The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-08-04
CITY FATHERS QUlZZED.
,yrr DON'T THINK THEY'RE MUCH
mr. LEGISLATURE Just VOW.

,, u,ard of Public improvements Is
sr,.rnuous suggestions for Legislation
Tnc Mnndnmus Proceedings From tho
Point of View of the Men Commented.
uo,,hsrs Of the Municipal Assembly were
d., car witnesses before the MaZet Committee
,os,criav Nearly all the City Fathers who
..I loan suhprnaed and who are in town
,,,,,, present when Mr.. Malet called the COM
,,t,,r. ~ order. Those members who were
oa,cl ,ipon to testify were pretty generally OF
tho rpiuion that two branches OF the
,,,.i,i,al Legislature we're not necessary
.,J s.vrraI ~ them agreed that the offico
~ r.r,urh President should be abolished or
.,,, ,ha holders OF this office in the
5.r,r.rt boroughs should be provided with
,r. work The Republican members Of the
,,,,,r .t,on considered the evidence important.
i,a,,ae upon Il II is intended to bnse lcgisa-
,lcr >, remedy the evils complained of. The
r-,r,-l'ipu to cat short Mayor Van Wvck's
,orr. ,yos mentioned. Several Of the witnesses
',ttpa,nd that Justice Fitzgerald was not cor
ree,ly informed of the situation when he issued
h. famous mandamus.
uor.,,NS siArTEEY GOOD ENOUGH FOR LANTRY.
Francis r. Iantry. Commissioner Of Correc-
tl,r was aIled first. and asked whether or not
r., had given about all the architectural and
,,,ulirr work for his department to Horgan
sla,,cry. The witness admitted that he had.
a. And why did you give 80 much work to
them? A-Wcll. when | assumed charge Of
,ha department the architects who had done
,ba work we're Withers & Dickson and Col
COX found that these men were constant
,y ouarrclng about contracts which both
Gained They made no end Of trouble. and l
made ur nv mind to get rid OF them. did 80.
and selected Morgan 4 Slattery because knew
the firm to be responsible and capable.
% No YOU agree with Mr.. Horgan. who says
no considers him self the peer OF any architect
,u the United States? Ayes. l think he's
about right.
O,-You didn't give all this work, did you.
because you thought II would please the or
gani2ation? A-The organization had nothing
70 do with it Both HorGan and Slattery are
friends Of mine. and they know their business.
II they never got another Job. they'd get all
the Work had to do.
Mr. Moss then began to ask questions about
the Democratic Club. his evident desire being
TO show that the heads OF all the city depart
ments really did all the planning and arrang-
Inc for their departments ut the Democratic
dub Commissioner lantry eyaded and
lodged all the questions. until finally Mr.. Moss
Are you ashamed Of the club and its mem
hers =" 4 - NO' a bit of IL. I'm proud of the
rlUh and every member in 1t.
Mr Moss asked about certain poolrooms in
The district Of which Commissioner Lantry is
Q,-Doyou know that these poolrooms, are
runninGi Al don't know anything about
and as n matter OF fact. you don't care.
doyout .A.-That's lust it., don't care. I've
rot something else to attend to besides looking
A.tCr poulropnls and their keepers.
Mr.. hoffman Mr., Conn ssioner. Is it not
ln't that during the former administration
work was gwen to y certain, firm upon the
recommendation Of Senator Hanna of Ohio :?
A-Yes. sir.
Mr. Moss asked a few questions about this
matter and brought out the fact that firm
that did some work for the Department OF Cor
rec,iQn gave senator Hanna as, reference
and that when written to about the firm. Sen
ntnr Hanna had written back that so far as he
knew they always executed their contracts in
satisfactory manner.
DRIES OPINION ON THE MAHDAMUs.
Alderman Howard p. Okie cit. Manhattan
was then "niI"I aud asked IT, in hts opinion.
the Municipal Assembly should be abolished;
answered . think the theory OF the Assem-
e!y IS all right II man i; charged With re-
he is more likely to do what is right and
proper
IN The hands Of a few, men, not directly respon-
slOln 10 the people, should there be some body
to act as q check upon them A-Most as
surcdy. That has been demonstrated in the
. Then you think that the Municipal AS
semhy was acting along right lines in its re-
cent action IN relation to bond issues A
Largely so. The trouble was with the Board
q Esstmate and Apportionment and not with
all the bond issues together, These honda
were f2r payment Of all kinds and sorts of
entirely different from those for street paving.
The Corporation Counsel in formed us that we
had nothing 70 do with the bonds tor, the Hall
our approval Of those bonds was entirely un-
necessary, lie Is our legal adviser. Ifwhat
ne SAID II true, then the demanding Of our ap-
proya il the issue OF those bonds was farce.
Pa You Explain this to Mr. Justice Fitz-
lid fid1 npyn any opP2Gfnniyb
Of n" Municipal Assem- bly, were imposed upon
ia hat matter. We asked the advice OF the
hisclicnt- HAY ing asked his advice we learned
n nat he had really ac9uiesced IN this issuing
inT came the fling Of the order which com
l'rNrd us TO cal! a meeting and vote for this ap
IroPration 70 keep ourselves out Of Jail. We
han 20 opportunity to present our side OF the
case 70 Justice Fitzgerald. We were not rep
ses1nt"t when the mandamus, was. applied for,
Council and the Board OF Aldermen. but the
s .,a t', and the Aldermen knew nothing
tn" witness rnaintaned hat in passing uron
ihohd issues the Municipal Assembly Ind abso-
lut" rower being Legislative body. to deter
manIarnus, said that the Assembly had hecr
ia voted for that resolution and it had failed
,ase h" said. | would still have been in
h "rDr %d i ~" r r3qrt because hH d terms
E"'"rrug ~" street paving bonds. Alder
mfGF 'fir Nnld that. in his opinion. member.
IN ia" yer, rmauro OF their duties II they voted
a"lF >?uuunnp OF this city's money withou
he'L. irs' Informed ms to how and where i
Wa 4" D. -r"nt, with nothing but their ex
I',.'"N sensitive cunSclencCs to prevent thu
'''W making lot OF money In real estate
WOULD ABOLISH THE COUNCIL.
ln Won i"uvo that one branch or tn,