New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-01-17
THELAST CHARTER HEARING
PLEAS FOR AN EXTENSION OF TIME.
EX-MAYOR HEWITT URGES THAT THE CHARTER
BE SUBMITTED TO THE PEOPLE


BE SUBMITTED TO THE PEOPLE
FOR VOTE
General notice given that yesterdays hearing on
the Greater New-York charter was TO be the last
drew n larger crowd than usual to the City Hall
a committee from the Chamber OF Commerce. CON-
posed Of ex-Mayor A. s. Hewitt. Charles Stewart
Smith, Gustav II. Schwab and George Wilson. was
I'm attendance to ask the Commission to apply TO
the Legislature fo- extension OF their hearings.
The hearing yesterday was on inferior courts
OF civil and criminal Jurisdiction" and any other
the Legislature for an extension OF its hearings.
General Benjamin r. Tracy called the meeting to
order at % O'Clock There also present Com
mssioners DE witt. butcher. Gllroy and Mayor
Gleason. General Tracy announced that this was
the day set aside specially TO hear the committee
from the Chamber Of Commerce.
Charles Stewart Smith then came forward and
read the resolutions passed by the Chamber Of
Commerce asking for extension of the time OF
public hearings. Mr. Smith then paid a compi-
ment to the Commission for the magnitude OF the
work 1t had undertaken In framing charter. ana
said II the greatest work ever intrusted 70
anybody since the Constitution OF the Federal
Union was adopted. Mr.. smth the introduced *
Mayor Hewitt who made address requesting
the Commission to ask the Iegisa lure for more
time for public hearings. THE Chamber OF Com
merce and the Bar Association" he said. have
passed resolutions In favor Of an extension Of Zine.
and have no doubt that the Commission VIII be
only too glad to take advantage of the suggestions
of these two important bodies OF the citizens OF
New-York"
MIR HEWITT FOR A REFERENDUM.
Mr. Hewitt said tina. the charter. before 1t went
into effect should be submitted to the people to
pass upon it.
1.-The Croton waterworhs scheme" he said. was
submitted the people and the rapid-iransit plan
was submitted the people and see no reason
why the same principle should not apply to the
charter of Greater New-York. | am at loss to
understand how any reasonable objection can be
offered TO this proposition of submitting the char-
ter TO the people"
Mr.. Hewitt said that the present New-fork
LEGISLATURE was not elected on the Greater New
York question. ITO submit this question TO IT,
then" he said. would be riskng too much III
the suggestion of the Chamber OF Commerce Is
adopted the question will have 10 go over to the
Legislature next fall, which will be more com
petent to discuss the question There would be
annie time then to discuss the charter, and the
new Legislature will be perfectly competent to deal
with 1t.
"In a country whose government Is rounded on
popular suffrage II IL unwise TO impose govern
ment which the people had no hand in creating
or passing upon. The Judgment Of the people IS
wiser in my opinion. than the wisest men who
ever sat in n public commission. ! entreat you.
gentlemen. not to attach your names to any docu-
ment which, after fair examination ana discus
sion shall be found TO have deprived the people
who were TO be governed of the power to govern
How would II be II this charter. after being APP
proved by the Commission and the Legislature. re-
sulted not in a Greater New-York, but I'm a
Greater Tammany and Greater Boss? There Is
danger and the only In which the Commits
sion can Justify Itself and absove Itself from re-
sponsbility is submit the charter to the judg-
ment Of the people"
no
nile was the voice OF God and the charter should
be submitted to them.
Mrs Chapman. OF Brooklyn, VINO represented
the Woman's Prison Reform Association OF the
Society OF Friends. asked the Commission 70 make
provision for the appointment OF probation orlccrs
I'm the inferior local courts such as prevails IN
Massachusetts.
THE CIVIL JUSTICES CONTENTION.
Civil Justice Goldfogle then addressed the Com
mission He said that he had been asked TO present
the views OF the Civil Justices Of New-York He
declared that last year 1OlS3 cases had been dis
posed OF in the District Courts The aggregate
amounts of claims I'm civil actions exclusive or all
sums in penalty suits and exclusive OF sums m
VOWED in dispossess proceedings. was sn@"9 os'
and the total amount paid into the city treasury was
st3 So o. The charter provides that the salaries Oh
justices of the Municipal Court Of the city OF New
York shall be 5000 a year. Justice Goldfogie said
this ealarv was insufficient and should be raised
10 at least 5000 Under the terms OF the char'er'
he said the Justices were prohibited from prac-
Using law privately which they were allowed 10 DO
at present. . ,
"What are the hours in which you hold court?
asked General Tracy.
.r ct, from Q in the morning sometimes until
9 or o'clock in the evening" replied Justice Gold
fogle.
Then YOU haven't much time to practise law"
rerlicd the chairman with laugh.
THAT'S So" said Justice Godfogle, in sorrowful
tone
The speaker also said that the Civil Justices were
opposed to the rotation system provided for by
the charter.
why do they oppose rotation" asked General
Tracy.
Because they believe rotation would destroy the
identity OF the justices In the districts TO which
they have been elected" replied the speaker
General Tracy smiled at the answer.
civil Justice Davenport also made brief address
attacking the rotation system. Civil Justice Wau.
hope Lynn also opposed the rotation of justices and
sked the Commission TO make provision mat
sailors could in a civil court for wages.
Justice Roessh was in favor , of f fot Rrnosy he
was not In favor of the rotation scheme: which
he said would destroy the IDENTITY OF the JUSTICES
that there be two civil courts and TWO criminal
courts in the Borough of Queens
VIEWS OF THE CITY CLUB.
John F. Parsons president of the City Club.
WAS the next speaker. He said that club was III
favor of a single chamber in the Municipal A.
semblv and asked that the term OF office or MEM
bers be increased to six years The club objects
le said 80 the failure to provide In the draft or
The charter for some constitutional method 10 Sc
c,tra minority representation in the Municipal AZ,
scmbly'' The speaker also said the CLUB wanted
the Mayor to have full power OF removal during |
his tcrm Of office and In favor OF separating
The Election Bureau from the Police Department.
Mr. Parsons said that the draft OF the cna h,ar
cont aimed many verbal inaccuracies, some OF when
he pointed out and at which the Commissioners
i n,,grbad good-naturedly Mr. Parsons then pre- |
p,aJ an annlIcaton asking the Commission 10 |
get an extension of time from the legislature
p Wheeler II Peckham then presented the resolu-
,,ons odon,ed by the Bar Association few nights |
AGO calling for an extension OF the time OF public
hso rings MIR Peckham said that about two /
naming extension would be sufficient. General |
Tracy said that the term Of office OF the Commits
sioners expired on March l. 80, c.
II may say" he said that some OF the Comms..
soners are opposed 10 any lengthy extension OF