New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-09-19
". F. SHEEHAN FOR DELAY
New Charter May Mean Party
Defeat, He Tells Legislators.
ASKS "WHY EXPERIMENT."
Public Is Satisfied with the
Present School System,
He Asserts.

William F. Sheehan. who was the de-
feated Democratic candidate for the United
States Senate last winter, has written a
letter TO the chairmeu Of the Cities COM
mittees Of the Senate and the Assembly,
respectively, in which he suggests that
further consideration Of the charter be
postponed by the Legislature until next
January.
Although Mr. Sheehan is one OF the coun-
sci Of the Brooklyn Rapid Transit Com
pany. which is vitality interested in the
additional and separate consent OF the
Mayor over rapid transit routes, franchises
and contracts, he does not mention that
part OF the charter in his lettet. lie says
in part
II may be reasonably assumed that the
statutes governing the city OF New orK
are susceptible of SimplihcaUon ana llu-
provement. II seems apparent tnat thtIe
is no prevailing public sentiment IN FAVOR
OF the passage Of the charter at TINS time.
This may be due TO the fact that the peo-
ule have not had time and opportunity 10
studv and understand its full scope and
purpose for the bill as whole mas NOT
been generally distributed through news
paper publication -,.,.
TO the activities and Vaccinations OF or
CARNATIONS or persons having pCIitlcal OF
selfish ends TO serve Is probably true.
Indeed some Of those who are denounclhs
the proposed legislation might now De al
Nocating il were II differently labelled.
Take for instance. the proposition that
the present Board of Education, COhSlSUhs
OF forty-siX members, be abolished IN FAVOR
of a small hoard, some or all OF WnOhl are
TO receive substantial salaries, 10 WhlCh
there is strong opposition. ! care say we
have to-day less politics in the conduct OF
our schools than in the halCyon days OF
INDEPENDENT, nOn-partsan administrator.
/ believe as a rule, that public ohclals
the principle generally speaking, is Souhu
that a small. compact body OF lnteIilSenI
men is more efficient than a large ana ul-
wieldy body. -,
Eut one must remember that the schooi
question brstles with danger when the PEG
uIe think II is being approached, even lndi,
rectlv from a political point Of view, ana
for this reason / believe more satisfactory
body Of men will be found TO serve as
members of the Board of Education WIFI
out salary than Will be obtained unoei
salaried system. The Legislature MN ne
correct i'm assuming tndt the people "Io
satisfied with the present school system
Why. then. experiment with any ChahGt
Indeed why experiment with the EXIST
ing charter at this session OF the IeSlSldl-
urc? The enactment Of new chartei -
not essential TO an honest or economical
administration of the city government anu
the prevailing public opinion Is ar SlIdEe s u III
tJysntace comes to political party not
so much through the framing of a charter
a. from rs wise and just administrator
Aside from The broad questions Of public
policy that are involved i'm the proposed
enactment (Which cannot be discussed AT
length here why hazard a party defeat IN
any of she b0rOughS over a matter that can
he taken up early i'm the next Legislature,
when fun discussion and deliheration viii
point the way 10 such changes as are es-
sential?
AgsemiIyman Foley. Of the legislative
charter committee. made final call on
Mayor GaynOr yesterday before going TO
Albany with the amendments to the char
ter. He said the text Of the amendments
would not be made public before they had
been formally introduced IN the Legislat-
ure.