New-York tribune., 1899-08-20
"A LITTLE THING"

Even those political philosophers who adhere
10 the doctrine that little thing like the Con-
stitution doesn't amount to anything between
friends would probably be disposed to concede
that little thing like the charter might rea-
sonably be expected to amount to something
between foes But in point Of fact 1t seems
to amount to just nothing at all In the opinion
NOT only of various writers on the Ramapo
water scheme, but of the members Of the Board
of Public improvements who voted on that
outrageous proposition last Wednesday and will
settle its fate one way or the other next week.
The five borough presidents are members OF
the Board of Public Improvements. Four of
them were present at Wednesdays meeting.
Mr. Grout. President Of the Borough of Brook
lyn, being in Europe, and after some discussion
"it was agreed" that they might vote. AS it
happened. two were in favor Of the job and
two were opposed to it, so that the agreement
did not affect the result Probably these four
will attend next weeks meeting, and In can
vassing the prospects Of the job their attitude
on the critical day has therefore been a subject
of speculation, II having been not unnaturaly
assumed that the complacent agreement re-
feTed to would hold good for the future.
But suppose some unamiable member should
object 1t seems TO us that he would be able
to make out n pretty fair case by submitting
TO his colleagues the following sentence from
Section No 410 Of the charter relating to the
Board Of Public Improvements: "No president
"of a borough shall have vote in said Board
except upon matters relating exclusively to
"the borough Of which he Is president" Inter
preted with absolute strictness, these words
would leave the borough presidents an extreme
" small chance Of voting at ALL for matters
which relate exclusively" to one borough are
few and far between. A new bridge In Staten
Island, for example, would not be matter re-
lating exclusively to the Borough of Richmond,
inasmuch as the taxpayers Of all the boroughs
would have to pay for II. Such a case as
that however. Is doubtless what the charter
means, and its language Is much clearer and
more explicit In the sentence quoted than In
most Of its provisions. But II is Impossible to
imagine by what process Of reasoning the Ram
apo Job is determined to be a proposition on
which all or any one Of the borough presidents
can vote. Beyond the shadow Of a doubt, 1t is
not a matter relating exclusively to a single
borough. Yet the four presidents who were
present at last Wednesdays meeting of the
Board voted on 1t, and perfect right to vote
on it next week seems to be claimed by them
selves and conceded by their colleagues
Verify, the Hon. Timothy J. Campbelrs view
Of the Constitution seems to have been Off
cially applied TO the charter Of NewYork 1t
is true that some hitherto undetected clause Of
that unique instrument is constantly bobbing
up to reverse the conclusions Of its unhappy
students and Il Is conceivable that It some
where conceals a provision authorizing every
president of a borough TO vote as often as he
pleases on any question whatsoever. But thus
far there has been attempt to verify such
an hypothesis. and we are compelled to believe
that the borough presidents are explicitly for
hidden by the law which created them to vote
on the Ramapo scheme.