New-York tribune., 1910-07-20
WHITE DEF|ES THE MAYOR
Can't Raise laborerS Pay TO s.
at Once. So Turns lnsurqent.
CONVENIENT BY MAYOR"
Aldermen Hear Usurpatlon
Scored; Then Stop Investiga-
ton of Newsstand Graft.

Alderman JOHNNY" White. SUCCESSOR of
me late Little Tim Sullivan In the Board
OF Aldermen. posed as an insurgent yester-
oay. denounced Mayor Gaynors attitude
toward the board and csue close 10 apply
ing the short and ugly term
O. course. Alderman White had no idea
Of .InsurginsS against Tammary in the
board He is far from being that kind of
f-7sg1rReut but what he did object 20 was
what ne termed "a government OF the Mayor
AID bv the Mayor instead OF the older
and better known formula, q government
Of the people, by the people ard for The
people"
AIodestlv enough the alderman assumed
70 stand for the latter kind Of government
The burst Of defiance came result
q the Mayors vczo message on a resclu-
-1or introduced BY Alderman White. which
called on the Mayor 70 direct that conpen-
sation Of laborers in the employ Of the city
be Fixed at SO a day. which resolution, the
Mayor explained. was ''tnadver1ent-" 10 say
the least because the Mayor had no power
10 raise compensation in such a manner
= an informed by the introducer of this
resolution that the Controller requested or
prompted him 10 introduce IT," wrote the
Mayor 7 do not see how this can be 50.
IS the following shows There must be
some misunderstanding.
on April 26. 1910. your board requested
the Board OF Estimate and Apportionment
70 fix the compensation of day Iaborers At
the minimum rate OF So a day. This r.
Quest was referred to the Controller and the
President OF TIE Board Of Aldermen, who
reported 70 the Board Of Estimate and Ap-
Vortionment on June %, 1910 that in their
orinfon II was advisable 70 make the mini
mum pay OF day laborers 50 so g day until
January / 1911. and 10 include in the bud
get for 1911 appropriations for day Iabore-s
a. the minimum ra9e OF So q day
The Mayors Power Limited.
The Mayors message then called atten-
ZION 10 the fact that the Board Of Esti-
mate adopted OF July l a resolution pro
viding rha1 the s. q day rate should be in
force after January l. 1871 and ended with
the following polite but subtle thrust
Moreover. allow me 70 say that il is
quite inc0uceivable that there should be
any member Of your honorable body who
does not know that the Mayor has not the
power 70 tx salaries and rates Of pay for
CITY employees 1 am certain this resolution
must have been passed II g moment OF in
adver-ence'
But the conciliatory conclusion had no
effect on Alderman White. and he jumped
up il apparent Indignation.
Being the iu1roducer Of this resolution,
! want 10 take exception 10 the reference
Of his honor the Mayor. 10 me- said the
alderman Il absolutely deny that the
Controller told ne that this was the proper
course 10 pursue CT that / toId the Mayor
that he told ne 50. 1 have no recollection
OF having any conversation with the Con-
1roller on The subject
y don't take my policy OF my politics
from his honor ne Mayor. I take my pol
icy from my constituents. and I do not
think that the attitude Of his honor the
Mayor ought 10 be tolerated in the city
government This does not seem 10 be
government Of the people. by the people
ard for the people. as his honor claims i
70 be but a government Of the Mayor and
tv the Mayor I think that The sooner the
Mayor comes 10 his senses, Jce better tor
himself and the city of New York"
Why the Alderman Did Not.
The alderman ended with ar -mpassioned
declaration 10 the effect that the only thing
that mad stopped hin from forcing through
the resolution over the Mayors veto was
the plain statement that the wage rate
would be increased 10 g q day after Jan
Ca-v 1 next
Runors afloar after the outburst had r
move his resolution through over the May
ors veto. bgt suhsided when the promised
Increase was set Tor after January L
The attempt % investigate the alleged
aIde-T-znic graft II connection with the
permits Tor newsstands was efecJuaIIy
blocked by 2 reference to the Committee on
Laws and Legislation II spite OF the pro-
tests Of Alderman Hamilton and Alderman
Johnson. The Republican floor leader, Ham
3Iron demanding q committee OF investiga-
ton. johnson proposing an amendment tax
lnig away the license issuing power from
aldermen
The question of the exhibition Of the pict-
t-es Of tne Jeftrfes-Johnson fight was put
Up 10 rne board by & communication from
tha Mayor. in which he pointed out that II
spite of ne hundreds Of letters and requests
he received asking that he order the picI-
u--s stopped ne had 10 power TO do 50. and
could not have. unless The board would pass
al ordinance making l. e penal offence to
exhibit such pictures
The board passed the question along 10 its
Committee on Laws and Legislation. which
erecruaIly kills any chance Of prohibiting
The pictures II New York, because the con-
-rittee along with the board itself, viii not
meet again un.ii September 90
= resolution fathered by Borough Presi-
dent NcAnenv asking for sz5.0GO for q
budget exhibi- was likewise killed BY being
referred 70 the Finance Committee. and y
request for $4,000 fo- salaries and ex-
penses OF the special Commission on Con
gesricn was refused
The board gave its formal approval 10 the
TAX rate. which was fixed as follows:
aisnhsrtan and The Bronx-.-------- 1-757ao
Brooklyn .------. ! S14pe
Queens ---. .--..- ---.--- 1sIOTg
Rich-n5-6- i ST501
The rate in Manhattan and The Bronx
& & points higher than last year, about
points higher II Brooklyn. 81 points higher
n Queens and u points higher IN Rich
uoud