New-York tribune., 1910-11-23
CHECK INVESTIGATIONS
Aldermen Rebuff Board of Esti-
mate by Cutting the BUDGET.
GAYN0R CAN REVERSE THEM
Bowling Leads Attack, Aided by
Two Republicans and Three
Fusion Aldermen

Under the lash of Alderman Frank l.,
pcwling, the Tammany leader of the Board
Of Aldermen. and chairman of its finance
committee, that board yesterday admins
tered a rebuff TO the Board of Estimate
on the ground that the Board of F,stinat u.
was trying TO usurp the rights and duties
Of the Board Of Aldermen by providing for
any investigation of city departments. the
aldermen cut from the budget for 1911
S5o.0o0 appropriated for an investigation
Of the Board Of Education. s35, 900 for an
Investigation of the Department of Char
tiles and Bellevue and Allied Hospitals. and
$4,000 for an investigation and equaliza-
tion of salaries paid in the various depart
ments Of the city government
The finance COMMITTEES having cut out
these items. the board passed the budget
without them Mayor Gaynor has the pow
az of veto over this action of the board but
he would not say last night whether or not
Re would use II. Not only may he cut out
items passed by the board. but he may
rescind their eXcisions, leaving the budget
as whole.
The Investigations that had been planned
by the Board of Estimate were not of
past actions in the departments but gen
eral investigation of the organization of
TIE departments in order that they might
he reorganized with a view to more econom-
ical and efficient management.
Partisan Lineup.
It was largely partisan lineup when it
came TO a vote all the Democrats voting
for the adoption of the report of the finance
committee also three fusion members and
two Republicans Other than this the Re
publicans voted soIidly against it, but the
report was carried, II to %. All Of the
borough presidents with Hhe exception of
President Gresser. who was represented by
proxy. voted against the report.
The two Republicans who deserted their
colleagues on the proposition were Michael
J. Nolkman and Waldo s. Goodwin, of The
Bronx The fusion men who voted with
Tt mmany were Lawrence J. Mulhearn,
Lawrence j Pagan and William H. Finley
The aldermen based their argument that
they and not the Board of Estimate have
power TO investigate departments on Sec
ton 81 of the charter. which says the
board may from time to time appoint a
sreciaI committee to inquire whether the
laws and ordinances of the city relating to
any department are being faithfully OBJ
served. and the duties of any officer in the
city are being faithfully discharged, also TO
report whether there are any unnecessary
inefficient or unfaithfuI employees or any
excessive salaries or compensations paid"
Alderman Johnson, leader of the Repub-
Iican minority declared that the striking
out of the appropriations for the inVesuga-
tons was not a sincere effort in the direc-
ton Of harmony. but partisan attack on
the Board of Estimate
Borough President McAneny said that
IL
their minds he wanted to protest against
what he considered an unfair attitude.
IF z division exists in this board on the
subject of passing the budget said Presi-
dent McAneny, 1t will be a direct slap
at the Board of Estimate, which is not
inclined 10 divide along partisan lines
DowIing Leads Attack.
Alderman DowIing was on his feet most
of the time while President McAneny was
talking. and frequently interjected re-
marks so that it took on the nature of a
colloquy.
The city already has investigators and
experts on its payrols TO the tune Of some
s844. 600 a year. declared Dowling, and
now you want TO add some $4,000 to the
budget to provide jobs for more
Alderman Dowling attacked the item for
budget exhibit, declaring that the one
recently held was joke. The only good
thing about it was a horse that was thirty
years old he said and the poor thing
had a horse laugh
He also attacked President McAneny for
cutting out of his budget some $4,000 for
the payment of salaries to 4 group of
women cleaners. President MCAneny as
sured the alderman that he did not intend
to discharge a single one of the women.
and had simply provided for reducing the
force through the regular course of resig-
nation or death.
Herman Ridder. representing the Hud-
sor-FuIton celebration committee, asked
the aldermen TO appropriate $4,000 to wind
I'd the affairs of the committee. The re-
quest was sent TO the finance committee
The board passed. a resolution calling on
citizens 10 contribute 20 the fund for st.
Mary's Hospital, in Hoboken. as gift
of gratitude for what was done for Mayor
Gaynor.