New-York tribune., 1903-01-08

$50 special bills Almost all OF this iegisiatlohi
which has adopted provision such as I have
suggested, could have been avoided N. lss,s snps
periods of three years before and after tne aaop
tion of this policy In New-Jersey. the nrst
period shows the average number ef piis ts
have been 624, Ill of which were elassiAsa as
general and 9l3 as special, Tor rnesss ene ep vas
219. of which 1sS were ciassified as sehefai anu anu
thirty-one special. If the volume OF leslsiauon
in this State could be reduced In tne Same pIo-
portion through the enactment OF general laws
1t would be found to be of great aayantags.
In addition to this there should pc some com ON
petent authority to pass upon legislative niHs
before their introduction or at the time OF m
troductien. subjecting them to scrutiny Wnlen
will determine their eenstitutienaty, or whether
they conflict with or duplicate existing laws
This would not only secure statutes when
would stand the test Of the courts. but weuid
avoid much unnecessary delay ana reprlntlng OF
documents This subject should receive your
thoughtful consideration.
The charter of the city of New-York presents
many anomalies and renders difficult the fixing
of responsibility where it properly belongs Tne
additional powers which have been given to the
borough presidents and the Board of Aldermen
deprive the Mayor of authority which he should
possess and render IL impossible for him TO ac-
cempsh reforms when these offices are nllea
by those not in harmony with his administFa-
tion. Additional power should be conferred
upon the Mayor so that he shall be charged with
full responsibility as is the case in every other
municipality within the State
POLICE EVILS IN NEW-YoRk Cilf'
The conditions in the city OF New-Yerk re-
iatng to the police force. the FIRE ,a.+ are
ana ether branches of the city goVefEmsa, az
~ such a character that amendments shoutt
be made to the eitys charter TO eolLess 80
evils which exist the r6ge h the admins
tration os the city, is in most oeploidiSS ~ -
and the most drastic legislation "ou.a ~stam
eusable under the circumstances sys.e sysit
which has permitted and whlch doeS pettlIi.
blaeknaail and the use OF the Pollce bspart sptS he
for political purposes IS ,edad one % e;tizsn4 The
functions of the police are 70 protecl lite allu
property and to enforce the law, ana hot 20 @ os
come active partisans in politics Whlle l an
in tbereueh accord with the principle OF acme
rule and believe that every nlunIeipahty shoul'
be left to govern its own AFFAIRS, yer aISo 80 DC
lieve that the charter rights which come rom
the state should be so framed that the ABUSES
which 7 have mentioned can pe preVehteu d .
made impossible 1afee @ S;reetion Wne of men who
have used their offices to enforce payment loi
neglect of duty should be so reorganized @ ina.
those whose influence is detrimental 10 lIS pest
interests can be removed and their places
promptly filed by those who are more compe-
tent and more faithful to their eatns, .,.r. ts
In the second class cities or the state taefe -
no power of review by the courts we may
iiken the great army OF police OF me el.y @ or
NewYork to the military service, an" Hcant we IN
that IL is because there is no power except IN
the army itself, to punish offenders ana reward
merit that makes 1t efficient, so there shoula oe
none except in the police force itself 10 ENFORCE
diseipne Mere technicalities or legal quiooles
should not be permitted 10 prevent puhishiflsht
for failure to perform duty. as Is TOO ottes .ne
case now with reference 10 decisions OF tno
Police Commissioner OF the city OF New forH'
who is hampered with too strict legal reduire-
rnents for the conduct of trials OF dennqueilt
officers whe, he has decided that a man is
utterly incompetent, his decision shouIa hos os
overturned by the courts, who view MS eoiuuGt
of the trial from legal standpoint only Such
dual authority is sure TO lead to an unalScl-
plined force. and the knowledge that thfoush q
court decision or by political favor ne may sTd T
permitted to avoid such punishment as saouIo
be administered leads the officer to look with
contempt upon the man whose tenure OF Once
is at best for short period. Addltlonal power
sbonyd he given the Police Commissioner to
enable him under proper civil service resula-
tions to dismiss incompetent officers unnam-
day The criticisms that have made upon the
Police Department lie with equal torce ana
effect against the Fire Dspar.sn n anp sbouId
follow that which have recommended TOT the
Police Department,
Both the primary and election laws are con-
stantIy violated in the city of New-York. Act
ing under advice which at that time seemed TO
to be such as to merit connoence. Eee9e1 t.3e,
a measure passed by the last legislature Whleh
prohibited the transferring OF voters from one
locality to another by certificates prior 10 prl-
rnaries am now convinced that this power is
a dangerous one and that the law should be so
amended that those who register their party
affiliations on the days of registry during tns
fall should alone be permitted TO express tnelr
preferences at primaries. While the ob1ectloh
may be raised that this would deprive nurnner
of people of a voice in the selection OF party
candidates vet this objection does affect equally
those who remove from one election district to
another prior to election. This power OF trans
fer has been abused In the city OF New-fork
by alliances entered into by district leaders OF
opposite political faith by having a suthelent
number of their followers register themselves
as being affiliated with the opposite political
party for the purpose of influencing contests
for party control or for the nomination OF can
didates at primaries. OF course. TINS is only
done when the leader who desires TO aid one or
opposite political faith knows that he will have
no contest for control In his own district. If the
bafy he registering
afiliation was six or eight months prior to the
primaries it would be preventive IN part
oniy be used with impunity by district leader
when he is certain that there is TO be no contest
within his own political party
NO TRANSFER OF VOTERS.
therefore recommend an amendment to the
existing law which will take away the right of
transfer. and which will permit those only who
are registered the regular days of registration
to participate in party primaries.
The influx of voters into cities and the We'll
known plans offraud by which one registers and
another votes the same name should also
receive attention at ,he hands OF shs sb iesssa sa
it is required that each registered voter shall
sign his the day Of registration as
means of Identification on the day of election.
and in case of his inability to write, that his
identity shall be vouched for in a manner salts
factory the full board of registry and election
inspectors. I recommend amendments to the
election laws as VIII produce such results IN all
the larger cities.
fective ballots in our State and municipal cleo
tions presents some phases which should direct
your attention to more perfect ballot system
than exists under the present law. Partisan
action too often causes the rejection Of ballots.
The number of defective ballots cast at the last
election almost great as the plurality
received by the successful candidate for Gov
ernor While Ii may be true that these ballots
are divided evenly between The parties. yet the
right of every citizen to express his choice of
candidates and have his ballot counted should
not be denied because through an inadvertence
49, -. 49,,