New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-10-08
ALDERMEN CALLED CLOG
TO CITY GOVERNMENT
a,ard Adjunct to Political Party
f,roanization, Says Citizens
Union Committee.
vo1ES SOLD FOR PATRONAGE
nsnartment Heads Embarrassed
bv Hold UP Methods, Report
Runs, and Useful Functions
Blocked by Influence.

a. - present constituted, the Board
,SlS.rrnen is a clog IN the city GOV
o.rt There is ground for the belief
~. the board has purposey acted as a
ca that thus the power Of the pc
49, district organizations may be in
uu...d and department heads compelled
ss;sJ5 10 their reeomne dations in or
20 obtain appropriations 10 carry on
~. work o. their respective departments.
r,,s &c the Indictment drawn In the re-
~ a special committee OF the Citizens
- ~ the executive committee or that
sanitation
rno repor, is aimed 20 call the attention
=, rs prbHc 10 the large powers that are
80, ~ the Board Of Aldermen and to the
- m which they seem TO have been used
many members o. the board for purely
'.st,cal and personal advantage. An ex-
,,,.ive Investigation" reads the report,
as forced the conclusion tia, the Board
=, Aldermen serves rather as an adjunct to
=, polticaI party organizations than as a
hrsrcb OF the city government"
Y IS then stated that the question this
al is how 90 elect 20 the new Board Of
Aldermen honest and efficient men. who
rsn be safely intrusted with the important
,-oblens Affecting all the citizens.
Functions Used for Patronage.
Frumerating the extensive powers Of tie
Roard OF Aldermen under the charter, TIE
r,port says many of them are rarely eX-
srrised While others seem to be used for
the sole purpose Of obtaining patronage fc.
Tho district organizations OF the political
narties or 20 gain partisan advantage. Rec
ords of votes on various matters are giver
by way Of showing the truth of this state
mont
Il is asserted that mucH OF the time OF
the present board has been taken up with
the consideration of requests o. department
heads for special revenue bond issues TO.
needs not provided for i'm the annual bud
get and for authorizations 20 make con-
tracts without public letting. In each case
approval requires a three-foUrthS vote o.
al members OF the board.
Speaking .f these requests. the report
SAYS:
While nearly an such requests We're
eventually approved. many OF them were
defeated vlen they first came 90 q vote
Their initla. defeat turtnermn~e. has rare
them. Most OF them could have been
passed when first considered if they. had re-
ceiyed the votes OF those members present
who refused 90 vote either for .r against
them
The record shows. therefore. that nearI.
every member of the Board OF A.dermeI
has. o. a number OF occasions. 10y taihue
to vote. participated iu TIE defect Of o
resolution granting such O request. anU
later, bv voting for IT, participated in 10.
passage upon reconsideration.
Between the initial defeat OF the measUI
anG It's ultimate approval delay has o.
eurref. Such DELAY is often tm. arr1ssilg
20 heads Of departments
fiiS is undoubtedly one OF tine .avorifC
methods bv which the aldermen clog pub.
Nc business What is the purpose OF tie
aldermen iu so DOING
Give Figures TO Prove Delay.
The minutes OF the board on twelve re.
quests Of department heads show that
while they faleI of passage at FIRST they
we're Iut through anywhere from two