New-York tribune., 1906-11-28
ATTACK ON BINGHAM.
"LITTLE TIM" MAKES IT.
aldermen Cat Dozen appropriations
Mcclellan Silent.

Little Tim" Sullivan, the Democratic leader
In the Board Of Aldermen, denounced Commls-
sioner Bingham of the Police Department yes
terday afternoon as incompetent and arrogant
He does not know enough about the city to de-
scribe the location Of any three of its streets
said Alderman Sullivan. "What right has
man who has been struck by the lightning Of
good luck 10 come before the Board of Alder
men and criticise the rank and file Of a depart
rnent which he does not understand and which
contains men who are far more capable than
the man who. by the luck of circumstances, is
at the head of it? In my opinion the Board OF
Aldermen should pay attention to man who
is so incompetent the Commissioner Of Po-
lice"
The occasion for the outbuTst came at meet
ing Of the Board of Aldermen to discuss the
report OF the Finance Committee on the budget
For the first time in fifteen years the Finance
Committee recommended a reduction in the
budget as passed by the Board of Estimate and
Apportionment. The aldermen later adopted the
committees report A large part Of the pro-
posed cut fell upon the Police Department, the
committee objecttng TO the increase of the force
by ninety-ntne detective sergeants and to the
increase OF the salaries Of deputy commissioners
as recommended by Commissioner Bingham.
The committee also objected to the employment
OF four extra chaplains at 81. 600 year. and in
all would reduce the estimates of the Commits
sioner by S215,000. a cut Of $4,000 was recon-
Tnended in the Street Cleaning Department ap-
preparation, S2S60 600 in that for the Fire De-
partment, and $4,000 in that for the Board of
Assessors.
In the course of the debate on the reduction IN
the police budget 1t was charged that Commits
sioner Bingham, in advocating an increase in the
number OF inspectors and sergeants, had de-
clared that a majority OF those now employed
were incompetent Little Tim" Sullivan 1ared
up al this but after relieving himself on the
subject Of the Commissioner hastened to add
taat ne thought Mayor Mcclellan good
an oHlclaI as any VINO mad ever held the chair in
the city Hall. and that the report of the Finance
committee was a sample of petty politics de-
signed 10 enabarrass the Mayor. Il think the
budget as II comes from the Board of Estinla ia
and Apportionment should be adopted" he said.
i shall have to vote against the report of the
Finance Committee. We have had a caucus on
our side of the house and have so decided"
The majority OF the Board of Aldermen, made
up OF hepubAcans and members OF the Municipal
ownership League. held a caucus. and decided to
support tho report Of the Finance Committee
Alderman Downing Republican. and Alderman
Hatton, Municipal Ownership, bolted the caucus.
Alderman Redmond. of Brooklyn a Democratic
member Of the Finance Committee, refused to
sign the report. The report was adopted by a
vote of - to IS
set Of resolutions was introduced at the
meeting by Alderman Schloss calling upon the
District Attorney to proceed against what he
called the Poultry Trust" The resolutions al
lege that an association known as the New
York Live Poultry Commission Merchants AsSo-
citation has taken advantage Of the law in the
Borough Of Manhattan which restricts the num-
Der Of places where poultry may be slaughtered,
and, having entered into agreement with the
licensed slaughter houses. has prevented dealers
in poultry outside OF the association from hav-
ing their poultry killed. The subject was re-
ferred to the Committee on Laws and Legsla-
ton.
Another set Of resolutions. introduced by Al
derman Grifenhagen, called for condemnation by
the board of the horseCar system on the East
Side and demanded that the Metropolitan Street
Railroad Company comply with the orders and
recommendations Of the railroad commissioners
and substitute electricity for horse power and
modern for the antiquated vehicles N
use. The Mayor and Board Of Estimate and APP
portionment were urged to take such measures
as the needs Of the situation should require. The
resolutions were referred TO the Committee
Railroads. with instructions to hold a public
hearing the subject
Mayor Mcclellan had little TO say about the
reductions made in the budget by the Finance
Committee. When told that the board had voted
70 cut down the police budget by more than
100000, he asked:
Does the board advocate cutting down its
own salaries?'
The Mayor has power TO veto the budget as
sent to him from the Board Of Aldermen A
three-quarters majority in the board. however,
will pass IL over he head.