The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-12-25
MANY CHARTER CHANGES
ADVISED nv TWO or THE MAzET COM
MITTEE's COUNSEi.

state Overnight of the Police One Thing,
Incrense Of tho Power of borough
Presidents and Local Bonrds, Abolition
Of Individual Personal Taxes. some of
the Others-Crokcr, District Attorney Gar
diner and Others Reported for Contempt.
Frank Moss OF counsel to the Mazet Invest-
eating Committee has given out report OF
the work two Of the counsel think the com
mittee ACCOMPLISHED. with their recommended
tions for charter amendments. The report
was mailed to each member OF the committee
on Saturday. 1t IL a pamphlet oil 100 rnges.
and is signed by MIR. Moss and eN-Assemblyman
lumbeer. II IL not signed by John Proctor
Clarke. who was associated with Mr.. Moss in
the investigation. but Mr.. Moss said last even
ing hat the omission OF Mr. Clarke's name was
Of no consequence.
The report arraigns the city administration.
Tanmany Hail and Richard Croker and
his political lieutenants. quoting from their
testimony to show that the municipal govern
ment Ia neither representative nor popular In
its form. As a result Of the testimony taken
by the committee. It's counsel recommended a
great many changes in tho charter. among
which the most notable arc these:
Unlimited power OF removal by the Mayor {:
reduction OF the Mayors term to two years.
with eligibility TO redlection increase In tho
powers OF local boards Increase in the number
Of elected officers In the Board OF Public I'M
| provements; Borough Presidents IN perform In
| their boroughs the duties formerly performed
| by the Commissioner OF Public Works tho
| Corporation Counsel and the President Of the
| Tax Department TO be taken out of the Board
| OF Estimate. and the Borough Presidents to be
added to IL; the Board Of Estimate to have
| power to issue bonds without concurrence Of
tho Municipal Assembly: the Council to be
abolished; the Aldermen ~, to receive er S2'o no
i. bureau Of Mgnicral $ia,silcs. ,thnt
| Bureau to he abolished; tho Mayor to have
| power to issue permits. as under the ConsOli-
| dalton act an engineer 10 be provided Tor each
borough rresident each depaI,nent mfaa i .
aries. monthly. to be published in the tty Re-
card, requirement Of monthly rerort on out.
! standing contracts by the Comptroller to ths
| Mayor: abolition OF deputy commiss ionerships
In Manhattan: municipal ownership OF sub
| s-l's power TO confess judgment; protection 81
| the city against the acceptance OF Interior work
By the comm sioners: requirement that city
bonds he offered for sale ia patches not larGr E
| than S5.Ouo.Un: abolition OF the Chamh"r-
! lain Office. It's duties to be performed by the
| Comptroller: collection of taxes at the begin
! ming OF the calendar year. abolition Of personal
| taxes on individuals; more thorough exam ma
tlon OF corporation personally. separate valua-
ton OF lands and i'm provtmrnts thereon better
qualifications otdeputy commissioners; service
| ~ notice of assessed valuations on property
owners so that they may be heard; creation Of
| "a board OF condemnation proceedings; repeal
| OF the RRrnapO Water IOnpanys Charter: re-
| Quiremeut that water contracts be subject ~
| the general restrictions Of ali other contracts
creation OF u state commission to study the
| whole state water supply question prohibition
| OF assessment OF Judicial candidates: creation
OF official referees ant stenograrhers in courts
! repeal OF all private franchises within tho city
on which work Ia not in progress abolition "
the Board OF Examiners OF the Building
Department, enactment OF "a decent building
code :" Judges Of criminal courts 10 have ah-
souts control Of calendars practically a. IN the
civil courts: separation OF Police and Election
boards; single head for the Police Depart
ment: State oversight Of tho police, it'll gen
eral power Of inspection. and u wisely reGu
sH<--4 r, n s-fr--ssr+S
appointments t" the localities" counsel sub
mts a bill drawn before the committee wa:
appointed, EN- bodyinR these points,,
Counsel report TO the Legislature Tor con
tempt Richard Croker, John I. Carroll. Andrew
Freedman, James A. Mahoney. Asa Biz
Gardiner. Silas u. butcher, Peter j. Nosttard
James X Price. Henry G. Henderson, Georg
Krnus and Isaac fromme. Tor refusing t
answer questions Of the committee,
hss-mblyman Hoffman, a member q th'
committee. said yesterday that /: Mr. Moss
report was adopted by the committee, b.
would prepare minority report.