New-York tribune., 1907-10-14
HIS IDEAS ON CHARTER.
MAYOR GIVES ADYICE.
Uould DO A5cay 7rith Borough
Presidents and Minor Boards.

As Mayor Mcclellan will be unable to attend
many Of the meetings of the Charter Revision
Commission, appointed 10 revise the harter OF the
greater city, he has written long letter 20 Will
/ IAN NJ WINS. its chairman. explaining his views
! on thls subject His first suggestion is that the
new charter have few as possible minor pro-
visions thus leaving it 10 the local authorities
themselves TO work out the details OF municipal
government by ordinances or otherwise. Tho
Mayor thinks the Office OF Borough President is
unnecessary and so advises. The responsibility OF
I the city government should rest on the Mayors
/ shoulders. he thinks
There are entirely too many city departments
| ne believes and suggests to the commission that
! the number be reduced by consolidation. Another
of his ideas is that the Board of Estimate should
/ De composed Of members directly for this pur-
pose Mayor Mcclellan thinks the Board of Alder
men Is also too large. His letter follows:
l regret that my official duties will prevent ma
vision Commission as often as 7 sbo1Id v-ist
desire however 10 Law before the coT1TIisStoI a.
me me earnest possible moment my views concerning
my own experience. I believe should be followed
eective and I9T Ss city Of New Iork more
''tsIr S Ilat which II possesses at present.
the NINA the various features OF this plan IN
ciF ss the revised charter should be
b I, contained IN the present charter should
9o work out tG the ehe ds 0S5 s@t9 Of @
n5clgal government by ordinances OF otherwise. In
f+ faT as possible city constitution rather than
b sa that f0f
should be centred directly on the Mayor.
should be reduced BY consolidating tSose WSicS
0 dOW possess more or less similar functions. thus
ti9n On which exists at present
tonment should be Composed not OF city officisls
but OF members elected directly for this purpose
dI bdoeed N SIZE; and that many OF the minor city
i err rrorfs fnrfI
De made TO frame the new charter upon the sim
% in @S judgment it @ @RfH'5SR pr6Ts to hs Be- morn s
point of Ts% ong SaSdaGoFy 10 shaTer s from an dssI
state 10 the citizens OF the city allowing them to
established by their own iessIativs bodies lss 20 Ps
other words such charter should resemble in fits
probably would be Impossible 20 obtain srch an I
believe that our efforts should be At iaast difscse
c6srteP and % ogd s. fs Tsuoe s % the the
Ghich arc nehe4 eli haPs bsneca o T ne1 sgg
ample the regulation of the salaries Of an city on
Gals should be lefs entirely 20 the local authorities
many instances: by the terms OF the charter So
sGd I t9e n problems concerning the internal organ
are great many subjects which In my opinion
than by mandatory legislation I suggest there
should avoid INCORPORATING a16n n, nrotIz,c ne
matters which can be dealt with by the local leg
Sftys power OF selfgovernment 10 the greatest ex-
Secondly. I believe that the present system OF
borough goyernnents should be abolished The in
monstrated during the last SIX years The BoTo1lI
5 pTesdent being an elected official is amenable to
ernor Of the state upon charges On the other hand
his powers and duties are little understood By
the public at large that he manages 10 escape as f
as they are concerned much OF the respons biIity
condic- Of jurisdiction between his departments and
which to saw the least tends Iayr5 9I s S
government Another objection the continuance
between the different boroughs which works NJ
soo1 10 the city as z whole suggest therefore.
abolished and that all the powers and duties which
-Ityor- foT' since the Mayor IS The head Of the
city government on him should be centred the
be given the abSnuts 955 sxrsiI sl @ ~
moval over all executive officials OF the city.
In the third place. it is most desirable. in
by consolidating those which possess more or less
similar functions II would be far more saIis-
few gTeat departments with strong. well paid men
a present, all OF whom are independent OF each
other. and whose Jurisdictions constantly in
ulnistrstion. The control of the streets is now
Vested not In one department alone. but in many.
Cleaning the Department OF Water supply. Gas
dlCtion of the Borough President. namely those 81
buildings. encunbrances. highways and sewers. ara
each charged with certain duties in regard 20 tbs
"A another ipstaTee in point is the administration Of
the public hospital system OF She city. Under the
Department OF Health, the Department. OF Public
Charities and the trustees OF Bellevue and Al
lied Hospitals. As a matter of fact. have re-
Gently appointed commissions 10 inquire into these
the appointment OF the charter revision commits
erogation 4 solution OF these problems might be
found in the creation OF several great central de-
partments, each OF which should nave cOInplete
cTarge OF one branch OF the cty's business For
should Jurisdiction over the streets both over
the surface and under the surface including street
cleaning street paving, etc; department OF pub
lie health, which should include the existing powers
of the present Health Department ana many OF we
functions Of the Department OF Public Charities.
as well as the powers of the trustees or Believue
and Allied Hospitals. Il might De advisSnIe 20 r.
vive The old department OF public works; wnic1
would succeed 70 many OF the powers anu .S GutlsS
etc As have said before. should pc IN favor OF
placing the head OF eacn OF tese tr5 re
high Salaried official SO tnaL tne SItS ~ bss,
,y,, 20 choose the best available material 1OF lSSe
tasks They in turn. should oe a4o%eH a 70
as mary deputies may be found 70 oe tsSS nSSsSSa
for tT. COZ, ,ct o. the affairs of the department
believe that the adopt9n OF StlT in elinli
,9tfne the evils OF conflicting Jurls0ctlonS eIt t
10 Ir-,,-f If tbs Citv's business Sluarely upon Cus
nm +o whom tie public could look cIeSuE TOY
satSitcIo[EI I to the composition Of the Board o.
Estimate and Apportonuent tnlnk IilaS t5 I, - I1s
ne ne =, ,5afe M Cf certain city officials who We're
elected primarily for othef puIposes ~, A. soon
if no in,pOssibe FOR the Mayor, the ControileT 9
the other members 20 give the proper 1II.s r ~ isss
directly latertrSu ava tbey o,Ieht not therefore. TO
sTlbordirate Departments As an alternative, SUE E
eleCted directly for this purpose: few nom ~
citv at large and possibly one or tWo lIoI. 60
borough. Il Slch oeurse S.i 3T,,cr shoI1Jd in nv
crjr!cr be sivcr the power OF veto over an tneiF
gcts which should only be oyerricden oy a t"V-
thiTSs or n tlres-fOurths majority
There is i,o necessity. in my opinion for the con-
fFr-