New-York tribune., 1901-01-28
TO RUSH THE POLICE BILL.
MEASURE, UNCHANGED BY TAMMANY
AMENDMENTS, TO BE PASSED
THIS WEEK.

Albany, Jan. "a OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES Oueu
statement in Nev-York yesterday that the bill
abolishing the present four headed Police Board
~ New-York and substituting for it a single
Commissioner will be passed Immediately
makes il clear that no further amendments TO
the bill viii be accepted by the Republican lead
ers and that various amendments to the meas
ure proffered by the Kings County Republicans
will also be rejected. The bill. therefore, in its
present shape, is likely to pass the Senate on
Tuesday when IT comes up for third reading
and the Assembly where 1t also is on the order
OF third reading the same day. Senator Grady,
the representative Of Tammany Hall in the Sen
ate. viii offer some amendments, but of course,
these suggested changes in the bill will not be
accepted.
One of Senator Grady's amendments would
deprive the Governor Of authority to remove the
Police Commissioner Another would give the
Governor authority to remove the Police Com
missioner only after charges should have been
rreferred against him. A third amendment
Thought OF by Senator Grady is one instituting
trial courts, It being his theory that single
Police Commissioner would not have the time
necessary TO preside at every trial or ponce
man accused OF violating some regulation OF the
Police Department. Senator Grady also is sus-
pected OF having design to work In some
amendment which viii save Chief Devery- But
as already stated the Republican leaders are
determined not TO accept any amendments to
the bill and of this fact Senator Crazy Is as
we'll aware as any
THE BILL AS AMENDED.
The Police bill as finally amended, ends the
terms of Office of the present Police Commis-
sioners of New-York within ten days after it is
signed by Governor OdeIl, and transfers their
powers. duties and functions TO a single Police
Commissioner, who is to be appointed by Mayor
Van Wyck within ten days after the measure
is passed The salary Of the new Police Com
missioner is TO be $500 year. and he is to
hold office for five years. The bill further says
that the said Commissioner may, whenever in
the judgment Of the Mayor of said city or the
Governor, the public interests shall so require.
he removed from Office by either and shall be
ineligible for reappointment thereto" The bill
also strikes at Devery by abolshing the office Of
Chief Of Police and transferring its powers to
the new Police Commissioner. The Police Com
missioner will have two deputies, at salaries OF
81 600 each, to whom he can delegate all his
duties except those OF making appointments and
transfers
II il were not for the large Republican ma
5ority in both the Senate and the Assembly the
Tammany Hall leaders would make more
resolute effort TO defeat the Police bill Two
years ago they We're able TO defeat the State
Police bill but at that time the Republican
party had only twenty-seven votes in the Sen
ate, or only more than sufhclent 10 pass a
bill The decision of the two Rochester Sena-
tors not to support the State Police BILL there
fore defeated # The present year there are
fhirty-hVe Republicans in the Senate to fifteen
Democrats 1t requires twenty-siX votes TO
pass q bill in the Senate. The Republican
party thus has a leeway Of nine votes
II is said that a good many Republicans still
retain Office under Tammany Hall in Newly
and that the recent conferences OF the New.
York and Kings County Republican members OF
the Legislature have given token Of that fact.
Various suggestions have been made at these
conferences largely by the Kings County MEM
bers that indicated that the leaders of Tam
many Hall were putting pressure upon the Re
publican office holders alluded TO, and that in
turn these men have been seeking to influence
Repu ubcan Senators and Assemblymen TO pro-
tect Tammany in various directions. But these
indirect allies Of Tammany are not able 10 get
together enough votes OF Republican Senators
Assem- blynen from the greater New-York dis
trict defeat the Police bill, and therefore ii is
highly improbable that the attempt will be
made So far as the Senate is concerned, there
are only eight Republican Senators from the
greater New-York district, and in order TO men
ton eight Senators Mckinley, Cocks and Mills
would have TO be included. whose districts
largely rural. and who hay not the slightest
sympathy with Tammany Hall, since they rep
resent chiefly the sentiment Of the voters Of
Suffolk Richmond, Nassau and Westchester
counties. There are thus only five Republican
Senators from the city part Of the greater New
York territory
CONFERENCES OF REPUBLICANS.
In the Assembly, alSO the hepuDucan vote
from New York, even II thrown in a body, would
not defeat the Police bill There are 1O5 Re
publican Assembymen and 45 Democrats. The
Constitution requires 76 votes TO pass a bill
Tie Republicans thus have 20 votes to spare
New-York and Kings County have elected 10
Republicans TO the Assembly, and Queens SUD-
plies two Then there are three Repub-
licans from Westchester County But every
politician in Albany knows that ii would be inn
possible to unite all OF these Republican Assem-
blymen against the Police bil and that n is
doubtful IL they be united upon any meas
The conferences thus far Of the New York and
Brooklyn Republicans in the Legislature have
been held Ostensibly for the purpose of obtaining
a larger influence Of advisory nature upon
the New-York measures; il being argued mat
there was such large proportion OF rural Re-
publicans In charge OF New-York bills that il
was necessary for the representatives of New
York 20 have a united policy In dealing with
them, since errors might be made through lack
Of knowledge OF New-Yorl' affairs. These con-
ferences have been secret but IL is known that
no common feeling was revealed between the
NeW-York and the Kings County members. The
presence OF those veteran Republican members
John A Weekes, jr, Gherardi Davis and DR.
Nelson II. Henry at these conferences however
gives assurance OF the representation OF a con-
servatiVe element in New-York affairs The
Tannunany influence in the greater NeNg-York
delegation. IL is thought, viii be especially di-
rected TO prevent the passage Of the reform bills