New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-01-05
GREATER NETWORK POLICE.
HEARING ON THAT CHAPTER IN THE
CHARTER.
COMMISSIONERS ROOSEVELT AND ANDREWS IN
FAVOR OF A rNGIE-HEADED COMMISSION
COMMISSIONER PARKER. EDWARD LATTER
BACH AND SENATOR LEXow AGAINST
1.-THE ELECTION BUREAU.

BACH AND SENATOR LEXow AGAINST
1.-THE ELECTION BUREAU.
An audience OF fair size assembled in the AL
dermanIc chamber OF the city Hall yesterday 10
listen to the first public hearing on the revised
draft OF the Greater New-York charter General
Benjamin F. Tracy. president OF the Commis-
sion presided and the other Commissioners pres
ent we're Mayors Strong. Wurster and Gleason ex-
Mayor Gilroy ex-Judge John a. Dillon. William Z.
De Witt Silas 3. butcher. Judge Harrison s.
Moore and George VI. Pinney. jr.. secretary Dor
man b Eaton. ex-Judge Thomas Allison. senator
Lexow Edward Lauerbach. Police Commissioners
Roosevelt. Parker. Grant and Andrews were among
those attentively watching the proceedings me
session was devoted to the chapter relating to the
Police Department.
Assemblyman f. c. Brennan. OF BROOKLYN opeheo
the discussion by presenting petition from the
doormen OF the police prisons OF BROOKLYN ana
New-York calling attention to the fact mat INC
new charter does not mention the doormen' anu
they asked that they be placed upon ,he s"''' '
ing with patrolmen.
General Tracy made Mr.. Brennans petition I'M
necessary by saying that II the doormen are no"
members OF the police force they would unher 'ne
| new charter also be members, although they were
| not especially mentioned but were included III '"e
| GENERAL term members OF the force
MR. ROOsEvELTS STATEMENT.
Mr. Roosevelt attacked the chapter. saying: ne
/
place. because 1t proposes four-headed co"''''s-
sion which Is always a weak executive instrument
| and In the next place II provides FOR a single "'e
| nenJent executive head. who Is responsioie ~ "'
| body II there is any weight whatever III the arg
ments that a single commission respons'o'e 10 '"'
Navor would have too much power then tnose ar
guments Amply with tenfod greater weight against
a., ro,osal N give the power into the hands OF one
,,o, wbo shall he above responsibility. IL you are
| roi,g 10 follow any such course. theh give nv
| Navor the power TO appoint and remove the 'nie'
NJ Police II Is idle to say that ne Is a'Co"'''"Y
| 70 the Board: that is not SO. Inc boalu Ca"
| ,.oyo tho Chief Of Police for some specific act OF
| gross corruption or misconduct, when can w
$500 IN q court Of law and which. as a matter OF
| Zoo, will no reviewed by court OF law; bu Ill us
nractIcal workings this means that t"e "o''''
| cannot hold the CHIEF responsible wheh he eAe'
what Is in reality an Independent power -'00o
| ,,cIv Won nut the responsibility IN one place anu
the mower in another. and give the power ''''o .ne
hands OF a practically irresponsible anu "re'"o'
IT, wan Anv Commissioner who chooses 10 III
,,,,a with or against his nominal subordinate ca"
doubtless under such system, eNerCiSe ''
| considerable and very unwholesome i''""e"0e w.
hin, hut no other type OF COMMISSIONER can "
1, oxcentional circumstances You are INC
| ,s,ruct,nx system under which high-"'i',re'
oo'''' -, reluctant 10 accept office and which
IN, 49,, n ,remiun upon the service OF the PROBES
siona politician. c,. l. ,o-v
"The present police law IN New orH N'y 600
s,d.dlv worse than the law when very ne'''s wv
| o., 900 II superseded. Everything goou 'n'' mas
yea 80, ,,er tho present Board has been done IN
sp,te of and not because OF 'he o"n"se
.ory failure is directly due to those ma''s"
| ~ -, ,o,, which give one Commissioner par
',. q, veto over the action OF the otne' 'o',,',
80, and confer upon the Chie1 'rrespo'''o''
| power .,,s, that prov,sion OF
4
Wv, ,ho ,ol,ce tramp lodging houses ana nu."''s
u''' ,o,,or, work thai has beer done 10y '''!o'
w g., nrovidlng proper municipal lodgings 10Y
-. an6 Migrants by those au'"oi''io' W
o,,od 70 take care OF them -
,h Riis the next speaker, objected u III"
Ito having anything TO do with the she'e''ne %
Migrants. -,
MR. PARKERS VIEW OF IT.
r.,oo Commissioner Parker was the nex' speak
| . t,o affected to the provision OF 'he o"'. '''
Il, ,r,,ed the unanimous consent OF the iour
"A'o" ,'as and the Chief Of Police before pro-
JIM o,,l mo made. "Tha. provision Is a'to-
'''o,'O go s,rngent" said Mr.. Parker me SPEAK
| - alec suggested that the provision pro'i"'"1 ~
| 49,. hoard OF Police shall make r"''s ~. 90" ~
| ,.,,s,ra,,on of the Detective bureau anu " 49,, -
Nuns - ,ho men should be stricken out. Inc
| cb,ef OF Police should nave eohtro' u wv ,, ,ha,
W., y,r.au Mr. Parker said. He also sa'o ''"'
| 10
| or1 n the assignment OF his forces
e, ,so object to Section g. which sa!S ',''
"''' no investigated before the Police
poar1 think one or two CominssIon'rs Mo"
f"' q, ,,,, "a try the charges" said Mr.. Parker.
| ' porLor said that he thought tha' ''ie on
| MI fuur competent to pass upon the iii'i-
ho"' ,be men and that the 'iVn o''siee
''' ,a,,ora should be left to IN" bo'r"' Inc
| sent system worked well ne .''" 'p" ,,.,,-
! p ., tho bipartisan Board Inc mime ",p".
r he said, lis the greatest ''''7"o nar1
9"' +, t. essentially non-partiSah no'' -
"o''"' -. haor no deadlocks IN the present Ioaf'
i"e'' ,, ~ nolitics The only deadlock l. one
o" os,,,ted In regard to promotions TO the mum
| nor Of only three or four. inc ~ 49,, ,,tro
| ,.,od ~ giving man controI over -"
| - ..If Won make one man supreme ne VIM
..,or the whole force. that man. II ne VILE ,''
vi" ,,,so,f a great power IN Greater NeW-io'h'
' 49,. rd NJ Commissioner Parker sPero'
,s,,r. Roosevelt arose again ana saia lie WISH.
90 mako 4 few remarks. Il approve ''o'' ~ ,
w. ..id .that provision of the char'er ""''" e'''
tho Central civil Service Boaru o"",e. ~, 49,,
,,.,,o,s in the Police Board. NOT tha' ''''
,' ,,i,n Service Board has not done very "ei''
-. , ,b,rk II is wise to pu, the matter III 'l''
,ands ~ the Central Board" In conclusion MI
wos.ve,, asked the Commission not 20 maze Z,
,ourbeaded Commission nominaiiy resPo"''''' ~"
. chief who was irresponspIe
| nn,,uro AGAINST THE BIPARTISANSHlP.
Police Commissioner Andrews opposed '"o ~
rarisan principle Of the chapter lie sa'u III p",'
TT is universally conceded 'hh' a'', ,,ha,
| - So h.st performed by a single official, whethef
| - l.. in the control of an empire. repupic'
| ,o,o,v q State an,army, IA navy, department. VI
| ,r Nationa! or State government, Guy or WIN
few exceptions a department OF ci'y eo'e',''
I, - remarkable. that 1t Is no. unt' We re"c" sun
,,,.,o,. ~ CITY government that We hnd IN some
a,,ar,.rs a preference for multi-headed commits
l,ons in IN. place OF = single executive.
! "Wi,bout tracing the recent growth oil 'he "e
,ard for such commissions. II may be suf'lcieht 10
NV oru ,rvolvinc dellberatOn and discussion
hitch can be properly assigned to several commits
s,oners but the line OF dcmarcation between sucn
,,,,.s and those OF an executive can and ought al
IN lines 70 be clearly drawn. OF such commits
lions proper those for the condemnation Oh PR,
| ,. uroperty for public use. our Sinking Fund
,.,o, our BOARD OF Estimate and Appor
.,o,nr, and This Greater New-York commissio.