New-York tribune., 1909-03-27

s+r,,nv being the provision which for twenty-five
years has dishgured the law. A section OF the
charter actually declares that a statute passed IN
1853 which took away the corporate life OF the
old Public School Society, was the statute unoer
which II was organized and existing.
NEW CHARTER ORDERLY.
Another advantageous change Is orderly arrange
nent The present charter is labyrinth IN which,
after you leave the vestibule, you wander IN con-
fusion. The new charter is systematic ana SYM
metrical Its purpose is TO enable the reaoeI "
know the law as it is An interesting PROOF OF lts
success in that respect can be found almost dahy
in newrpaper comments which show that the COM
mission has brought to light the exlstence ol Sc
tons of the charter which have remained lniOeuueu
in its ponderous phraseoogy for years without pun
Ic consciousness Of their existence nave SeeH
many things quoted as innovations wnich are AZ
fact old matter brought to the surface anu p4e-
sented in simple phrase.
The Roman Emperor CaIigua is said TO nave
written his imperial edcts on such lofty Soiuiiii'
that no one could read them We are even "oI
hacausA we nut our law into so many statutes that
life might be spent without the attainment VI
knowledge of what the law ts. For the hIe' ''iie
in the history of the city in many senera'lo'iS ~"
its people be able to know what Its charter is'
The avoid improper omissions the "orh VI ~
vision has to be conscientiously perforneo,
monotony of the attempt to preserve the 4et0o' -
the statute without the loss Of single iuea' Se'
TO put everything into short and terse phrase caN
be appreciated only by those who have trIeu It.
charm Of orderly arrangement is that II not only
clarifies the text but easily lends itself to proper
curtaIment Of expression.
The scientist or the philosopher with an lnteiieot
trained in orderly methods will enunciate sene d
proposition with precision in less than half the
words which an unframed mind would Use IN SUIT
ing II iunperfectIy The attempt OF the present COM
mission has been to do this for the city char'e''
1t is not meant that It's members possess SIea'e1
intelligence or knowledge OF the law thah tleir
predecessors. They have, however, not Oeeh Ie-
peIled from this great task. and they have taken
time for its performance although not so much
time as in my Judgment. the proper doing Oh II
requires.
CHAPTER ON TAXATION.
Take for example the chapter taxation, pre-
pa red by the commission with the aid or the presl
dent of the Department OF Taxes and Assessments
Roth the charter and the code chapter on taxatloh
are brief not having half as many secuohs as Tue
present charter, yet how simple the whole SUBJECT
is made No change Of consequence Is Haue III
the law.
Tho cbanter on education which is receiving some
premature criticism from members of the Board Oh
Education who have not yet seen the aoInlhls'Ia-
tive code, is simple when contrasteo Win 'lle nun
dred involved and almost stupidity worded sections
of the present charter chapter II our educator ,
are responsible for that chapter 1t is matter OF
no wonder that the English Of our schools is not
better.
The powers of the Board Of Estimate and Appor-
uOnment,
government, are almost succinctly set Ior'H Ii
the new charter as are the powers OF Congress III
the federal Constitution. The making OF this com
prehens!ve statement was task OF magnitude III
voIvinR the examination Of hundreds Oh secuohs u
the present charter for deep in the heart OF many
sections are lodged powers Of one kind OF aaotheF
to be exercised by this board. To eXtricate al THESE
powers from their hidden sources and TO ehurhela'e
them in proper language was no shsht uhoel
taking. 49,
II the separation Of the present city charter into
a city constitution and an administrative Cooe
he desirable II smpllhcaton be preferable 10 con-
fusion II brevity be preferred to extreme pro-
uxity If understanding of the law be better than
ignorance OF 1.-THE chief value OF the Work OF the
commission is as 1 have stated, in the preparation
~ q brief charter and of a comparatively orlei
code. ..
That work would have been OF the utmost cohse
ouence had there been no changes whatever pro
nosed In the scheme OF the city government Inc
changes are comparatively few. This the puDH'
should understand before attempting to pass Juos-
ment The few changes along the lines OF CITY
evolution and in the direction Of the unlnca'ioh Vi
the metropolis
II will be seen, therefore. that II the puDliC Juus
vent sustairs the effort Of the commission 10 prh'
order out OF chaos and simplicity out OF complex
itv ~ should be a comparatively easy thhS U
rs upon the few substantive changes that ar'
nroposed and II any OF til m snould not meet gen
erai approval the Legislature can rtaciy-aIih's
with stroke OF the pen-Rdapt tne Co... '"' ana 'l'
lie