New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-07-08
TIE REMAINING DANGER.

Inc 0inenulUtHl VI MI c'h"Sh S"S
gested by Mayor Gaynor apparently
leaves City Hall Park in almost as much
danger as ever, unless there are legal
obstacles to the invasion of the park III
the way proposed. Under il the Board
of Estimate and Apportionment is to
have six months to agree upon a site for
. courthouse If ii fails to select one IN
that time then the Courthouse Commits
sion is 10 be authorized to select one.
But the Courthouse Commission has al
ready chosen City Hall Park and is
known TO prefer it as site. Therefore.
IL the Board of Estimate and Apportion-
ment does not find site In six months
the first two of which will he the va
cation period of the board-then The
Courthouse Commission may put the
courthouse in the park. If Mayor Gay.
nor wishes TO do his utmost TO keep the
park free from invasion he should sug-
gest that the amended Stilwell bill for
bid the placing Of the proposed building
in any of the city's parks.
The Mayors attitude in regard to the
courthouse proposition is singular. He
does not disguise his impotence with
all who are trying to protect the park,
and talks of their activities as "ObStruc-
tive" He blames the delay in bulldog
the courthouse upon them and declares
his disappointment that he receives no
constructive" suggestions from oppo-
nents Of the courthouse site, as if no duty
10 be constructive lay upon him and the
Board of Estimate and Apportionment,
which has had the report of the Court
house Commission in favor of the park
site pigeOnhoed for nearly year and
half. And. moreover. he would create
the impression that he had no power to
disapprove the Stilwell bill, on the
ground that if was not city but Il
county bill Is not bill which pro-
poses to take city property from the
city a city bill? The constitution is cx-
plicit in regard TO the bills which must
be sent to the Mayor Of a city for his
approval 1t defines general and special
city laws as claws relating TO the prep
"erty, affairs or government OF cities,
and the several departments thereof.
and it says that special city laws. those
(which relate to Il single city or to less
than all the cities of class shall
after passage by the Legislature be trans
mitted to the Mayor or Mayors of the
cities affected, for acceptance or rejec-
ton. \ bill which proposes to take for
county purposes large part Of City Hall
Park emphatically does relate 70 the
property of the city.
And as a lawyer what does the Mayor
think of the plan by which it was pro-
posed TO take the city's property? Upon
this question the letter Of Mr.. Edward
lIagaman Hall. OF the American Scenic
and Historic Preservation Society, pub
liShed in this issue of The Tribune, is
interesting. II recalls that when the
present Tweed courthouse was built
the county Of New York bought the site
from the city Of New York That shows
how much more regard for law and regu-
larity existed in Tweed's days than at
present. for the Stilwell bill simply au-
take as much of City Hall Park as il
likes for county purposes, without pay
ing for the property or without any proc
ess Of law whatever, When showing its
contempt for the rights of this city to
Nelf-gOvernmeut the Legislature evil
IDENTIFY meant to do a thorough job of it
city Hall Park belongs to the whole
oity-Manhattan The Bronx. Queens,
Richmond and Brooklyn-and we Go not
believe the Legislature could authorize
New York County, without the consent
Of the city authorities and without con-
domination proceeds IS, TO take part
Cf it for its purposes any more than it
could authorize Westchester County to
Go SO.