New-York tribune., 1909-07-15

: smilIon or more before it is finally completed
'' As to Charge Is, the report says:
Charge Is relates to the respondents interest
IN the holdings Of the Sound View Land ana
Improvement Company Clason's Point road
IN considering that charge, nave SItte9 my
opinion that the respondent was largely induced
to bring about the construction of that long ana
costly highway by his desire to increase the
value Of his own and his associates holdings in
the Sound View Land and Improvement Com
pany. 4 borough president who buys land IN d
locality in which ne contemplates constructing d
great highway lat viii in all probability en-
hance the value Of his investment and theh
causes the highway to be built though II Is both
very costly and very premature Improvements
brings duty and self-nterest into relations sure
10 be prejudicial TO the public welfare anG laI4i
10 the faithful administration Of his official trust
I call attention again. however. to the fact that
the respondent denies that he was ever the bene-
fetal owner Of any stock in the SOUND We"
company. and his nephew cOrrOborates him. ON
the evidence presented TO me. and after closely
observing these witnesses l dscredit their tes-
tinonv. Consideration of the testimony which
the respondent gave the subject of this
charge during the investigation by the Commits
sioners Of Accounts in the summer Of 1905, in
The light Of his admissions during the hearings
IN this proceeding, makes il quite impossible for
me TO place any reliance upon his statements
unless they are corrohorBted by disinterested
and reliable evidence
THE BATHHoUSE CHARGE.
Charge Is as prepared by the Commissioner
Of Accounts was as follows:
local board Of Morrisania. with veto power
recommended. Influenced and brought about the
acquisition by the city at general city expense
for use as a public bathing place. shore prop
erty az Hunts Point. on the East River that is
wholly unfit for such use by reason Of the close
proximity Of public sewer TO the same
Evidence presented before the commissioner
showed that the beach at Hunts Point was en-
tirely unsuitable for bathing. that a double
sewer discharged near hy and that the land was
mile and half from the nearest highway OF
Importance Regarding the attempts of Presi-
dent Haffen 10 escape responsibility for this
purchase Commissioner MacFarlane says in his
report:
The respondents statement that he deemed
himself under no responsibility in the matter,
because il was non assessable improvement
and that the whole responsibility rested with the
Board of Estimate and Apportionment is not a
Justification II is his duty. President Of the
borough TO be actively interested IN every pro-
posed Improvement in his borough which is
brought 10 his attention officially and upon
which he takes official action This duty. OF
course, becomes all the more imperative when
the proposed Improvement involves large ex-
penditure Of money
Assuming it to be true that his practical veto
upon resolutions Of the local board applies only
10 public improvements to be paid for by
sessments the fact remains that the local board
did recommend the acquisition Of this property
for a bathing place. that he transmitted this
recommendation and that it upon the local
boards petition with his approval. that the
Beard OF Estimate and Apportionment acted in
the matter. There is no reason TO suppose the
Board Of Estimate would have considered the
establishment OF Hunts Point Park had il not
been called 10 that boards attention by the
President
Hunts Point Park was situated in the re-
spondents borough. As member Of the Board
Of Estimate and ATportionnent il WAS his duty
10 be familiar with the conditions affecting il,
and to have informed the board Of these condi-
tions and the unfitness Of the locality for the
purpose for which the local board recommended
the purchase.
AS 10 the statement of the committee of the
Board Of Estimate appointed to investigate
President Haffens connection with Hunts Point
Park-'It nowhere appears therefore, that the
President Of the Borough Of The Bronx acted in
this matter other than he believed TO be for
the best interests OF the people Of The Bronx,
that he is in any way responsible for the
amount Of the award paid"-Commissioner Mac
Farlane says:
It is intended. apparently TO go no further
than to exculpate the respondent from any re-
sponsibility for the price paid for Hunts Point
I Park by the city In certain sense this is true.
II however, the committee meant that the re-
spondent is free from official responsibility for
the whole proceeding. I should be compelled
eTnphatloally 70 disagree with the committee.
Commissioner MacFarlane also says:
The petitioners say in their report and brief
that they do not claim that the respondent had
any pecuniary interest in the acquisition by the
city Of Hunts Point Park 1 do think this
d
rninistraJive positions Of great Importance. owe
70 the public many obligations besides the duty
70 refrain from peculation. II officials. holding
administrative positions of such great impor-
Iance as that occupied by the respondent are to
ee held to any responsibility all for proper
performance OF their official functions. the con-
duct Of the respondent in this matter should not
be allowed 10 60 unrebuked.
AS TO charges 9. 10 and H. that the Borough
President wasted public funds in the main
tensnce Of public buildings and Offices. highways
and sewers Commissioner MacFarlane saws:
Nothing has impressed me so much throughout
this proceeding as the excessive number of Off
Gals and laborers employed TO do the necessary
public work Of the borough He continues:
Probably the most vicious manifestation of
municipal extravaganza is the establishment of
needless positions and the employment of exces-
siye numbers Of officials and laborers as we'll
as the appointment TO necessary Offices of ner-
sons poorly qualified for the duties of their no
sitions. In considering these charges 7 have
loaded his payrolls with a very excessive force
very much greater than the public work of the
borough requires. The charge is one difficult Of
proof and there is, il is true a conflict of evil
dence on material facts between the forenoen
Of the respondents maintenance force and tho
witnesses presented in support Of the charges
Ny own conviction. derived from the evidence
and the Impressions made upon me by the ,Yit-
nesses, has already been made clear Rut in
charges like these, where there is a dsDute in
respect TO essential facts between witnesses an
parenty equally entitled to credit however clear
my own conviction may be. prefer to give the
respondent the benefit Of the doubt 1t NAV be
salo also with some force. that for this extrava-
CANT expenditure on needless officials and Ia
borers. which. IN certain sense does not involve
an accusation of personal misconduct the froner
remedy Is probably political. to be sppljed hy
me electors at the polls rather than bv executive
action. -