New-York tribune., 1900-05-27
REVISION OF THE CHARTER.
SOME CHANGES WHICH THE OUTLOOK
THINKS WOULD BENEFIT THE CITY.

THINKS WOULD BENEFIT THE CITY.
In discussing the New-York City charter revision,
the outlook editoraily comments on the
principal points before the Commission. as follows;
The Mayors Offce-What should the term be?
should he have power of removal? 1890 ..
purely clerical offce, where experience is OF the
pie is of secondary Importance of none at all
Even In the case OF such offices. the appointing
power should have power of removal Tor cause i
and withogt presenting and proving charges % But But
The American community should rid itself of the
duty well he should be regarded eligible for
reelection term after term continuously and in
definitely. But he should be required TO give an
account of himself from time to time the people,
and they should have the power to declare whether
they are satisfied with his administration not:
We do not believe that Mayor Van Wyck would
i his term had been two years instead OF -four.
He should have power of removal a superior
cannot be held responsible for his subordinates II
vice is not satisfactory But this power of removal
mgat m be 9uasd by giving the "a Tght %
statement if the charges presented were proved to
Legislative Department-shan the Municipal AS
sembly De e continued as now constituted? m t,
It 4 is legislative body 1t is no really a legislative
sembIy should be a small body of well known men.
% Who represent; not each his own ward or election
body si, of dozen or fifteen men either elected on
ter guarantee of good government than the present
irresponsible body.
Municipal ownership.-The city should own and
operate all industries which experience justihes us
and an esapy @ R an it hire p
vate enterprise to operate for it, 1t is universal
Bridge, was better managed for the citizens who
crossed when the city administered the Bridge than
now that it is administered by a private corpora
ton. Specifically, the city should own and operate
and control. if not operate, system of transpor
tai tatonmthat is its railroads, whether underground
own and operate its ice plant and ice distribution
from rural days should be abolished Each Bor-
with paid inspectors and they should all be feder
ated aon IN IN united Beard which should conno its ae
entire city system. Where and how the line should
Board, it may be difficult, but It should not be i'm
seryc bod 20 b IeacherS gToWn od IN me
easy get rid Of incompetent teachers. % and ciSi
dition. but not the only condition of appoint
ment me How to prevent school patronage from be-
know. The problem demands careful study by men
The Boough Mian h hT} are ad drf that the Ro
& ough system @ has worked well in Paris is an argu-
vor the fact that it has not worked at all in New
it has been in the hands of Tammany Hall. and
Iammany Hall has never meant that it should
sit on the bGx and hod h tRe in ana a band
piece of work we IL ks bat any oo ean get
out Of order The first essential to good local
Of their locality and this interest cannot easily be
the citizen Feels that his influence
counts For this reason. the greater the city. the
greater the tendency Of the mass of the people 10
assume attitude of Indifference as to how the
pubic affairs are managed. We hope that the
Charter Commission will consider. not how they
get rid of the borough. but how they develop
so as to make New-York City federation of hor-
oughs so far administ ira ton is concerned.
IaXeS and ASseSSments.-The honest taxation of
franchises and the honest taxation of real estate
at anything approXimating its market value would
prooa6ly give nearly, If not quite. money enough
for all the regular expenses of the CITY If It's bust
ness We're economically administered and expendi-
lures Tor investment which will repay fair rate
OF interest the investment for lighting plant
water plant and ice plant, require taxation.
Police; Its ORGANIZATION and Powers-ShalI there
be a separate Board of Elections?
The police should be under a single head. II
should be separated from the Bureau of Elections
which should be composed of men of different par
ties. 1t is a fair question, since the city election
often controls the State, far the State should
De represented In the Bureau of Elections
Ihere are two questions included in this
nst TO which we wish the Commission would give
attention-the referendum and the excise
IL ought to be possible to submit questions
certain specified minority Of the Council or on a
petition signed by a certain number of household
ers, or both. If there had been no such popular
vote: the city would not enjoy the prospect of
question for the city ought to be referred to the
city. The local option now allowed to towns ought
TO be allowed to wards and with it local option to
allow sunday sales during certain hours. The rural
City an excise system which il does not apnroye.
Newly City will never enforce such a system
itself, and non-enforceable system is worse than
none, because It corrupts the entire city. officers
Commission would unite in asking the Legislatures
to remit the control liquor traffic in the cty
OF New-York to the citizens of the city of New
York. -