New-York tribune., 1907-12-02
THE REPORT on CH4RTER REVISION.

Tho Charter Revision Commission, WHICH WAS
dclgytd i'm beginning its work, mas hot peeh
able in the time ut its disposal to DO more 'hdh
point out the defects of the existing govern
mental svsfcm and the direction Nhlch any
changes in it should take Tho difficult task OF
drawing IN new organic law for the city
should, according TO its suggestion, liz devoFed
,,non = new commission. Since the present
body has given much time TO the consideration
of the subject and since its members are III
substantial agreement upon the REFORMS heeueu'
il appears TO us that the state could not 90 pel-
ter than to continue its existence unth IL HIS
framed charter in conformity with lts IDEAS.
The commissions report suggests that the city
should he made as free from Albany lnterleI-
ence as possible. 1t should have q charter
proper" corresponding 10 the constitution of
the state nation, and correspondlnSIy dlnl-
cult to amend. This should he simple and brief,
containing the general principles laid down by
the state for the management Of municipal COR
porations Besides this. the city should have
an administrative CODE" corresponding TO the
general laws of Il state, TO be enacted IN the
first instance by the state Legislature, but SUD-
ject TO amendment, in conformity with the
charter proper by the municipal legislature
Amendment of it by the state Legislature
should be made difficult. This, it seems TO us,
is much better than the plan suggested in the
defeated chicago cndrleT- OI IldhluS tHc CAiitSL
itself subject TO local amendment. Ii provides a
way for such changes in the local law as expert
ence suggests, and at the same time would check
the everlasting resort 20 Albany. Such constant
recourse saws the commission, is 'enervatnS in
Its effect upon the cardinal principle of home
rule In conformity with this idea the COM
mission would end the constant drain upon the
city's resources through mandatory appropria-
tions ordered from Albany. NO great corpora
"tiOn could long survive such mandatory calls
upon its purse as the Legislature from year to
wear at the demand Of personal and local In
.'terests has made upon the city treasury" The
ideal Of the commission is that the municipal
corpora ton, once chartered, should enjoy some
thing like the freedom from legislative nterfer-
ence in the management of its affairs that
private corporation enjoys.
On three or four of lie larger questions of
city organization the conclusions of the COM
mission are interesting. The Board Of Estimate
and Apportionment would he retained, with
slightly increased powers but with four MEN,
bers specially elected at large to take the place
of the borough presidents This is a combina-
ton of the idea un erlying the present board
with Mayor McClel' ans suggestion of a new
board 10 consist entirely of elected members
The borough presidents are undoubtedly the
members of the present board who could best
be dispensed with. 1t might be well moreover
TO have some members of the board who could
give their whole time TO duties which have
proved onerous to officials elected primarily TO
perform other functions.
The borough presidents themselves the com
mission would retain, but it would strip them
of some of their powers, including for instance
the maintenance Of streets. In order 10 retain
in the city government the local character which
it now has under the borough presidents the
commission would have more deputies of the
leading departments appointed and put in con-
troll Of borough wOrk-the system that now pre-
walls in the Police and Street Cleaning depart
ments.
As 10 the ever ve1ing question of the munich
pal assembly two suggestions are offered. What
mortal could expect an agreement upon this
harassng topic: Both suggestions are for
small body, and after our various experiences
with city legislatures, unicameral and bicame-
raj, every VIII probably he disposed TO say
The smaller the better, The first plan is for the
election of sixteen members who with the five
borough presidents would be the municipal as
sembIy. The second plan is to substitute an
even smaller body, TO be known as the board of
ordinances and to consist of all the members
of the Board Of Estimate and Apportionment
Except the Mayor and the five borough presi-
dents. This second plan would probably draw
better men into the city legislature than the
first
The present senseless plan of dividing up the
control OF the streets among so many different
persons that no one knows who is responsible
for their condition is Of course, condemned. A
new Department Of Street Control is recon-
mcnded, TO have full authority over the streets
including street cleaning, but DO control over
the water mains under them or the traffic upon
them.
Such are the most important and most radical
suggestions made 10y the commission i'm its in
teresting and valuable report Legislation along
these lines would tend 10 make New York a
selfgOverning and selfrespccting city
FAITH AND THE PLAGUE