The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-04-02
THE CHARTER FITS.
THE MAJOR TOLD THAT 1T rs A.
NUMBERING, CRUDE, VICIOUS,

RStrnvagppt, Unrnir. Ipcompiete, Nasty,
Herrihie, Oppressive, sinnghterous, Absurd.
luartisuiatp. Barbsrio Measure 20 Link Us
With pppkrupt or nialr-Ctvilined Territories.
Mayor Strong's first hearing on the charter
draw q full house yesterday to the Aldermen's
chamber. Opponents of tho charter were TO be
heard irst, and FIRST Of these was John +. Par.
sons on behalf of tho Bar Association. He
said, among other things;
I'VE believe that, owing TO tho shortness Of
time for Its preparation, there must under the
proposed charter, II 1t shall pass, be more or less
Inconvenience and confusion In the administra.
tim Of the proposed greater city. There are no
officers In existence competent to make q budget
for the enlarged city, nor to lay Q tax for its
benefit In advance Of its constitution. 1t has not
been possible TO avoid omissions, repetitions. and
mistakes, This 10 not my language. II Is the
language Of you, Mr., Mayor, and your asso.
ciates Of tho commission, We believe
that, owing to the shortness Of time,
the charter In essential points Of the
greatest importance is at fault. In particulars
which are well known, 1t Is constructed upon a
wrong theory. This Ia the language Of President
Low and yourself. 1t Is, therefore, with consid.
cradle confidence that we come TO you. not as a
member OF the Charter Commission, charged
possibly with the obligation OF sinking your in.
49, 'ssN fsoss~ WV ~ Wv rNNA 'itut INV
proposed charter might reach the Legislature,
but as Mayor Of the city, required by the Con.
s%titution a. It's Chief Magistrate to speak for
the present city Of New York, to urge that you
Will not give your sanction to q charter, the de-
fccts Of which IRE 20 serious and SO apparent"
George l.. Rives said that the members OF the
Bar Association had no chance to see the char.
ter until Feb. "a, and that up to that time they
had no idea Of its provisions. But when the as.
sociation's committee did get hold of It, they
were all impressed with the defects of tho In.
strument, and all voted It one OF the most inn
perfect pieces Of legal workmanship ever
wrought by the hand Of man. They found 1t
full Of blunders and repetitions, and with all its
bulk 1t did not cover the ground. cit seems
almost incredible, he continued, that the law
yers on the commission should have recon-
mended the passage Of a bill containing so many
unconstitutional features
Henry Z. Rowland. who also spoke for the Bar
Association, said 1t was very remarkable that q
great city like New York should be willing to
give away SO much OF it's rights as the new
charter will compel IL to give.
II do not protest as q lawyer" he said, "be-
cause IL adopted tho charter will furnish bust
ness for the members Of the Bar Association for
years to come. This instrument is crude and In
many ways vicious. II 10 also full of errors and
Inconsistencies. and II should never be jummed
'N %Sseis on IT, 4. Pee 81 nsos ssid that ,hss'e under tn.
charter there would be no relief from the great
said, nothing has been done except TO run a
Fig GROUND = certain territory and designate its
Simon sterne said that the proposition con-
tanned In the enscting clause OF the charter
SHOULD DO delayed until 1900.
his audience TO 1nd a single non.political organ
iEation Of any standing IN the community which
VIC H oomo oepSsed pe 70 ths charter s ront; as II stands @,rbo
has studied the charter has arisen from the ex-
amination without Indignation and horror. Are
We Cretans, to have thrust upon us any kind Of
Of powersI We do not object to consolidation,
portunityto act like Intelligent men. not to be
driven Ike dumb cattle into the slaughter pen.
oppestuh n y cycling ROY saSi Sui m io S', el anGya tR Rs t an.
sSn 81 rfi tie Of this bulky, inarticulate, and bar
John NJ. Bowers said that no greater act of
political folly could be committed than to turn
the city over bound hand and foot to a system of
William r. Grace was too Ill to DO present, and
his speech was read by Alfred f. Marling, Presi.
dent Of the Real Estate Exchange.
Mr.. Grace said that as q taxpayer of this city
ne Mas utterly opposed to bringing, into one m,i-
n nafiiiPsIIity yr such an rsd s emo M territory, almost
be linked with our present development.
wi cannot see any possible advantage to New
county Of Richmond. which is entirely unprc-
pared In itself for such advancement. and which
= NO ny miieso wafer, lhat
part OF Queens, county which it is proposed to
annex to the city OF New York, is also, In my
opinion, entirely unprepared for such advance
ment. and will suffer very heavily from cost of
local improvements. 1t is unnecessary TO say
that that portion Of Queens county which Is
desirable, as q part Of the future city Of New
York. The city of Brooklyn. far behind us in
everything going to make up n great city, In
separated rom us by q great river, impossible of
being bridRed except at enormous expense and
great obstruction to commerce. II is calculated
by eXDeftB that tle adODti0n Of this chartar will
add to the taxation OF the present city Of New
York six millions of dollars a year. believe
that 1t 10 only sentimentality which has induced
90 many New Workers TO advocate the union of
the cities, In order that the Greater New York
might become the second largest city in the
pathy or sentiment in that direction"
MT, Marling himself spoke for the Real Estate
Exchange. His principal objection was to sec.
ton 500 OF the charter, providing for tho rela-
tion between the valuation of property in each
Col: Rogers OF the Union League Club COM
pared the tax rate and the taxable value Of prop
orty In New York and Brooklyn. and said that
tho expenditure OF this city would be increased
&6,O00.OOO o year. while tho expenditure of
amSupt. He referred to Brooklyn as a substan.
moro than l 100000 to put It's street alone in
proper condition. Its sewerage system. he said,
was In q deplorable condition and its water sup
ply Inadequate. He declared that II would BIO
onormus increase Of expenditures attendant on
consolidation under the new charter.
After e~x-Assembiyman. John Connolly and
Moses Ottinger had spoken In opposition the
Mayo: adjourned the hearing untn this after
noon.