New-York tribune., 1911-04-05
MAYOR TO Be DICTATOR?
Provision of Proposed Charter
Makes Him One.
BOARD OF ADMINISTRATION
Controlled by City's Head, 1t
Would Leave No Room for
Individual Judgment.

| What 6 probably the most sweeping pro-
vision for the Capitalization Of power IN
the hands of the Mayor that was ever con-
tanned in a New York city charter has
been put into the document prepared Nv
Corporation Counsel Watson at the sug-
gestion of Mayor Gaynor and just intro
duced at Albany. II is contained under the
innocuous heading: Matters of admins
trative detail" and reads as follows:
There shall ne board for the determi-
nation Of matters of administrative detail
relating 10 the several departments. which
shall he composed OF the Mayor. the Con
troller and the Corporation Counsel. This
board shall regularly determine and have
exclusive control of the jurisdiction, func-
tions. duties and responsibilities OF all de-
partmen,s boards. offices. commissions and
bureaus In the city, or any borough or
county therein. subject only to the pro-
vision of this act. The board may deter
mine any question which may arise as 10
the powers, duties and functions of all
divisions Of the city government. including
the counties and boroughs contaiped there
in"
1t was pointed out last night that the
Corporation Counsel. who would have the
deciding vote in such a board of three.
would he appointed by the Mayor and be
subject 10 removal by him. Naturally ne
would side with the Mayor against the
Controller in all matters of importance
that might come up for settlement. This
would make the Mayor the absolute die
tator Of all duties. functions and responsi-
bilites of the various city. county and
borough departments that were not abso-
lutely fixed by the charter. There would be
no room for individual judgment as against
the dictum # this board controlled by the
Mayor In this regard there would he no
distinction between an elected and an OPP
pointed official. apparently.
Persons who examined this section Of the
charter las, night were inclined to believe
that it would even go so far as to extend
to the powers Of the district attorneys of
the various counties in the city. The char
ter goes on TO say further
Subject to this act and to other pro.
visions Of law or ordinance, the board OF
administrative detail may make rules ana
regulations for all departments. boards.
commissions and Offices of the city, and OF
all the horOughs thereof and counties com
piised therein. relating To the following sub
Jects:
l. Purchase Of materials and supplies
without public letting, advertising or con
tract.
?. The disposal Of worn out or useless
city property without public letting. adver-
tisIng or contract.
3 The exchange of old or worn out per-
sonal property Of the city for new property
without public letting. advertising or con-
tract.
4. The ordering Of repairs in emergencies
and the ordering OF repairs without the OBJ
tanning of competitive bids.
r. The employment Of persons not I'm the
employ Of the city 10 render occasional
services.
The section In the proposed charter in re-
gard TO the power of the Mayor to make
appointments and removals is as follows:
The Mayor shall appoint all heads Of de
partments, the Commissioner of Accounts
and Statistics and the members of every
board and commission of the city for whose
appointment or election express provision
is not otherwise made IN this act or other
statute. The Mayor may. whenever In his
judgment the public interests shall SO re-
quire. remove from office any public officer
holding Office ~ appointment from a Mayor
Of the City Of New York. except members
Of the Board Of Education, and except also
judicial officers for whose removal express
provision is made by the constitution or
other statute No member OF the Board Of
Education shall he removed from office.
except for cause. upon charges and after
reasonable notice in writing and oppor-
tunity 10 be heard IN his defence.
This is even more sweeping than the
power in the hands OF the Mayor under the
present charter. which eXempts from the
power of removal. in addition 10 the above
exemptions. tho trustees OF the College Of
the CITY Of New York. the trustees of
Bellevue and Allied Hospitals and the
Aqueduct Commissioners. The latter office
has been abolished The control Of Belle
vue and Allied Hospitals under the proposed
charter is taken out of the hands Of trus-
tees and placed under an appointivc Com
misri0ncr Of Hospitals