The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1911-09-17
MAYOR TAKES A BACK SEAT
AND LISTENS As PRENDERGAST
HAMMERS THE CHARTER.
lie Declined a Platform seat and Also
Box at Brooklyn League Meeting
Prpndprgast Points to Him as Nc
Dcuo,nces parts Of the New Charter.

lyn and heard Comptroller Prendergast, ,
who knew thai he was there, shoot holes
In the proposed new charter lie a'so
heard Borough President NcAnenv say
n great many uncomplimentray things
about it and listened 10 harsh WORDS
likewise from former Public Service
Commissioner Edward NJ. Bassett and
number Of other speakers. Later the
Mayor sat as an impassive witness while
the Brooklyn League under whose aus
pices the meeting was held. adopted
resolutions opposing the acceptance of
the charter
The Mavor was invited to the meeting
10 al, upon the platform, hut he declined
Then the league offered him a box. but
Mr.. Gaynor also refused this, saving that
he vas obliged to go to st. James. A
lone policeman guarding one of the
entrances spotted the Mayor when he
came in while Mr. McAneny was speaking
The word that he was there found its way
to the platform in just about the time that
IL took Mr. Gaynor to find his incon-
epicuous seat.
Not once in the course OF the speeches
that followed did the Mayor give any
sign that he was taking notice OF the way
many Of his pet phrases we're being thrown
before the audience He didn't applaud
and occasionally he moved uneasly in
his ses, but none of his neighbors had
an opportunity to know how the speeches
we're affecting him.
Mr. Gavnor came alone end but few of
the audience knew that he was there.
Once in a while a head was turned in his
direction when particularly acid remark
came from the stage. but that was ell.
To Mr. Prendergast fell the major share
Of the batting Of charter makers. When
the applause for Mr.. McAneny. who had
himself said some sharp things. died
down the Comptroller stood for several
seconds while the hands in front of him
clapped
The cordially Of your, receipt ion is
glad that you have been so gracious as
to give me this reception. because ] know
after receiving it that cannot belong to
that band of petty falstiers who have
been condemning the. new charter.
iAplausee That is unless we are all in
Il shudder. Mr.. McAneny, for the esteem
in which you are going to be regarded in
the near future. The crime Of lese
majesty. believe you call it, committed
by you and Mr. Bassett tonight, will
certainly call for condign punishment.
You can expect in the very near future
several epistles ll.aughterl regard
ing the delinouencies of the Fresi-
dent of the Borough of Manhattan.
more laughter | am sorry to see
an angel fallen from grace, but OF
because e-" and here Mr.. Prendergast
shook his long index finger in the direc..
ton of the last rows-"I have belonged
in the darker regions for some time,
Il am sorry that the revised draft,
the letest revised draft of the new charter.
Il. do, I foa II
be ready for presentation to the Legis-
lature on Monday night 1t is not COM
pleted The revision is not through.
but, gentlemen and ladies'. there is not
n wrong thing in it. Laughter and a few
whistles some Of us have worked
opinion that the good old summertime
was devoted principally to the clasping
Of hands. looking into eyes and other
innocent amusements. but we know
that during the last summer they tried
to put over charter which despite the
good features MIR NlcAneny has de-
scrbed contained upon its first presenta
tion some Of the most atrocious prop
ositions ever submitted 10 the city OF
New York
IL do not wonder 1t was hard to get
somebody TO stand for its pa aternlty Who
would want to father thing like thatt"
Mr. Prendergasi made a speech of
some length At one time he said that
there was Just one more point he wanted
to take up The audience urged him to
"You have long line Of distinguished
speakers here" said the Comptroller.
.Well we like you better" shouted a
voice, and Mr. Prendergast smiled and
kept going
II make this assertion" said the Comp
in this new charter" and here again his
finger wagged in the direction of the
Mayor far az the present system Is
concerned that has not for its basis either
the accomplishment of some political re,
venge, the satisfaction OF some personal
grudge or the improper aggrandizemen'
OF power
The Comptroller said that he had no
quarrel with Senator Cullen. He told
how this legislator had called hin, on the
telephone and had offered To let him see
the PROVISIONS that applied to ara the Depart, ART
sent two assistants to Albany. who were
admitted to the parleying room after
some delay. They found there repre-
sentatives of the Corporation Counsel &
office.
who, should like to know asked
the Comptroller had the right to keep
my representatives out when the Cor
poration Counsels Office had men there
passing, upon the features OF the new
charter?
~ was only after tney nau Deen IDleuHeu
not to divulge to the newspapers what
the new charter contained that they were
allowed to take part In the deliberations,
And by whose orders, ! should like to
know, were the provisions inserted which
gave to the Mayor the absolute veto on
matters Of franchises? III tell you. On
the orders Of the Mayor and Mr.. Murphy
OF Tammsny Hall"
The loudest response Of the evening
came to this shot. which the Comptroller
sent toward the back rows
Ralph Jonas, who opened the meeting
explained that - had been arranged
by the Brooklyn League so that there
might be a general bipartisan dis
cussion on the subject Of the proposed
charter.
while we do not condemn all the pro-
visions, said he, we do strongly critcise
many of them as well as the manner
that has characterized the attempt To have
the charter passed, and we nave not hea rd
any great demand or urgent reasons why
an entirely new charter should hc pa ssed
at this time" He introduced Russell
Benedict, president Of the league, AS
chairman Of the meeting This was how
Mr. Benedict sized up the new measure
Experts in the science Of mlsgovcrn,
ment" said he. have Formulated and
are attempting 10 pass a so-called charter
for the city of New York which from
their point Of view and for their purpose.