The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-11-24
WORLD IS TURNED DOWN
GOV. ROOSEVELT REFUSES TO RE.
MOVE GREATER NEW YORK'S
MAYOR
HAD STOCK IN THE ICE TRUST
BUT the Governor Holds That Van
Wyck Did Not WilIfuIIy ViO-
late the Statute in
the Case.

ALBANY, N. Y, Nov. 23-Gov Roose-
welt today gave out his decision on the
petition for removal from Office of Mayor
Robert A. Van Wyck, of New York
city.
tie declines to make the removal on the
grounds that while he was undoubtedly
a stakeholder in the American Ice com
pany there was no proof that he will
July violated the law forbidding a public
officeholder to be a stockholder in any
corporation having dealings with his 1nu-
nicipality.
The governors memorandum says:
The brief presented by Mr.. Hayes, OF
counsel for the World, undated, but re-
celXed In this office Nov. 20, contains no
addluon9l testimony can be obtained The
SITUATION is therefore unchanged from
what 1t was Oct 4, 1900, when the attor-
Iley general wrote his letter to me-
There is, therefore as stated by the
attorney general in his letter of Nov. %,
niue to add to what was contained in
torney generals opinion. My Judgment
is that the so-ealled ice trust is not
corporation in which the mayor Of New
YORK should have stock. But no proof
mas been offered Of any willfuI violation
OF the law on the part of the mayor such
as would justify the drastice measure Of
removing him from office The penalty
OF removal from Office should be treated
much as we treat the power of impeach-
nent 1t is an extraordinary and rot
all ordinary remedy.
CASE DISMISSED.
"The normal remedy for bad govern
ment must be an appeal to the people.
only IN exceptional cases is it desirable
to substitute for this appeal the penalty
OF power of removal or Impeachment
The case is therefore dismissed"
In giving out his decision, the governor
said:
There has not been an hours unnec-
essary delay on the part of the state
authorities; Ftfty-five days elapsed from
June 2, when the World first filed .ts
charges, until July q, wh9n it's amended
complaint put those charges in final
form, and forty-five days elapsed from
Aug. II, when these charges were served
upon the mayor until Sept q, when tho
mayor filed his answer. The delay since
then has been solely due to the fact that
the World at THAI time discharged The
counsel it formerly employed and decIin-
ed to go on with the case, leaving it
completely in the air for the time being
Although the matter Of the trust is not
directly involved in this decision,
wish to point out that the existing law Of
the state, even provided that under it the
attorney generals ACTON against the ice
corporation should be successful is not
at issue. In my last annual message to
the legislature 1 recommended the adop.
ton OF system which would secure rea-
sonabie publicity Of such facts concern
ing corporations as the public has a Tiei1t
to know, and reasonable restriction of
their powers. Events have shown. es
pec1ally III view Of what has occurred in
regard to the ice trust, that stronger
measures than 1 recommended should be
taken. Not only should recommendations
concerning corporations mentioned above
be enacted Into law, but there should he
lodged in a commission the power to
prescribe under what condition foreign
corporations can do business in this state
and to deprive them of their charter
should they at any time violate these
conditions"