New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-12-10
CHARTER REVISION.

The Governors present visit to the city has
served one excellent purpose, according 10 une
statement officially made by Mr. Odell yesterday
after the conference at which the Governor, MT
Platt and Mr.. Odell were present. IL was there
agreed. in consequence Of the Governor S persua-
siops that he should appoint commission OF
eminent citizens. not members Of the Leglslat-
ure. TO revise the charter by means Of general
bill TO be introduced at the session OF leOl. III
has been understood for good While that MT.
Plat was committed to the plan OF pretty raul
cally changing the charter at the coming session
through large number OF separate amend
ments and the prospect was that after great
expenditure Of time and effort partisan. inhar-
monious and generally unsatisfactory revision
might be accomplished. 1t would be Impossible
to conceive a more unsuitable manner Of dealing
with an important subject, and there is good
reason to rejoice in rhe abandonment OF that
part of the original legislative programme.
There is little disposition to doubt that the
charter needs to be overhauled excepting per-
haps among those who drafted It, Judge Dillon,
who has a natural regard for the work Of his
own hands, thinks that experience is proving 1t
to be In the main an excellent instrument, cur
rent criticism being unintelligent and unjust
His opinion on such matter is not to be treated
with disrespect but we do not believe that
many of his fellow citizens share It. There was
no good reason to suppose that the charter
would be satisfactory, for the task imposed
unon the Commission was too great TO be per
formed I'm the time allotted. That any other set
of mon would have done better is improbable,
and perhaps Judge Dillon and his colleagues
have not received sufficient credit for the meas
ure Of success they did achieve in performing q
labor which they ought not 10 have undertaken
under such conditions However that may be,
the community is entitled TO demand that the
revision which Is contemplated and commonly
deemed desirable shall be made with deliberate
care and for public as distinguished from merely
partisan purposes If the rejected plan for q
general remodelling by means Of numerous spe-
cifc changes had been carried out 1t is alto
.gether likely that the second state Of the charter
would have been worse than the first. If the
proposed commission bill is passed Governor
Roosevelt will have 1t in his power to appoint
men who are competent and trusted, and whose
recommendations after q full year of examina-
ton and discussion will presumably be entitled
to acceptance. This is thoroughly rational
method Of going about the business, and we con-
graduate the Governor on his success IN causing
II appears, however. from Mr.. Odeirs state
ment that there are certain provisions OF the
charter which the Legislature may be directed
to amend forthwith. and we observe that one OF
them is Of the first Importance 1T may be
deemed necessary" says Mr. Odell, "to create a
shorter term for Mayor at once" The words
quoted are perhaps capable of more than one In
depreciation, but we suppose they express an In
clination 70 get rid Of Mayor Van Wyck before
the expiration OF his term and with the least
possible delay. For otherwise there would seem
10 be no advantage in taking this particular
matter out of the hands OF the commission
which is TO report at the session of 1901. AS
Stunning that the Mayor could be turned out OF
Office by legislative enactment, we should con
slider such an exercise Of authority inexcusabl,
In morals and politics. But it is not immediate
ly apparent, Notwithstanding all that has beer
said on the subject during the last few months
Just how the object seemingly aimed at could b.
attained. The Constitution provides that al
elections Of city officers shall be held In odt