New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-08-22
THE CHARTER AND THE JOB.

Controller Coler is confident that the Ramapo
water job will be defeated. Indeed, he is quoted
as saying that it is virtually beaten already,
enough votes in the Board Of Public Improve
ments having been secured to prevent its pas
sage. This is welcome news, but we agree with
the Controller that there is more to be DONE
He intends TO ask the Legislature to put ade.
quate restrictions upon the power of the Com
missioner Of Water Supply and the Board Of
Public Improvements TO involve the city In
such scheme as that from which it has had
an extremely narrow escape. This incident and
an examination of the charter plainly show the
need of such legislation, and ii seems hardly
probable that after the exposure which has
been made the leaders at Albany next winter
will dare TO object.
Much attention. but not too much, has been
bestowed upon Section All of the charter under
which the Ramapo job was carried 10 the verge
Of completion, and which has all the appear
ance OF having been framed for that express
purpose 1t is exceedingly difficult TO doubt that
its adapta bllity the use which has been
made OF it was not merely foreseen but DELHI
erately contrived for contracts with persons or
corporations for additional supplies of water
were explicitly excepted from the general rule
OF multiple responsibility for large expendi-
lures This fact appears the more remarkable
the more carefully other sections of the charter
and the observations Of the Charter Commits
siOners concerning their work are considered
Thus in their formal report to the Legislature
they said on the particular subject Of the Board
OF Public improvements and the restrictions TO
which they had subjected it in respect to opera
tons "of great magnitude and cost:
These provisions. requiring respectively the
sanction of the Board of Estimate and Appor-
tionment and Of the Board Of Public Improve
ments and the sanction Of the Municipal As
sembly. and subjecting the ordinances OF the
Municipal Assembly relating 10 them 10 the
veto power OF the Mayor unless overridden nv a
Commission, while giving the city the necessary
power OF development render 1t substantially
safe from serious abuse.
An excellent security indeed is contemplated
in this array of safeguards, and nobody would
imagine while listening to the Commissioners
that they had carefully put water contracts out
side the line OF defence and given the Board
Of Public Improvements exclusive power TO
load down the community with a 5000, O0O. 600
Job. The need and excellence OF triple pro-
lection against pro1lgacy and corruption were
apparently much in their thoughts, for In an
other place they say: Amy expenditure that
''can pass these successive ordeals is probably
deserving: and. II 1t cannot pass them, in
'view of the publicity with which the pro-
posed expenditure will thus necessarily be at
tended. the presumption is strong that 1t ought
ITO fail" Why, then. the exception? 1t is a
rather curious circumstance also that. as we
have repeatedly shown, a borough president
is explicitly forbidden TO vote In the Board
OF Public Improvements except upon matters
relating exclusively 10 the borough of which
''he is president" Was It thought that other
wise men representing different sections OF the
city and somewhat conflicting interests might
make trouble in case just such an affair as this
water Job were put TO vote?
There is another curious little detail which
may be worth mentioning. How is quorum OF
the Board Of Public Improvements for the
transaction Of business constituted? An ex-