The evening times., 1899-02-08
PLANS ON FOOT TO
3,sfss CRUSH TAMMANY
FIGHT IMMINENT IN NEW YORK
Bill Giving Governor Roosevelt
Power Over Mayor Van
Wyck.


Wyck.
Albany, N. Y, Feb. S.-Tammany's
dream that it is to be ''let alone. as Mr.
Croker puts it, and continue to profit
through an old-time police force and
| wide open, town, will be rudely dispelled.
A police bill, giving Governor Roosevelt
power to bring Mayor Van. Wyck, the po-
lice commissioners and the chief of police
| up with short turn will be introduced in
the legislature by Senator Raines and As
| semblyman Mazet. The bill has been
drawn by Elihu Root, and reached here
yesterday.
The governor gave a dinner last night
+, to MIR. Odell Chairman OF the Republican
/ State Committee and Frank II. P.att, and
! at this dinner the bill in its final form
| for introduction was discussed.
! Later III the night conference was held
, at Stanwix Hall between Mr. Odell and
more than a score of prominent members
! OF the legislature. The bill is satisfactory
/ to them, ana il is announced that 1t Will
! be made party measure and passed at
this session of the Legislature.
! All of the senators who were supposed
J 10 be inclined to balk at a police bill are
:
| police reorganization bill, it is said, III
: 1884, but it was stated last night that no
amount of money this year will break the
| Republican column in the senate.
Another piece of news, almost as inn
portant in its bearing on Tammany pD1-
tics as the police bill, is that the COVER
nor has made up his mind that Tammany,
with its pay roll of $40, ,G00, ,000, is going too
fast III raising salaries and that something
r1rt-fh hl Inna tn oh He ig nnf
! 10 have a legislative investigation, but
! Tammany will be investigated just the
same. The governors present inclination
| is to appoint number of well-known citI-
zens of high standing, who shall have full
| inquistorial powers conferred on them by
the legislature. This committee will delye
into the Tammany patronage box and into
other matters in New York city. and make
a report in order that remedial legislation
may be had.
/ These two assaults on Tammany, coupled
with the fact that the pending civil serv-
ice bill makes the governors civil seTV-
ice commission censors OF all Tammany
patronage and Of ali increases of salary,
give promise of a great political fight in
the legislature. In passing il may be said
that only few men believe the civil sery-
ice bill will be enacted.
Legislation bearing on police matters
goes hand in hand with several amend
ments TO the election laws, which I'M
measurabiy strengthens last years force
bil'' and which Will be explained later on.
Mr. Roots police bill provides that there
shall be single headed commission ap-
pointed by the mayor and removable by
the governor; a chief OF police. to be ap
pointed by the police commission and re-
movable by the governor ard a board OF
police trial, toGbe appointed by the chief
OF police. consisting Of an inspector.
captain. Rand a sergeant Incidentally it
may be stated that the governor also has
power summarily TO remove the mayor.
| The object of the bill is said by the Re
publicans5 10 get the police force as far
from politics as possible and therefore
separate bureau of elections is provided,
10 consist of two members of each poiiti-
cal party who are 10 be named by their
respective organizations and appointed by
| the mayor This board of elections will
perform all the duties now performed by
the bureau OF elections and shall be entire
ly separate from the police force.
Other bills which will be passed will
make il d crime against the elective fran
chse TO intimidate shopkeepers and 9th
er persons for political effect or political
revenue, to grant or TO take away from
shopkesPerS privileges for political effect,
| to transfer policemen for political puT
| poses, and for any political organization
to ask for the transfer or the detail of
any policeman for political effect The
chief of police is given full control as the
executive officer of the force, and is 10 be
strictly accountable
1t is proposed 70 pass amendment
which VIII give the superintendent of cleo
tions greater power than he now possess
es II will really make McCullagh more
powerful than Devery. Among other
things he will be required to report TO
the governor every year in September all
violations of the election law. He will
thus have ample time TO perfect all
cases of violation in the preceding Novem-
Der. The governor, on the report of the
superintendent of elections, is TO be en-
powered to convene special term of court
and a special grand jury to try any cases
thus brought before him. He is TO detail
a supreme court judge TO try the cases
and assign a deputy attorney general
| clothed with the powers OF a district at
torney, to prosecute them.
Senator Platt. in consentng To single
headed police department, has receded
from the position that he has occupied
for many years. He has always contend
ed for a bipartisan police commission. On
this question occurred the hardest fight over
the city charter, and Senator Platt won.
with the result that when the last cleo
tion came his organization was represented
| In the police board by Commissioners ia
cob Hess and Henry z. Abell who refused
to be of any assistance whatever TO the
Republican party, Notwithstanding this.
Senator Platt debated long with the gov
ernOr before he consented to a single head
for he