New-York tribune., 1909-06-14
ATTACKS LEGISLATURE
Citizens Unions Report Says Charter
Vas Not Seriously Considered.

The report Of the Citizens Union committee on
legislation, which will be made public soon. criti-
cises the Legislature for giving serious consid
Grafton 10 the charter for New York proposed by
the WINS commission. and declares that under the
existing charter extravaganza and waste are in
evitable
Neither committee seemed seriously to consider
action the charter this year." says the report
discussing the legislative career of the WINS char
ter draft except provide for the joint commit
tee TO investigate
This joint legislative committee is made up of
members most of whom. when the proposed charter
was under discussion. were opposed TO it. At its
head IS Assemblyman T. w. Hammond, of Syra-
cuse. political associate of State Chairman Wood
ruff who was opposed to the feature aboshing the
borough presidents administrative officers
The Citizens Union committees report gives a
synopsis of the provisions Of the proposed charter
including the change in the Board of Aldermen 10
City Council unsaIaried; the shifting of all
financial control to the Board Of Estimate and Ap-
portionment. in which would sit the borough presl-
dents. shorn OF administrative functions and the
tablishment of central bureaus supplies real es-
tate and engineering and uniform system OF ac-
counting in all departments II continues:
Under present charter economy and efficiency
in administration not obtainabie in full de
make eXtrdvagance and waste inevitable OHlcal9
responsible for bad administration are placed pc
consoIidated into arsater New YORK fun of ncon
sistencies of mUerfect divisions Of authority
Under it chaos is mandatory. An example is the
distribution Of control over the city streets among
the Board of Aldermen. the Board of Estimate and
ApporJiOnnent the Police Department, the street
Cleaning Department, the Health Department. the
borough presidents and the Department OF water
supply, Gas and Electricity
The functions of these authorities conflict. ana
it is at times hard decide which of several in
consistent orders issued from different sources
should control This incoherence and confusion is
greatly aggravated oy numerous special acts of the
Legislature intended to give relief in specific cases
ana resultina virtually in administration Of the
city departments from Albany Fundamental er-
rors also made the distribution OF functions
between branches Of The CITY government The
same officials sit as members Of the Board or t-st-
mate and AppO-tOnment to vote appTOpria tons
then. administrative officers, spend the appropri-
atoms thus voted
Opposition 70 the new charter developed from
various sources. Legislators protested against the
request of the Charter Commission that they con
them its complement. the administrative code
which forth the administrative details of eaCh
department. In the horoughs of Brooklyn. The
Bronx. Queens and Richmond dSapproNaI was
voiced because Of the failure 10 provide for an ad-
rninistratve officer to he elected in each borCusn
Of Estimate and Apnortionnent power 70 fix their
salaries. although II is necessary 70 the business
adni1istratlon or the CIV as II Is 20 1lg ,iH
business CORPORATION that the noCly WhlCil
makes appropriatiorE should he accorded ultimate
authority over salaries of employees
The committee the chairman Of which is julius
Henry Cohen considered during the legislative ses-
sion 5s5 bills. Its efforts were concentrated on op-
posing 159 Of which thirty-fve passed both houses
and eight became law: and on advocating sixty-ive
bills Of which twenty-eieht passed both houses and
sixteen became law. The constitutional amendment
affecting the debt limit also was advocated by the
union II passed the Legislature for the second
time and will submitted 10 the people for vote
AZ the coming election