The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-03-18
- ALnERMEN.
me Bms 10 Take Away TRsir Power to
Hold Up FRANCHISES.

To THE EDfToa or TBB sUN -SiTi The
bills introduced 81 Albany by Senator Elsoerg
70 deprive the local Board OF Aldermen OF all
control over the streets bridges. parks. tun-
nels and docks remind us that the problem
how best 20 govern this city was not solved
by the passage Of elthsr the fret or second
charter for the Greater New YORK me
predominating idea In both vas 70 alow tho
people 70 have as great q say - possible 10
the conduct Of the Affairs Of The municipality
Previous 70 1895 the Board OF Aldermen had
been stripped Of practically all ~ power.
owing mainly 70 the scandal which followed
the granting Of franchise for the Broadway
railroad, and the business Of the municipality
vas almost entirely lntrusted 70 the Board o
Estimate and Apportionment. . compact
body which was controlled not By elective
oficers, but by the Mayer and hls appointees'
Although the scheme Of government by 3
board elected BY popular vote had bean found
10 be . failure. and although experts agreed
that never had the business OF the city been
carried on 90 intsiitgently. 80 sxpediuously
and with 90 little scandal. nevertheless the
commission which framed the hrst charter
for the Greater city thought II wise % return
TO the old form Of popular government thus
was born the cumbersome, double ohamoersd
Municipal Assembly. with its Board OF Alder.
men Of sixty members and IL Council OF
twsnty-nins. In breaking away from the
highly centralized government under the
old consolidation AOt the charter makers wen
10 the other extreme. The result Was what
might have been exp otsd The experiment
proved 70 be q DISASTROUS failure. The busl-
ness Of the city was at all times elogged and
often OF a standstll. The courts had 10 be
Tesorted 70 70 compel the Councilman 70 do
their sworn duty. Some Of them were even
fined for contempt. There was Just a. much
talk Of hold ups and -sraft' then a. there
10 now,
A. the end OF four years the Council vas
abolished By the Legislature and tho Board
OF Aldermen was increased 70 seventy-eight
members. including the Borough Presidents.
The trainers Of the new Charter stu chung 70
the superstition that popular" government
was the only form Of gov rnment oonsonant
with home rule. for which New York had
fought 30 long al Albany. Instead Of pro-
viding the remedy sought. matters have
simply gone from bad 70 worse under the
domination OF the enlarged Board OF Alder
men. Bond Issues which they must approve
are used for log rolling purposes or 20 eEtort
political favors from the heads Of depaTt-
msnts affected. Votes are traded for adj
vantases In the way OF getting Jobs for CON
stltucnts. Franchises for the extension Of
public utilities are held up for months at will
or allowed 20 langlish and die In committee,
even when the granting Of them would add
70 the comfort and convenience OF the people
at large,
The cold truth Of the matter is that the
government Of great city like New York
cannot be safely intrusted 70 a body made
up as the Board OF Aldermen is Repeated
experiment has demonstrated this TO the
satisfaction Of all right thinking citizens
without regard TO party politics or partisan
advantage. The poyers that were right
fully taken sway from the Alderme before
consolidation was effected should never have
been restored. The administration Of the
Affairs OF a municipality OF the size and i'm
portancs Of New York should BE- considered
in the HIGHT Of . business proposition pure
and simple. Z.
NV Yong. March IL