New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-01-08
MORE TIME CALLED FOR.
THE NEED OF LONGER CONSIDERATION
OF THE CHARTER.
RESOLUTIONS ADOPTED BY THE CHAMBER o
COMMERCIAL DEMAND FOR POPULAR

COMMERCIAL DEMAND FOR A POPULAR
VOTE ON THE DOCUMENT.
A demand for moro time to consider the Great
er Ncw-York charter and for reference Vi .'o
competed charter to the people before II Is carriea
into effect by the Legislature. was made by inc
Chamber of Commerce at regular meeting yes
terday There was large attendance Oh "e'"o'
and many Of prominence In the city were III
the hall at No. 90 Nassau-st at 1880 p M wnen
Alexander Z. Orr. president OF the Champef' ca"eu
the meeting to order.
MR. SMITHS RESOLUTIONS.
Charles Stewart Smith presented the following
resolutions which were listened 10 with close at
tention he read them:
Whereas. The Commission charged with the he
Saaos U a iDd ees
TO be consolidated under one governmeh,, COLI
lion Of over three millions Of inhabitants, to con;
stitute the future city Of New-York. are REQUIRED
tSer &C on or before February
And whereas. The entire document. comprising
Tet BEEN en' fy published 80 as to admit sufficient
opportunity for the and and Gessiow
Of the vast population for whose local government
And whereas. The Governor OF the State OF New
York in his first message Transmitted TO the hes' +,
the momentous ISSUES involved in the final settle.
ment of this great question. and gives utieran ie
this Chamber should take heed: -, ...o,u.
mo legislation passed this session will involve Z,
Ss s smSras ssin in ha Se & This
ef1 noi Dot safe predc
arisen more than once In which an entire Nauo o
policy has depended upon this State: When qucs-
lions OF such moment BECOME thus dependent d inc
position Of the State Of NswYork is ron hs snb
ject should result from the utmost caution anu
And whereas At the time of the adoption OF the
Constitution of the United States the popuia'loh o,
will be included in the proposed consolidated city;
and the preparation Of the Constitution occup 'S
Of the wisest body Of men who were ever assembled
for deliberaive purposes and the ais is
cussion by the people Occupying more than mnG
months in the S Of Mhs we're es
by Hamilton. Jay and Madison and whereas.
" unwise and precipitate for the LEGISLATURE to act
upon charter which has not been uo udgncnt
Of public opinion. upon which our free INSTITUTIONS
Now therefore be it resolved That this Chamber
earnestly requests the Charter Commission to ap,,
PLY TO 70 h comSes Hs report Without undue haste
and in order that the same may be careiuIly SUI
comprehensi,c scheme of government, which shall
have been duly considered and dsested nor e. on.
by 1ns OF Se whose
will be vitality affected by the mp,e ~ me- s non
and certain in the near future 10 contain the ma
and further be- it resolved That in matter Of so
much Importance the charter as finally framed framed
to the Vote Of the communities included in its pro
visions. and should not be carried mo a
shall have been approved by the votes oi 'aJo''s
And be it further resolved That copy OF these
resolutions he signed by the officers OF the CnamDe
and transmitted TO the Commission. to the Gov.
ernor of the State and to the PRESIDING oIiceIs ..
the Senate and Assembly for presentation 10 the
Resolved That committee Of FIVE be appointet
by the chair OF which the president snail ne cnar
man whose duty it shall be to wait upon the Com-
mission and request their cooperation IN securing
extension Of time.
Short speeches by c. Waldo Smith. John F.
Townsend. John Harsen Rhoades and Richard
Deeves. in favor Of the resolutions. were MADE ana
Nathan r. SSpragus made short speech against
the resolutions. saying that the question OF con-
solidaon had been already settled and the Greater
New-York Commissioners and the Legislature were
the proper persons discuss and settle the various
questions arising Hereunder.
SPEECH OF EX-MAYOR HEWITT.
Ex-Mayor Abram S. Hewitt made a characteristic
speech In favor OF the resolutions and carried the
audience with him. creating mu:h enthusiasm and
being applauded vigorously at times Mr. Hewitt
said in part:
Can any distinction be found between the present
people of the entire State? The proposed CONSOLE
dated city is. of course, only portion Of the State
government is charter and not constitutions but the
stitutes it the largest separately governed popua-
on in the Union with the exception of two three
three States in the Union with greater population
than that which will be included within the boun-
Now, l ask whether 1t is reasonable that 5000
| OOo people shall be expected 10 accept gov.
as You know it is not elected with reference this
| question. with no discussion ever made during the
is reasonable that body such as that (and which is
as hey s d through the
destines of the people OF this part OF the State Of
say p Ss hHg to- aec 10 the s essaion Of tinted
Sta y upon f m UI as Te a
stutional questions Now. this is plea for time.
s to p be- exscue and when there may be- newly
% T MIGHT N & @s
pernsed that document: Has any gentleman in this
Ii sR in the daily newspapers? It might be expect
ed from my former, connection with the city gov
tion and have been waited on by the reporters. as
usual, for my opinion on the subject. Why. gentle
men, I haven't the remotest idea OF what Is con-
tained In the 100 or 500 pages which have been shown
But the idea Of proposing to intelligent COM
mun,y the adoption OF charter. which is to govern
Of 'R hun nd Of mons Of dollars and the Fight
impose taxation amounting as it will before the pres
the people Of this community-the proposition that
proper examination seems TO me utterly absurd and
,bon net 8. M to Theher ne
tom hoW they shall Be when they
| consolidated The members Of the Commission are
themselves conscious Of the fact that they need aid
| and enlightenment. for they have asked citizens 10
come before them and explain their position. 1t is
absurd for the people OF New York go before hat
Commission and TO make any adequate criticism OF
the proposed charter when speakers are limited to
Commission.
Gentlemen for six months the members Of the
not an occasional weekly session. not sub-con:
| miitee which to bring In something all cooked
| and dried: but that great body. over which Wash
ington presided. and Of which franklin and Hamil-
ton and Madison and Gouverneur Morris and other
| Of the greatest have ever known were
| members-and for six months patiently. day after
day they worked upon the problem which was
| committed to them and when 1t appeared 1t was
| a document that might have been included in
| thirty-fve Of the pages which are submitted here
| by these gentlemen as the charter Of the Greater
| New-York II took those great men six months: II
| has taken these great men perhaps six weeks
Qaughter) to formulate this charter which is to
govern more people and deal with more wealth
| than were ever congregated before under the gov