New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-08-30
Defends Small Paid Board of
Education and FaVOrS New
Departments.
COMBAT MAYORS ATTITUDE
Binkerd and Hardness Deny He
Has Power of Separate Con-
sent in Transit Matters
Barnes's View.

posed new charter that had not beer
touched upon in his first letter.
The Mayor defends the small paid Board
OF Education. saying. however. that hc
will be content whether il is decided tC
make this change or retain the present
large. unpaid board. He declares himself
against the proposition TO create al present
new department of ferries, taking Il
away from the Department Of Docks. liC
argues in favor of departments of archi
lecture. engineering. buildings. licenses and
markets. and weights and measures lie
also opposes the election Of "A city Cham
berlain.
Leroy r. Hardness. assistant counsel OF
the Public Service Commission. and Rob
ert :. Binkerd. secretary Of the City club
both issued statements yesterday com
batting the declaration of the Mayor that
under the present charter and rapid tran
sit act he has the power of separate con
sent in the matter OF rapid transit con-
tracts and franchises.
The Joint legislative committee was busy
yesterday in tabuating and examining
the various amendments 10 the proposed
charter that have been handed to It,
. Specifically it took up public Improvement
Anatters and the provisions for levying as
assessments for meeting their cost. Nelson
T. Lewis. chief engineer Of the Board OF
Estimate. gave them advice on the subject
Short Opposed to Charter.
Assemblyman Short. Of Richmond.
Democratic member Of the legislative CHAR
ter committee. called upon Mayor Gayhor
Yesterday and told him frankly that he was
opposad 10 the document and probably
would not vote for IL. II is SAID mat
Mayor Gaynor became exceedingly en-
phatic and declared that he intended TO
see that the citizens got real Democratic
charter.
chairman Barnes Of the Republican state
Committee was asked yesterday what atti-
tude the Republican members Of the Legis-
lature would take on the charter
81 do not intend to take sides one way or
the other" he replied. But l believe the
sentiment Of our members of the Legis-
lature is that if the charter is 10 he passed
al all il should not 90 into effect before
1871 There is much TO what Mr.. Binker'
the secretary Of the City club. is quoted
as having said. that the charter is a docu-
rncnt 10 annul the results of the election
of 1909. At that time the people voted Tor
candidates having in mind the duties OF
the Offices as fixed in the present charter
Now il is proposed TO change these duties
and powers. to take away power from some
officials and give it To others. | believe
that the citizens should have a chance 10
vote for men 10 exercise these powers Il
they are to be arranged according 10 the
proposed charter"
In opening his communication. 10 'He Jo'i''
legislative committee yesterday inc -Nd' Vi
says:
1t is rcsrettabic that matter so vital to
The welfare vi This city shuuld ne tie VIZ
tim of pctty political niGotfN ana IdISl.IC"l
ION For twenty-five years l have lodthed
tIi- p.ttv local craftsmanship IN city al
fairs. and loathe II to-day more l'd an L
ever did iu mt lie. Let 'lS an tdHe NE =
ground instead. and look to the welfare OF
IN" ott.
Taking mp the education chapter the
Mayor repeats what DE has said before in
its favor, and adds:
some people are telling us that the trus-
tees Of Harvard College, Columbia COL
lcge and colleges generally are not pdlt
and that their case IS parallel 10 our
BOARD OF Education. Why, there IS iloIS
work to be done by our Board of Educa-
ION than bv the trustees Of all the colleges
f. the United States. officials VINO are
not paid are mere voluntary W0rkeTs, anu
they will work when they ike and as they
Ike our DEPARTMENT of education has
nH6er if sSoa pupils and 1855 teachers
and expends over 100000 annually. All
! say. and all | have ever said on nm tiG
board we should pay the members.
II We gre not willing TO do that then
Ne should keep our present large board
md let il evolve working members enough
90 do the business after a fashion. ! am
content whichever course is followed. !
need not say to the people OF this city
tndt IL a small paid board is settled upon
| shall appoint members OF that board
without regard to politics or anything else
except th"ir efficiency. snaH apnolhI
men who will lift the Department of eduCa-
ton ia this city up 10 the highest tootlhS
that exists i'm this country. ] should pre-
far that their tenure bc during good be-
kay.Cr.
For Department Of Licenses.
Favoring a department which should
issue an the various kinds Of licenses the
Mavor speaks OF tho stoopline licenses for
news stands and the like and adds:
But ne 1.-THE Mayor cannot issue il Ia
UcenSel until the local alderman gives his
consent. I have since ] came INTO once
repeatedly exposed sales OF Sugh aid I..i,.
manic consents. The purchase price may
MOI 20 TO the alderman. but TO some out
side politician. Tho alderman may not
even know Of H. The prices pald foT sMcl
consents vary from 500 up 10 5000. The
Navor is continually signing licenses That
arc thus bought and sold without ms
know edge. ! particularly request that thls
local aldermanic consent be done away
With 4 draft Of the charter sent 10 Al
banv did away with it, but in some way a
proyision has crept in restoring IT,
The time may come, the Mayor thinks,
when il will be advisable to separate the
ferries from the Dock Department. but 1t
has not come yet
There should be a provision. he thinks,
IN the section creating department Of
architecture that the commissioner could
m tho case Of large or monumental build
inrs employ or contract with outside archi-
tocts Of eminence.
The Mayor argues for departments Of
engineering and buildings on the grounds
Of uniformity, continuity and efficiency
Ia regard 10 the provision for the de-
struction of obsolete records the Mayor
says.
4 provision in the new charter that, on
lin. order Of the Appellate Division Of the
Supreme Court. obsolete and useless rec
OIds may be destroyed is not unreasonable
or dangerous. The Commissioner OF rec
OIds writes 10 me that ne had u put IN AT
the request Of the Controller, who has a
mass Of such useless records which need
a. be got rid Of in some way. The eAtraV-
agaHt dcnuncatiOns on this subject are RE-
crettable ] hope they were iu good faith.
There are great masses OF such useless
papers in cellars and gaTcts Of public
buildings OF course, the power would have
% be- exercised with discretion.
In regard 20 ,hc Office Of Commissioner Of
Accounts tine Mayor is apparently willing
10 have the present charter provisions re-
tanned. lie SAYS.
think IL as well that'we have two. as
provided for by the present charter. one a
public accountant and one 10 conduct in
vestica;ions Such Investigations are now