New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-10-27
Efficient Executive. Not Charter.
Required. Thinks Mitchell.
DEFINITION OF A DEMOCRAT
One Who Rejected Boss Rule, He
Declares at Dinner for Those
Who Opposed Document,

At dinner N tho Democratic legislators
| who prevented the enactment ~ the pro
/ posed new charter. given last night a. the
/ Hotel Aston. President Mitchell NJ the Board
! OF Aldermen after prs sing tho ccura seous
/ stand taken by those Senators and Assem-
/ hlvlnen. told them this CITY did not stand
/ IN dire need 81 any new charter whatever.
/ There IL no major radical defect IN the
! government Of this city to-day said Sir.
1 Mitchell that could not be rsmedied b.
| efficient executive action"
/ As examples 10 prove his statement, the
! President Of tho Board Of Aldermen point
\ ed 10 the scandal IN the Police Department
under the Baker regime. the scandal n the
City Chamberlains office under HYDE and
/ tho more recent budget estimates from de
/ partment heads. which sums III 70 2 q per
! cent increase over the last departmental
estimates
can YOU blame charter defect for the
disgusting conditions in Ccney Island last
year" he asked and could rot those con-
dtions have been ended In tventy-four
hours by efficient cooperation between the
Meyor and tho Police Commissioner? or,
/ take the scandal in the CITY Chamberlain
ohce-what was needed there was the
strong hand Of q willing and disinterasted
executive
The Mavor can give us iust as good a
government under the present charter as
he wants 10 What railroad president Or
/ head ~ sny other big corporation did you
/ ever hear ~ who tried 10 control his bust
ness by philosophical maxins, sophistry
/ and fstherly epstles7"
Taking up then. the y per cent increase
/ I'm me departmental estimates, Mr.. Mitchell
/ asked the diners whether they would not
/ agree that g definite and announced policy
/ OF economy by the chief executive would
| have hold down the eXorbitant increa ses
asked for by the various heads Of DEPART
ments.
As Democrat who still believes in
home rule. and in majority rule" said Mr..
/ Mitchell. Il believe that the only members
r. the last Legislature who are entitled 10
the name Of Democrat are those who stood
| out against the boss and the machine and
| voted against this vicious measure. and
adiure you that when the city needs new
charter the Board ~ Estimate is fully ca
psble of drafting an instrument through a
real commission ~ experts, which viii fully
meet the citvs needs.
Mr. Mitchell took I'D he challenge issued
I by the Mayor on Tuesday night, that no one
could put his "thumhnaiI" on any imper
lection In the charter. and "a a sample of
the size ~ his "thumbnails pointed out
the subway veto" the STATUTORY bud
get committee" and the "city engineer" pro
VISIONS explaining how the last two. taken
. with the expanding function of his depart
ment heads would give the Mayor the ah-
solute control OF the appropristins, the
spending and The auditing NJ tho citv's
money
IT'S no new thing IN this town N fore
swear a campaign pledge" commented Mr..
/ Mitchell. 1T must nave been known.
think. as far back rs the DAYS Of Epic
tetus"
!. Hsmpden Doushsrty. who was ? nam
Dor Of the WINS commission and also
edited and revised" the first draft ~ the
! "Gavnor charter" said ho thought the
/ "Gsynor charter was q curious com
round. and the most extraordinary mon
creI document" he had ever seen.
'r have given my hours 10 \ study ~
/ charters" said AR DouEhertv. when
/ other people were roadinE Epictetus. and
/ even nov J don't begin 70 know all that
was in that latest charter. There was a.
/ ways something new cropping up every
time 7 studied A. and always II vas some
( thing which T would haze 20 call vicious.
Mr.. DoushArtv said that when he under
/ took the work Of editing and revising the
charter he believed in the purpose ~ tho
Mayor brit later ne came 70 the belief
that the charter. a. e was prepared in Al
rarv would have Tu- this city absolutely
a. the mercy ~ the worst interests
Robert <. Binkerd. secretary Of the CITY
. Club who fought the charter AZ Tho public
hearings Of tho Cullen-Folsv committees
in the city Hall. praised the stand taken
by the Legislators against g. and said civic
/ organizations were content 70 feel that
they had aided by giving some publicity 20
. the bad features Of the charter
William P Hornblowsr presided. and
among the guests were Controller Prander-
CAST. Borough President McAneny. As
ser1hlvman William 4. Short. Harold r.
Friedman Harry Huber Edmund z.
Terry and Senators Loring NJ Black. j.,
I and Dennis T. TTsrte.