New-York tribune., 1901-04-10
CHARTER AND LEGISLATURE.

Some members of the legislature are said TO
be yexed with Mayor Van Wyck because MS
apparent intention TO hold the revised chafter
as long as the constitution gives him controi
of II may possibly interfere with the plan 70
adjourn on April 90. We trust that no such un-
BILE view of the matter is generally held.
The Mayor is not only authorized but bound
to consider with earnest care the question or
approving or disappearing every measure sub
mitted 70 his judgment. 1t was not intended
that his acceptance rejection OF city bllls
should be mere formality. and he would be
deserving of grave censure if he should exercise
his veto power in haphazard manner. In TINS
case he has n heavy task on his hands. and
the allowance of fifteen days may not be eN-
cessive If he should find that he needed less
time 10 complete his examination it would be
an act of courtesy TO let the legislature have
the charter again rs soon as he was through
with it, but he is rather forbidden by consid-
erations of duty than required by politeness
to hurry the work along at the risk Of over
looking faults of which perhaps the legislature
itself is ignorant. There is some talk at Al
banv about bad faith. Democratic members
having. il is said. given assurances that the
Mayor would return the charter within a few
days: but even if such is the fact il furnishes
a rather poor excuse for resentment since the
job he had to undertake is proving to be unex-
pectedly hard
Our opinion is that the legislature ought TO
have given more time to the revision OF an
organic act directly affecting half the popula
ton of the State. and that those who are COM
planning because the Mayor of New York is dis
inclined to proceed with equal rapidity should
rather welcome a deliberate examination which
may disclose some serious defects while there
is still an opportunity to correct them. I'm
doubtedly current denunciatons of the charter
revision are to large extent wild and insin-
cere. In the main it seems 70 be a good piece
of work. and it is a pity that it should have
been carelessly or crafty marred by the in
serton of provisions which it certainly ought
not to contain How many of these there are
nobody at present knows. but the Mayor is try
ing TO find out. II is TO he expected that he
will exaggerate its imperfectons and under
value its merits. but actual fault will not
he the less Objectionable because he officially
points il ont.
II is asserted that no very serious mischief
could arise from a failure TO make at this
sion changes which are acknowledged to he
necessary. nasmuch the new instrument is
in the main not TO go into effect until the be-
ginning Of next year But parts OF it are TO
become operative earlier than that. and they
may include provisions which will produce had
results at once Moreover, II is not desirable
that the party in power should he exposed 10
unnecessary criticism during the next six
months. The legislature is anxious TO adjourn
April 20. but that date has no peculiar
claims The people do not think short ses
sion indispensable. What they like is a ses
sion which ends when the necessary public
business has been thoroughly and conscien-
tiously done. but lasts long enough to accom-
plish that object.