New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-08-21

Job or other Would not the CRY soon be
heard favoring a bipartisan or non-parti-
san board. each equally clever during the
operation of the rule OF addition. division
and silence? The history OF our city gov
eminent furnishes some examples OF TIE
working OF this rule.
The present board has been as efficient
as the Board Of Estimate and Apportlon-
ment OF this and of previous admin stra-
lions has allowed ~ TO be. Too often tne
delays and insufficient appropriations or inc
city authorities have been responsible for
action or inaction for which the Board OF
Education has been criticised or blamed.
Where and wnat are the charges against
the board or any If its individual members
iustifying IFS abolition by the Legislature
There never was a body of public servants
who rendered better service 10 any city than
the members OF the Board of Education.
and that. TOO, without hope or Thought
of reward The worst thing which this
board has done was TO favor the doctrine
Of equal pay, unWise and wastetu! as IL H.
and vet. if Miss Strachan Is 20 be believed.
you also favor IT, Surely you cannot con-
denim them for that. Two OF your own ap-
pontees 10 this board are subjects OF crit-
cisn-one. a novice. having been member
but a few months. for assuming 60 spea a
~ conditions as "depiorable,' yet falling 20
specify wherein and TIE other for belnS
guilty Of rather bad taste in aiding COM
mittee OF the LEGISLATURE to annihtate me
body 81 which he Is member.
Safety IN Numbers.
The adage that there Is safety in num-
bers applies with much force 20 board
Of education. Neither corruption nor scan
dal mas been connected with our board
No one man has been able 70 control or 20
deliver the board II has been an mae
pendent board. in the best sense. ana tIle
astonishing fact is that such independence
as n has shown. instead 81 receiving COM
mendation from the city ofncials, IS one
of the reasons alleged for It's deStruc ION.
These men. taken from all the various
walks OF life and representatve ~ d
marked degree OF the citv's communities
intent upon the proper discharge or their
duties 10 the public. after lew year
service become specialists IN me par, .p.ll,-
lar featu of the system 70 which they
have been assigned, and tnev are. al!u
ought 20 be. free from improper dlctatl,0n
And let me say IN passing, that 20 aoo,sA
such a board would strike a serious DIV
AZ the public spirit manifested by these
citizens thus rendering service unrequiteo
BY dollars and cents.
II Is too true, as YOU. Mr.. Mayor. nav
remarked. that men are almost wholly IN
tent upon their private affairs. " ny snoulu
YOU take away about the last NesuSe OF
a chance TO serve the public, torge,luI o.
private interests. Because THIS ooaId y IN
dependent IN a proper and wholesome va
would YOU create servile board
The national government IS Struggling 20
dissolve certain trusts a. menace 10 M
people Your charter would create an edu-
cstioral trust and give II more man
100000 q year ct the people money -
work with
I speak Of your charter and your board
in this resuect because I find that YOU are
consistently and insistently favoring tne
scheme. and the Legislature and its Lead
ers seem 20 have abdicated IN your favor;
Where is the civic body. the public spirited
CITIZEN. the educator or the friend Of the
public schools who favors plan lnVolV'ng
so great a pert % this greatest ot our free
Institutions
RAYMOND \. Ingersoll. chairman OF the
executive committee Of the Committee OF
One Hundred. and William J. Schieffeiin,
chairman Of the Citizens Union, issued
the following statement in opposition 20
the charter YESTERDAY
The proposed new charter aims 10 null
~ the success ful fusion election Of 1919.
Fire- OF all II seeks 20 reduce seriously
the movers Of the Board OF Estimate the
most successful governmental agency tndL
the CITY has ever had THIS az llne Nteh
The whole electorate has been edu' aLed 20
true appreciation Of the functions o.
-ha+ hoard and has given IN A full meas
ure Of public confidence
Under the PROPOSED scheme OF govern,
r-,ert the Mavor would have what would
amount 70 a greatly extended veto power
His separate assent would be required IT
all franchise matters, includlng conlrdcl1
for operating the new suDWlys Inc lolle
DELAYED and much debated subway coniro-
verev OF which q solution has been worker
ont without q suspicion Of improper I'D
Auence. would be thrown completely mo
bfs hands Unlike the veto OF Gov
ernor or President, the refusal or his sep
srate assent could not be overridden' even
BIZ a unanimous vote.
The powers Of the present members ol
the board would be further impaired by
tho addition 70 their number OF the ma
iority leader Of the Board Of Aldermen.
Also by trausference 20 the MAYOR OF con
troll over the makeup ~ the Budget COM
nittee. whose selection IS no" ndue p'
the board as while.
Furthermore, there would be serious
reduction # the administrative functions
az every member Of the board, with the
single exception or tho Mayor. who, IN
contrast would be given Czar-llNe autHor-
Tbus each Borough President. In add
tiou 20 losing HE vote IN inc BOARD OF Al
derrnen would be deprived % much or
his present control over borough improve
1ents which control would be largeiL
tie MAYOR The separate assent Of bor-
ouzl President to action taken by local
improvement boards would no longer Do"
required
would DO relieved ~ his present duty 90
acting AZ Vice MAYOR Instead tho Mayor
would be authorized 20 select his Own
VIcn-Nfayor when himself absent or unable
rGo controller would he stripped ~ lis
present power to Investigate the methods of
axuanditffre IN the various departments I'm
tu. main ne would Dee compelled =" pay
without audit contract claims vOucned for
nv department heads. As 20 salary ac-
counts nc would b" bound by tho cerunCa-
ton OF tne MAYOR Municipal civil S~rvlc"
commission His right 10 audit or adjust
DISPUTED claims. which have been for
thirty DAYS unpaid and on which the claim
ami has seen rt-e!ther because Of this very
r-oy-ision or otherWi ee-tO give notice Of in
tention 10 sue. would De taken from him
and vested In another appOintc" OF the
MayOr-thc corporation Counsel
THE MAYOR himself would he given pre-
negatives more aurOcratic In character than
those entoved by amy Governor or by the
Ijraside,-1 ~ The United States And while
governors and President are removable
by Impeachment. IL ls proposed 90 Abolish
the one final check upon an incompetent
ar corrupt Mayor by Gepriving the Gov
ernor Of his present power 20 remove upon
charges.
These are some u the ways in which II
10 sought I'm the midst OF ID capable and
successful administration of the citys a.
fairs 10 SHIFT the who'll centre Of gravity
in the ciir government. ne essenta5i r.
suits OF the last Cit election would ne
completely upset. All this. II is submitted.
would BE- ripper legislation Of the most
vicious sort.
Time IL short The public hearings 10 De
held this week must. from the very nature
Of the case 5e inadequate. But among all
the citizens there has lately been growing
q new conception Of the greatness or our
CITY r IL inconce!vabe that their wishes
In this matter Will so unheard. or wholly
I,nneeded II Is no less conceivable that the
citizens will fail 10 retire 20 private lie
snv public servant who helps 70 forward
. c-e-,a eo -fvparra ntad and ruthless