The evening world., 1911-10-30

lhcre was a Chartcr Revision COn-
mission appointed in 1907. 1t made a re-
port to the Governor in December Of
that year. pointing out the confused con-
dition Of the present charter, Of which
we are all painfully aware, and recon-
mending a revision. Thereupon in April
Of 1908 the Legislature appointed a
Charter Commission, which was COM
monty called the WINS Commission. 1t
worked at the making of a new charter
and reported in March, 1909. II de-
parted 80 widely from Our present char
ter and from the present structure of our
city government that its work proved
unsatisfactory. In that same year the
Legislature therefore appointed a new
Charter Commission to continue the
work. We commonly call it the Ham
mond Commission. It prepared a char
ter, and it was about to pass the Legis-
lature in 1910, namely, the year in which
I became Mayor. No city official had
read it. Nobody in the city appears to
have taken interest in it. In these cir
cumstances Borough President McAneny
and myself called on the counsel for the
Commission, Mr.. julius Mayer, and
asked him that it be put over until this
year 50 that the city officials might read
Il and revise it and suggest changes. l
promised that I would do what I could
not only to have the city officials review
il, but also to bring it to general public
attention and discussion here in the City
Of New York. The Commission granted
our request and put the charter over un-
til this year. Immediately after the ad-
%journment of the Legislature Of that
year I called all heads of departments to-
gether, gave them each a copy of the pro-
posed charter and instructed them to re-
view carefully the chapters relating to
their departments, respectively, make re-
ports thereon, and suggest any changes
which they might think wise. I also d.
rected the Corporation Counsel to or
ganize 4 staff Of expert craftsmen in his
Office to receive all these reports, and
also suggestions from all quarters, and
then revise and perfect the charter. In
this way I called public attention to the
matter, and a wide discussion of it was
opened up. Reports came in from all
the heads Of departments, and sugges-
tons from many other sources, and the
craftsmen in the Corporation Counsel's
Office did the work Of licking every
thing into shape. This work was we'll
done. The basis was the work of the
WINS and Hammond Commissions. In
the winter we submitted a tentative draft
Of the proposed charter to the Legisls-
ture. 1t sent a committee down here,
which sat for two weeks and heard every
one who had anything to say on the Sub
ject. The hearings were public and
largely attended. The discussion of the
work was general. The Legislative Conp-
mittee then revised the work in the light
of the criticisms and the discussions
which they had listened to and the sug-
gestions which had been submitted. The
committee then came down here this
summer again and gave further hearings
for several weeks and worked on the
charter right here in conjunction with
the various bodies who were interested
in the matter. And yet some people who
call themselves e~ood-that is to say. ever
so much better than YOU and |, dear Mr..
Crimmins-said it was a secret charter.
1t was given the widest publicity. Every
one was heard. The present Legislature
only continued the work which had beer
begun in 1907, as l have stated. and 0
tinued down to this year. 1t was turned
over to them for completion. They took
the matter up at that point and COM