The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1897-02-11
NEW YORK LETTER.

history of the celebrated case, does
not end the litigation, as action has
been commenced to test the standing
of the fourth codcil of the will, and
this may prolong the fight over the
dead merchants millions for another
five years. The Court of Appeals de-
clsion is that the twenty colleges men
toned in the will are entitled to the
residuary estate, amounting to $1,000
600. Theresduary estate was left In Sc
crct trust to j. l.. Bulkeley, Thomas
i. Rltch and ii. B. Vaughn, who Sc
lectcd 81 colleges and charitable in
stltutions among which to divide this
estate. Only seven of the 20 colleges
mentioned in the will were In their
list. and yet the Court holds that the
executors were under an equitable OBJ
legation to dispose of the residuary es-
tate In accordance with his wishes as
communicated to them. The decl-
sion benefits these educational institu-
tions: Amherst, Bowdoin, Dartmouth,
Williams, Yale, Columbia, Hamilton,
Lafayette, Lincoln, Maryville, Marlet-
Ia, Adelbert, Wabash, Park, the Wes-
leyan University, the Universities of
Rochester, Cornell Virginia and
Hampton. and the Union Theological
Seminary, but deprives q other insti-
tutlons of large sums they would 9TH
erwise have received. Mr.. Fayer-
weather died November, 1890, and his
will has for six years been In dispute.
No other will case except the Tilden
has been SO important in its conse-
quences to the public, as both wills be-
queathed the bulk of the estates to
public uses. Mrs. Fayerweather and
the few relatives of the deceased at
first contested the will, but afterwards
compromised with the executors, re-
ceiving considerably larger sums than
the will allotted to them. Now 1t is
alleged that when they signed the re-
cret discretionary trust imposed In the
executors. The law of 1860 provides
that no one leaving wife, child or
n parent can bequeath more than one
half of his estate to charity. Count
ing in the residuary estate, which is to
go to the twenty colleges, far more
than one-half of the Fayerweather es-
tate, in fact almost all of 1t, goes to
charity.
The Greater New York Commission
has decided to increase the term of the
Mayor under the new charter from
IN q
serving a term Of three years, but that
Is caused by the necessity of changing
the time Of the municipal elections to
years when there Is no State of Ma
tional election. The adoption Of the
four-year term, in connection with the
immense powers given to the office
under the new charter, will make the
Mayor of Greater New York the most
powerful executive officer In the
United States next to the President,
and perhaps two or three Governors.
No other Mayor in the world will have
an authority equal to his. The Lord
Mayor Of London is a figurehead-a
ceremonial official. The Mayor Of
New York will have sole power Of ap-
pontment in the government Of city
Of over 100000 inhabitants. He will
have for six months the power Of re-
moval. He will have veto over the
acts of the Municipal Assembly that
will practically be absolute. The Idea
of lengthening the term to four years
was urged in a public hearing by ex-
Mayor Schieren, of Brooklyn, who ar
gued that two years only served to
make n Mayor acquainted with the
needs of the city and the best methods
of meeting them, and then he Is com.
PEELED to retire. With a term equal to
that of the President, and with an au.
thority which, within a narrower ter.
ritory, will be greater than even that
of the President the Mayor of the
worlds second city will possess a dig
nifty and honor which ought to insure
the filling of the Office by a man OF
the best ability and character. Thai
Is evidently the idea Of the charter
makers.
The New York correspondent Of the
Philadelphia Ledger writes his paper
Henry George, who received foul
votes for Senator in the join
session Of the Legislature to-day, was
an ardent supporter Of Bryan, but his
chief contribution to the Bryan cam
palgn was series of extraordinary
prophecies as to the way the different
doubtful states would vote. Every
one Of these prophecies proved false
and yet Mr.. George was sin
cere. He believed In them
He even thought New Yorl
would give Bryan 100000 plurality
Mr.. George, as the inventor and de
fender Of the single tax theory, II
something of success, but as a poll
tical correspondent he was a failure
Yet he unquestlonably has a large fol
lowing in this city, and the free silver
men in the Legislature, who could no
be forced into voting for Hill, cas-
their ballots for George. This is un
derstood to mean the starting of an
other movement in favor of Henry
George for Mayor of Greater New
York. 1t will be remembered that h,