New-York tribune., 1897-01-07
4 SINGLE HOUSE FAVORED.
PROTESTS AT THE CHARTER HEARING
AGAINST A DUAL MUNICIPAL BODY.
poRxAN h. EATON MAKES PLEA FOR THE
ABOLITION OF POLITICS FROM The 40
sEMBLY-As TO THE DEPARTMENT

OF FINANCE.
rhe Greater New-York Commission held Its
..cond hearing on the proposed charter in the
Council Chamber Of the City Hall yesterday
The chapters under discussion were those re-
,atinr 10 the Municipal Assembly and the De-
n.rtment Of Finance General Tracy PRESIDED
ana the Commissioners who sat with n'm "e'e
Mavor Strong. Mayor Gleason. Seth Low eA-
M.vor C,,roy. william c. De Witt, and MT.
Pinney. the secretary.
Commodore Gerry. who had talk Win so''
Of the Commissioners before the hearins' po'
man b. Eaton Controller Fitcn MIS- SanuV'.
and Miss Bangs. OF the League io' io'''."'
Education. were among those who made up '"e
rather small body of people who were attracteo
nv the consideration Of the new charter Inc
chapter relating to the Municipal Assembly pro-
vIdes that II shall consist Of Council or tnirty'
seven members and a Board OF Aldermen OF IVs
members. to he elected from the senate us
tricts within the territory OF the Greater New
York. The financial chapter provides for the
election of a Controller. who shall have powers
similar to those enjoyed by the preseh' o"'e'
and City Chamberlain.
WANTS THE TERN HEIGHTENED.
Mrs. Henry NJ Sanders the president OF tne
League for Political Education. was the MS.
speaker She said that the League 'hous"'
the period Of two years as the term Oh o'"'7
Of the Municipal Assembly was ent'reis 'oo
abort. and advocated a tenure of office Tor the
upper branch Of six years one-tniro Oh .'e
Council and onc-half Of the members OF the
lower house to be elected every two years Miss
l., V. Bangs. the secretary or tne Assoe'"''''
read the petition Of the League
Dorman b. Eaton said municipal government
ptad IN a
city I'VE should so construct government III
a city" he said that people who belonged TO
different political organizations should unite io'
good municipal government
Mr. Eaton then went on 10 read excerpts iroiA
the report Of the Committee on Draft |oi'-
,nentine on them he said II think II was the
duty Of this Commission to go as 1ar as poss'''o
in framing a charter that would enapie men ~
come together independently OF tneir poii'ioa'
onin,ons This Commission has not done tha''
ond am sorry for it." He was in favor OF only
one municipal house. He spoke at length on '"e
municpal government Of Washington. which
ne declared might well serve as mode' 1or 'he
Greater NewYork
MANY CHANGES SUGGESTED.
rx.citv Works Commissioner Alfred T. White
of Brooklyn suggested the following changes 'i'
the charter: s,,u,.
The Municipal assembly to consist sne Of from eac
a.semby district. with president and ten or or
twenty With to be he %ayor
Ali ordinances for the government OF tne he or
community to be o approved snaSment. as 20 0'" "
majority of the Aldermen 10 sunce ,,v 10 OF of
der any local dUr and which is to be
maid by assessment. - .,s..-.or ,o ha "a
cn,red to reduce the tax budget prepared oy the
Hoard of Estimate and 'Apportionment: % r.. "a
a three-fourths vote Of the aldermen ~ 10 ''
oujred for the grant OF franchise.
n. witt Stafford. who represented the Staten
,.,ard Chamber of Commerce, asked that
rrov,sion be inserted in the charter giving 10
The s. r. Smith Hospital, in Staten Island the
aame standing as is given to the brooKiyh hos-
pitals He said it was unfair that the boroasn ~
~ Richmond should be taxed In supper. VI 's .,S
,horouph HOSPITALS and receive no support its itsel.
= General Tracy said that no new appropriation
hsd heen made TO any hospital the charter
leaves the hospitals in regard 10 aplro t,
lust the same as it found them' saio '"e '""''
man. 49,, o.. .nr,v IN the Leg
islature" replied Mr. Stafford Aso
John W. Weed. in behalf OF the Vliiase ,A. AssT ~
c;a tion az Flushing asked for modincation IN III
respect to the Borough of Queens: hrs, d una. ~
shall have a larger representation. anu se,Vo SCI, ~,
that the representation accorded 10 IL snan oo
chosen each of the representatives from sec
tions OF the borough instead OF US now pr,
nosed from the borough at large. Inc boiousn b.i u
0f
~ only 53 4J2 a figure less than half OF Queens
,s given representation equal TO queens Qse,ns
Richmond has area of % l9-iUU Squale az 'S w,
while Queens has an area or lVy ---i"U. =
Gov then whether YOU consider area or popuia-
tion Queens has a right to a larger rePie'e"'"
tion than the charter provides.
COMPOSITION OF THE COUNCIL DISTRICTS
cepbas Brainerd, jr, on behalf of the Repuo-
Ucan Club. suggested that the I1ld Assembly
District be transferred from the I'D TO the ISL
Council District; that the IXth Council Dis'r'c'
he limited to one Council member; that Inc -A'i'
District be limited to one Council MEMBER as u
Aldermanic districts; that the portion OF SEN
ate district at the north OF the presehl ci's VI
NewYork be consolidated with the XXlst SEN
ate District to make one Aldermanic district or
have but one Alderman; that the portion OF tne
Senate district consisting or Richmoho Cou'''
ne allowed two Aldermen.
De Forest Baldwin on behalf or the Com
mittee on Municipal ADMINISTRATION OF tne ne.
form Club said that the Reform Ciup was IN
favor Of eliminating the provisions OF the cnarteI W
rreatinp a lower house. Mr.. Baldwin sa1d the
two chambers would not prove check 10 hasiy
legislation or to extravaganza lie was ~
favor of "wiping out" the lower Eouse from tne
charter altogether After ALL he said. who
would he benefited by the new birth OF our
Boards Of Aldermen with or wltnou. ,mcisssse rev
principa! municipal reform since Tweed time.
Colonel George Bliss requested the COMMISSION
to amend the charter so as TO insert caause ,','
nrovidinp that the Commissioners or the Sink
ing Fund have the power to fix the percentage
re0uired from any person or corporation for any
kind of a franchise to occupy the streets or side
walks The speaker said he was in favor OF CIV
tnp 70 the Board OF Estimate and AppOrtionmen
mower over all salaries. whether they have beer
Aged by the Legislature or not except judicia
salaries.
the chapter relating to the Mayors power o.
remoyal and all questions relating to the Mayor
the municipal Civil Service and the Statistica
Bureau.
NONE THE WORSE FOR THEIR COLD TRIP
Charles searle. president OF the Densmore Type
writer Company, OF this city. who. while trying T.
cross the Great South Bay In a rowboat on Mon
day evening with his daughter and sister-in-law
became caught in an icefoe and was unable 4
reach the shore for several hours was at his ofic
...<Aaxdax morning as usual and felt no ILL effect