New-York tribune., 1908-05-23
MORE CENTRAL POWER
CHARTER REVISERS IDEA.
apparently Faror Reducing Po1cer
of BOROUGH President.

Judging from remarks and questions of member.
OF the Charter Revision Commission at a public
| hearing on proposed changes In the borough gov
ernnents the commission is in favor of more cen
tralzation-that Is. reduction in the duties or the
borough presidents and increase in the functions
OF the local boards of public improvement TO make
them more efficient and direct means of COM
muncation between the people and the central gov
ernment.
William NJ. WINS chairman of the commission,
said in reply 10 who argued against changes
which would complcate rather than simplify the
laws governing the city: The commission is unani-
nous in the opinion that. where sections OF the
law have been construed by the courts and have
been found to work efficiently in practice it is de-
srable not TO make any changes in the phraseology
of the law
All the arguments presented yesterday were from
representatives of The Bronx Brooklyn and Queens
. and in favor of increasing rather than de-
creasng the local borough powers Mr. WINS said
he would receive briefs the subject up to July
l. and many signfed their intention Of presenting
their views in that way.
President Coer of Brooklyn startled some of
those present at first when declared that If the
commission would furnish two accountants ne
would show how the central form of government
had broken down. Mr.. WINS asked him to appear
before the commission in executive session at the
Bar Association next Wednesday night TO go
into detail on that subject 1t thought at hrst
that President Coler had some specific charges TO
make against the central departments His IDEA
however. is simply that. whereas, 1t has been
that abuses exist in some of the borough
governments similar abuses could be found IN the
central departments If the latter should be inves-
tigated properly
Frederick w Hinrichs who ran for Borough
President of Brooklyn, launched into what seemed
to be an academic discussion Of the relations be
tween an electorate and elected officers, and MT
WINS undertook to call him to order IN good
natured way
Are you endowed with the spirit of prophecy
more than the rest Of u.s." asked Mr.. WINS
Yes sir" replied Mr.. Hinrchs while everybody
laughed. But he amended by saying all men were
prophets he no more than others He referred to
the fact that he had been honored with seVerdl
nominations. but held an elective office ana
thought his political career was ended
while there is life there is hope" interjected Mt
Ivfns wSh a smile that may have had a double
application
Il have known you for some years" said Mr.
Hinrichs with a blush. and will take certain
amount OF this badinage from you with great
deal of pleasure" Soon after, however he sat
down
James L. Wells. who was president of Ihe Bronx
under Mayor Low, argued in favor OF the present
form of borough government. He favored the re
tention of the Borough President as a member OF
the Board of Estimate and wanted the local board
of public improvements increased in scope and
power. He said it impossible for them now to
exercise all the they possessed not only
because the meetings were not held when repre-
sentative men could attend. but also bcause OF
other conditions he would not name
The consensus of opinion in the commission
seems to be-" said Mr.. WINS that the meetings
of the local boards should be held when men of
affairs attend
Isn't it a fact" asked Mr.. WINS of Mr.. Wells
at another time, that the Borough of The Bronx
has become homogeneous part of Manhattan?'
Nr Wells replied that in this true
II. S Mcknight. of Queens, declared that the
borough government good. far as ii went,
but it did not go far enough. He said they never
went to local boards In Queens now because the
boards did not have enough power. When we
want water pipes put in he said. we put them
in expense.
Well am a resident of Manhattan, and have
to pay have my ashes and garbage removed"
said Mr.. Ivins with a smile
You talk about giving the local boards more
power" said Mr.. WINS little later but how
do you explain that after these boards have put
through assessment proceedings the assessments
are not collected. They haven't made up the
sessment rolls in Queens for five years.
Well. they tell they haven't got enough help
TO make up the rolls" replied Mr Mcknight
A. c. Hottenroth. Of the Taxpayers Alliance of
The Bronx about TO launch into long techni-
cal discussion when Mr. WINS interrupted to ask
that the ideas be put in the form of a brief. We
would prefer have suggestions in cold type
rather than in hot air said the chairman.