New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1909-03-10
VIEWS on THE CHARTER
STORMY TINE IN ALBANY.
Strenuous Opposition Before the
Legislature Expected.

q number o. persons outside Of the commission VINO
believed that the document was mastery bit OF
work. the majority seemed TO object TO one or
more Of the features OF she charter
Cnouestionably, the feature that brought forth
the most criticism and the which viii be siren
uouev opposed before the legislative comElittee :
that doinE away with the administrative and eX-
ecutive duties OF the borough presidents mere
are Indications that the political organizations OF
the counties viii unite TO defeat this idea. which
IS one Of The fundamental features Of the proposed
Charter
The provisions making impossible for a city
e-nploye To run for Office and for member OF any
political committee OF organization TO hold an ONCE
or place under the city have aroused the an'ag-
cnisrn of the political leaders
A+a.,or Mcclellan said he was in position
e give his views the charter. as II il be passed
in Albany II would have TO come before him IN
der the law he would have TO hold a public near
ing and return the bill with or without MS sig
nature within fifteen days He expects that il VIII
come 10 him late. If al ALL this session, and he
believes ifat he viii need the fifteen days allowed
for its consideration
Controller Metz who member Of the com
mission is enthusiastic regarding it 1t is me
best charter ever written he said yesterday. II
viii take the city out Of politics. and that VIII De
q long step in the way Of establishing this great
corpo-ation on the business basis II needs
The Controller said he realized that the residents
of the boroughs should have some one IN theE
borough familiar with their needs 10 whom 1leN
could &C on purely local affairs. This, he saiG' was
elected or appointed by borough presidents
PRESIDENT GOLFERS DIRECTIONS.
The present borough presidents are naturally op-
posed doing away with any Of the powers now
granted 70 that Office President Coler LED OH
with the following broadside;
The proposed charter Is measure for mlsgoV-
eminent and is based on the failacy that popular
government in the municipalities OF the Chteu
States has failed 1t would wipe out Brooklyn
II ignores what recent borough presidents have
: 1a= f0-01T ETh
the fact that under the centralized system 'he
Street Cleaning Department IN this city has been d
blunder and a Joke The charter would throw the
government into tie hands of Manhattan. 1t means
confusion COMMUNICATIVE throwing O. an
orderly government int chaos.
- am in favor OF home rule said President
Cresser Of Queens. My experience has shown me
that the best interests OF borough that Is grow
snE as Queens is growing VIII be conserved d! d
borough president and local boards Of The fullest
mowers Instead Of curtailng the powers OF the
borough presidents should favor increasing them
The views OF President Cromwell Of kichmond
are EXPRESSED in the memorandum which. with w
S Niles. Of The Bronx he signed and submitted
with the charter report He said he dissented from
The majority Of the commission the question OF
the administration Of borough affairs. as he did
not believe The charter proposed recognizes
the principle Of substantial home rule in local ar
FAIRS"
President HafTen OF The Bronx said that the Of
fee Of borough president might as well he abolished
altogether. Local self-government is what the
people OF the boroughs most need" he said
They are against Capitalization and strongly op-
rosed TO any curtaiIment in the management OF
their own affairs. I know better what the people
in The Bronx want than an official in some other
part Of the city
II is known that President Ahearn IS strongly
opposed 10 the curtailment OF the borough system
PERFECT DocUMENT'-MGowA
President MCGOWAN Of the Board OF Aldermen
heleves that the charter is the perfect docu-
rnsut OF its kind framed. and. as stated in
The Tribune yesterday, holds 1t 10 be OF the
greatest importance that II should be enacted al
this session CO the Legislature. so that the next
city administration could start cut under the new
system.
Little Tin" Sullivan. Democratic leader in the
Board Of Aldermen. is ''agin it" He said;
TT IS eeEtsng 70 q point now where central
.za5 bo3r will have all The power and the common
.eopie VII not be in It. The change in the name
of the s0eri Of Aldermen viii make little diner
ence The suggestion that the members OF me
municipal legislature be not pad Is good one
II viii Attract 10 the board better class Of men
those Vi do not seek the Office for the pay
The attera-t 10 prevent politicians from holding
Office and o4sceholders from taking part IN poAucs
lis nonsense
2 " b Brown the Republican leader IN the
Board OF Aldermen. 1t is more concise and IN
oerstandaLla than the present garter me pro-
pesal 10 take of7ceholders OAK Of politics Will
he adorted eventually. ! am in favor OF the pro-
Tosed changes in the Board Of Aldermen They
are for the best interests the city, because the
new bod. would re purely legislative, IL should
be and mixture Of administrative ana eA-
ecutive and auditing board, at present
Ezer;on l. Winthrop jr-, president OF the Board
OF Education. said he opposed 10 the PROPOSE
zion 70 deprive the board Of its separate existence
and 10 reduce Jhe number o. members l" AIleeil-
The board has passed resolutions opposing these
changes he said and the question will probably
come before Us again Personally l think Il is a
great iity TO make any changes ! believe the
board as II is be an excellent and efnceht or
ganization. All the members OF the board nave
talked with agree that Il would be unwlse TO mint
the rnenb ership fifteen. although there IS some
sentiment in favor OF reducing the membership to
q certain extent
The Aqueduct Commissioners had a long meeting
Yesterday at which. is understood, they con-
s5deres v-ays and means holding their jobs
CORONER HAMBURGER INDIGNANT
AS for the aDolishment Of the coroners Julius
rza-t,,rcer president Of the board. expressed the
INDIGNATION Of himself and his colleagues in the
following words:
7 denounce the report the commission arbi-
trary unjust aUtocraJic ard Un-Anerican DO they
recognize that coroners have been coroners since
the DAYS of he early English kings? Why, We
coroners have done more for the public welfare
than the Charter Commission vil ever be able TO
do / knox what they going 10 Go 70 this
charter in Albany.
Alarietrate Barlow. president Of the Board OF
Police Magistrates. speaking Of the provision that
fnques,s shall le held by magistrates, said he had
ALWAYS been of the opinion that coroners were use
less Il consider i perfectly feasible for magis
rrates 10 hcid inquests." ne said II il imposes
TOO much work Tor those have. tien let Us have
more nagistrs'es.'
ATarastrar. Barlow said the board had con
siaered the subject recently and that the
rlexion of tie board had changed since tie ques-