II
.h,-.sr IN snv proper sense and it Is not code
| ch'r'er III e"' 'E,,.,i,, ara N sonne OK
Il Is an imperfect coihpl'd'''"' a. ~ S 49,,
-. y, tho nronosed greater city
''.'' - ,,,,,,ra ,io,s y. tho Commissioners
one or TWO HuS'i "'o'' -. To-. coc,tor
! os r. il provided that the copy OF any paper neu
Win the City Clerk. when certified by MIN shaIl
t5erein 1S contained'-an way OF making evi-
dence 40 tho owner OF any lands may. with
the approval Of the Board OF Puohc
Me map a. b man the ,itie TO all streets ave
nues and public places therein dessi'a1ec "T ~, -
IN zee S~d novel method certainly OF getting rid
OF the rights o. meItgagee- u,.,,,a. ov,,,,ias
nrse ar d AZ 'iefartive workmanship abound in al
most every part OF the pllI - : no. 100 huCn & 10
say thai the MARKS ol isi,. hes, ,,,nractcahIa
whore visible II hds .i,,', ~ ,in,a of
for the Charter ~ % on rna,si,ra an
lowed them 70 Dr. Dr., 66roy7sons and thev haye there
necessary sta PDii. % iT.ort no r mo blir
fore resorleu -. ,@stfNns erbodvn- tho proyi-
numerou. ntnE nre Other Laws bv wholesale refer
-lons OF HlI'l,t... ,oattar TIC cors,itutfonalitv
ence 10 theI Vol mo doubred The harm
| Of sucn a coui Ii'H .,,rot h.. Ionb.al
! fil confusion II c''"''7 ''' "
r->-~rrT ArNTY AND CONFUSION
TIC bill Is also full or saving clauses ana precau-
.trr,. measures which make Interpretation diff
io''H'- ' 1..o.,o5 -asaa,ch No,bir, - re
! cult even after eN''""e' '' - ''7 " -
pealed modified save IN 80 Jar as lhcosIsl ~ eiio s
with this act and IN me case of an dt covering W
printed pages and containing eN sections on almost
| every conceivable SUBJECT; VINO sIdI SdN N.i' -
and whst il not EXISTING ia" as 10 numDsTless nm
pOrtan. matters II may De shld 'nat su'h result
IL 20 some extent inevitable IN any Such enter
prise as ilal uHu'l lhN'll y