New-York tribune., 1911-09-01
ROOSEVELT ON CHARTER
Attacks Provisions Increasing
Powers of the Mayor.
GIVES CONTROL TO TAMMANY Y
Former President Criticises the
School Provisions and Those
Regulating Franchises.

Theodore Roosevelt discusses the pro-
posed new charter in The Outlook just
issued. He says:
The methods pursued in imposing a
charter upon the people or NeW lolA-.
II would be a rank absurdity 10 speak OF
the process as granting a charter 10 the
people OF New York-by those IN power
at Albany unfortunately the events OF the
past session have made most men feel
! that this is merely a roundabout way OF
saying. those in control OF Tammanyl give
an almost ideal illustration OF how MOI
! TO act in the matter Of self-goVernment
/ There are many things this charter pro-
! poses 10 do which. in the judgment ol
good citizens, ought not TO be done
For instance. IL ought TO he fundamental
that the Mayor should not have power
over the finances of the city. uncnechen
! by the action OF any other elective OF
! fetal. But the transfer Of powers from
| the Controllers Office 10 that or the cor
] poration Counsel. VINO is an appo!ntes %
the Mayor, brings about precisely tns Ih-
checked control by the Mayor. (Cnder
stress Of popular criticism. this provision
we are now informed, VIII pronapiy oe
/ al9a -ed-whch admirably illustrates tnt
need of such criticisml The provision
eliminating the power Of supervision eX-
ercised by the State Civil Service Comnlls-
/ sion over the Municipal civil service ON. III
mission is almost certain 10 mean I,s ems
elimination OF all real effort to achieve
| the merit system In the appointment W
| those occupying the lesser positions in the
municipal civil service; under the STATE
I Civil Service Commission there may haNe haN
been shortcomings, but II so, tnls Is CeI
tainly not the way 20 remedy them.
The Board OF Education has been recon
stituted on principles which nave DseH
emphatically condemned by the oest edu,
Gators in all parts OF the Union. insttdu
Cf being kept as a state function. education
is practically made city function, ano
the appointment OF those who are TO nae maze
charge Of II is so arranged as 10 maze
il almost certain that sooner or later u
will be treated as an appdnage OF ne
politicians. The Mayor IS given power
10 hold up any franchise; a power WhlCH
in New York City is Of enormous con-
sequence The power Of the Governor tu
remove the Mayor upon charges ana , aIteI
trial is taken away. NOW, IL ls LlsH'
that the Mayor should have great power
him strictly accountable for the eherclse
of the power.
Charter Goes to Extremes.
very thoroughly believe in concen-
trating power In the hands OF the ex-
ec,rive, but the proposed charter does this
10 an extreme degree, and yet reneVes
him of responsibility for the way ne eH-
ercises the power. II is 70 the last de-
gree unwise to have the power over me
finances left unchecked in the Mayor :
hands r is 70 the last degree unWlse "a
make him a despot over the ehucatoIld
system Of half the state or New ! oIh -,
for New York City contains half the pop
ulation Of the state II is Thoroughly ull,
fortunate that no power should ne lodgeo
in the hands Of the Governor WHEREBY 'he
Mayor can he called 10 account. -. .Le
But bad though the provisions OF tht
charter arr. the method of thrustlns me
charter upon the city Is mucn worse
The change of wording in provision diIeI
those of the Bureau Of Municipal Research
wholly unable 20 tell Just what Us meant
for instance, il seems clear that the chdr'
ter gives the Mayor power 10 Destroy dns
public record whenever he sees III, nose
Taspongble for the charter published a
summary which was wholly misleading
and only the popular demand frightened
them into making the whole cnarter pun
lie far enough in advance OF action lo
give a chance for popular dlScussioH
Practically u the Legislature. Whlch is
10 meet al Albany next month, does rs
Tammany expects. the organic law uhueI
which five millions Of people are 70 I'VE
will be imposed upon them without allow
ing them 10. take any real part IN framing
it, without giving them any adequate op.
portunity 10 express their opinion upon ~
infinitely varied. and sometimes oDsecurely
set forth, provisions. \ more unueIho'
| cratic method of procedure could not n'
The citizens OF New York have not asked
for this charter There has not been thf
slightest popular demand nor agltsuor
for H. Arizona and New Mexico contaiI
together not much more than one-tentt
Of the population OF New YORK yet lHeS
have drafted their own constitutions
through their own representative. whose
debates were widely reported, and whose
actions were finally passed upon by IN.
people of the territories concerned ane
we're then. and not till then. submitted u
| Congress. The people of the city OF New
York. ten times more numerous, are not
given ANYTHING even approaching the op
NTexico 10 fix for themselves the funda
mentaI law under which they are 10 live
They have had no choice. direct or m
direct. as 10 the men who have FRAMED
fLis charter. and they have been In nj
Wv consulted az 90 It's provisions.