New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-09-17
LOW ON DISPUTED SECTION.
SAYS HE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR NO. All
OF THE CHARTER.
TAKEN IN CONNECTION WITH OTHER SEC
TIONs AND LAWS, HE DECLARES, 1T
RESTRICTS THE CONTRACT
MAKING POWER.

MAKING POWER.
Seth Low president of Columbia University
and a member OF the United States Commission
to the International Peace Conference at The
Hague, returned with his wife the American
Line steamship st. Louis yesterday morning. Mr.
Low, since the adjournment Of the conference
has spent some time in England. He looks
well. and says that his health has been bene-
fitted by his stay on the other side. lie was
surprised when informed at Quarantine that
he was wanted as a witness before the Mazet
Committee. When asked about the now famous
section No All OF the charter he said that he
remembered the sense of the section, as he
had taken a great interest in having II framed,
but could not recolect the exact wording ana
so he refused to talk at length on the sub
!ect.
II did not know that was wanted as Wit
ness before the Mazet Committee" he said, but
/ am ready to tell the committee all that l can
about the charter and answer any questions
that may be asked Of me-. | do not care TO
talk about the section referred to until have
looked the matter up, as it has been some time
since l saw a copy of the charter. but want
to relieve the other members of the Charter Com
mission from all responsibility. While | did not
draw up the section. did take a great interest
in the matter and know all about it, 1t was
framed for the safety and protection OF the
city. Formerly the law gave one man the power
to make contracts but we so fixed 1t that thls
power was taken from the one man, and he
is forced now to submit the proposed contract TO
others. All the members Of the Charter Com
mission thought that this the best way
and every member of the Commission voted
/ for the section If the reporters will come to
! ST nd a
J at $50 O'Clock this evening l will talk fully
| with them about the charter. 1 will have had
time by then to refresh my memory as to the
! exact wording Of section No. Al"
WORK OF PEACE CONFERENCE.
Just before Mr. Low was called upon by the
customs officials to make his declaration, he
| found time to say a few words as to the work
accomplished by the Peace Conference. THE
/ American delegates were well received at The
| Hague" he said, land were listened to With
the greateGt attention. 1t is my opinion that
| great good was accomplished. and a step taken
! toward universal peace. The first step in this
! direction was made by the advancement OF
| arbitration as a means of settling international
| disputes Other steps may he taken in the
! future but my opinion is that great and last
ing result will come from the conference. and
that the cause of peace in the world was ad-
| vanced
B "To use an illustration which 1 used several
4 times at The Hague would say that electricity
is in the air and all around us, but it was of no
practical benefit to mankind until a machine
was invented to use it. SO the sentiment of ar
! btration has been lowering around the civilized
nations Of the earth for years, but no complete
! machinery existed for utilizing 1t. The Peace
! Conference has constructed the machine, and
/ hereafter when two nations want to benefit by
/ IT, all they have to do is to set the machinery In
motion"
Mr. Low declined to discuss rapid transit the
| Citizens Union, the Philippine campaign or the
| South African situation. Regarding Dreyfus'
/ he said the prevailing sentiment In all the ma
| tions of Europe outside Of France was that
! Dreyfus had not been proved guilty of the
crime Of which he has been twice convicted. he
was greatly shocked to hear OF the death oi
| Cornelius Vanderbilt.
AS TO SECTION All.
| In the evening Mr. Low met the reporters as
agreed and issued the following statement con-
corning Section All in which he does not at
tempt TO shrk responsibility for forming that
! section but declares that 1t was considered by
/ him to be a needed safeguard Of the city's in
| terests
81 had the general charge Of the chapter In
the Greater New-York charter, relating to the
Board of Public improvements, for the reason
that the crude suggestion for such board
! originated with me. On the other hand no
! chapter OF the charter received more careful at
/ tention from the Committee on Draft as
! whole for the reason that, as the charter de-
veloned II became necessary to adapt this chap
ter very carefully to the general scheme. While
this work was in progress my friend, MI. Alfred
T White recently Commissioner OF City WORKS
Of the CITY Of Brooklyn, called my attention TO
! the TRANSPORTATION Corporations law (chapter
! 566 OF the Laws OF 1890 as amended on page
! 2155 OF the Laws OF 1892 providing for the in
/ corporation OF waterworks corporations ana py
chapter go Of the Laws OF 1894; and also to the
act to limit and define the powers OF the Ram
ono Water Company (chapter 9S5 Of the Laws
of 1880. Mr. White pointed out that' IN MS
onnion. great injury might be done the city
under the operation Of these lay s. unless the
charter Of Greater New-York was carefully
! drawn from the point Of view or this leglslatloh
THE law of 1892 is important only as provid-
! ing for waterworks corporations and giving
them certain powers. Chapter 23O. Of the Laws
OF 1894 on the other hand amends this law
very Importantly. 1t makes Section 81 OF the
! TRANSFORMATION Corporations law read so that
the Board OF Trustees of any Incorporated VII
lage and the Water Commissioners or other
board of officials performing the duties or
Water Commissioners, and having charge OF the
water supplies OF any city of this state snail
have the power to contract. In the name ana
behalf OF the municipal corporation OF when
they are officers for the term OF one year OF
more for the delivery by such company to the
town. village or city, OF water through MIGRANTS
or otherwise, for the extnguishment OF nres
and for sanitary or other public purposes; and
the amount OF such contract agreed 10 De paiu
shall be annually raised as part OF the ex-
nenses of such town. village or city, and any
such contract entered into by any town board
o ~, tho Roard OF Trustees OF any village,