The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-05-20
TAMMANY PLAYS FOR CONTROL
ALDERMEN VOTE PARSONS OUT
or SINKING FUND
And Put In McCalI-1rat Is. u the Ac'
lions Legai--.t Outs with the Mayor
Trap for Parsons-Take All the
Committees. Cries Republican Leader.

v,
Fusion Aldermen. turned Alderman par-
sons (RepJ out OF the sinking Fund Com
mission yesterday and put in his place
John T. Mccall. the Tammany leader OF
the board The board, that is. voted 70
co this It's power TO do II is more or less
disputed
The chairman Of the Finance COMMITTEE
of the Aldermen IS member OF the SINKING
Fund Commission. just after the board
had gone into session yesterday Aldermen
Sullivan. Mccall and Gaffney asked Chair
man Parsons to call special meeting OF
the Financ, Committee, They said they
had an important matter to lay before the
comntte, Calling together the conf
mttes Mr.. Parsons took them into inc
ante-room The whole nlno members were
present. The board is made up. besides
the three Tamnany men named above
ri Aldermen Parsons, McInnis, longfel-
low and james Republicans, and Aldermen
Florence and Bill, Fusionists
The two fusion mon knew what was COM
ing They had made promises 20 Sulh-
van When the Comr0ittoH met sullivan
moved that the power - anpolnr IN" com
mission which is 10 suggest plans to beau
tfv the city should hn taken from the
Mayor and given to the Aldermen. Mr.
Parsons combntnd ~" idea Then Mc( all
moved that Mr. Parsons he no longer chair
man and that Mr. sullivan ba appointed
TO that office Mr.. Parsons refused TO put
the motion He declared that II was illegal
and instructed 10 clerk not n put the
motion on tn" minutes. Then Sullivan
nominated Mccall That motion also Par
sons refused to pun
Alderman (iaf"nev. in a manner t'etoken-
ing that he was woaried OF the controversy,
suggested tina, Mr.. Parsons be confirmed
as chairman and nominated him. IL Is
said that Mr. Parsons fell into the trap.
At any rate somebody directed the clerk
TO call the roll Ciaflneys name was one
OF the first to be called and when he lost
his weary manner and voted for Mccall,
Mr.. Parsons and his three Republican col.
leagues, realizing the subterfuge that had
been practised. refused TO vote AT all Inc
and so did Florence nd Bill Florence
refused to give any explanation OF his mop,
but Bill, who is a Brooklyn brewer. said he
was no longer an administrator man be-
cause the Mavor had not kept his promises
about liberal enforcement of the excise
law.
All this took place behind closed doors.
and il was not until Alderman Sullivan,
In the open meeting Of he board, offered
a resolution indorsing the action OF the
majority of the committee that any one
except the chief oonspirators knew what
had happened. The Republicans fought,
but we're defeated by 40 votes TO 80. AZ
though very few Of the, Tammany rank and
file knew what was coming, the word had
been passed round that there would be some
music, and they were on hand almost TO a
man. So were the Fusionists. who voted
with Tammany when the fret split came
over the effort to seat krulish instead "
Chambers in the Twenty-eighth district,
and who have since allied themselves with
Tammany on every important partisan vote.
Of Manhattan Goldwater Of The Bronx
and Lundy Of Brooklyn. Bill had disap-
peared.
When Sullivan sprang his resolution at
least dozen members jumped 10 their
feet and protested that it was out Of order.
Sullivan said that according to Cusaing's
Manual committees had the right to elect
their own chairmen. and as this had not
been done In the case Of the Finance Com
mittee. the committee had never been
President Fornes ruled the resolution
out Of order, saying that the rules o. the
Aldermen gave the power TO the president
to appoint all chairnen Of committees.
the question submitted to the Corporation
Counsel, but Mr.. Sullivan wouldn't listen.
He had the votes On an appeal from the
decision Of the Chair Mr. Fornes was over
ruled by Al votes 10 80. Alderman How
land raised tho point of order that the
board could not act on the resolution be-
cause 1t was not competent for the men,
bers to appoint a new committee chairman
Mr.. Fornes ruled that the point was well
taken. but on appeal he was again defeated.
Inent, whereupon Mr.. Sullivan exclaimed
that he would keep on appealing from the
rulings Of the Chair and would make Mccall
chairman of the Finance Committee il he
kept the board in session all night.
Alderman Movers. the Republi ali leader
at last rose and said
70 1T is better that we should meet this
situation squarely now, This resolution
completes the reorganization of the board.
] have been waiting for some time for
the members on the other side 10 take
the responsibility that belongs TO them,
This has been fammany board for nearly
year. Whenever they wanted a majority
they could always get 1t. and now | chal-
lenge them to reorganlze all the committees,
to remove the vice-chairman and the
sergeants-at-arms and to take up the
responsibility they ought to take up. for
the acts of this board am tired Of the
farce we have been playing for SO long:
II they think they can make any political
capital out of this board between now and
the next election they are welcome to
. it. Their control and their interference
in matters Of great moment affecting The
: interests of the city has led the Legislat-
. -ure to take away many Of the powers. Of
this board. | want the people TO un der
: stand also that when there is majority
vote in this board it is the voice Of Tam
many that speaks. Misses. 1t is time
that the people Of this city should have it
clearly made kn WI to them that thi. is a
Tamnany board
Alderman Bowling, a fr,sionist who went
over TO Tammauy, asserted that ne had
never been asked to cast a vote by the
Tammany representatives Alderman
Doull said:
sThere Is no politics in this action.
Laughter from the Republicans. This Is
a protest against theadministration. From
the very first meeting Of this board we
have been insuted by the Mayor. He
has used every opportunity to demean us
both through Albany and through the Cor.
poration Counsel Now the independent
members Of the board intend to have their
own man and not the mouthpiece OF the
Mayor in charge of the financial affairs OF
theboard. The condemnation of the Mayor
by the Aldermen cannot he too strongly
voiced He is not the representative OF
the people. He is the tool of the railroad
corporations The finances of this city
must be properly safeguarded and reckless
appropriations must not be permitted
Sullivans resolution was ultimately car
ried by 10 votes 10 30. Aldermen Parsons
Rowland and Longfellow refused to vote
on the ground that the motion was an ulega
one These were the members who voted
for the resolution:
s hieS" pem bro SiHns chs"bers am
eorSey Cram4 Culk!n Tam. Dct1 Tam pono