New-York tribune., 1912-02-14
county Boomers, with Monster
Petition, March on Capital,
Venting Wrath on Opposition.
NOISY COMhITTEE HEARING
nelegation Decries Speaker Who
Puts Quality Before Guam
titv"-Threat to With
draw Loans.
rBy Telegraph TO The Tribune.l

.orrvlng roll two feet in diameter,
.stitior containing $4,000 names, 45O
Hronxites to-day marched from special
train OF five cars up State street to the
Canitol to appear for the bill erecting
Bronx County at the hearing before the
,ont committees OH Internal Affairs,
The monster petition was placed on a
vooden standard in the wall of the As
sembly chamber. Enthusiastic speakers
for the bill frequently gained inspira-
tion by pointing to it, and generally fol-
lowed ther allusion 10 the petition by
ouoting from the Declaration of lnde-
nendence or some other equally patriotic
document. The delegation wore badges
hearing the words Home rule and Bronx
county" and were vociferous in their
applause for the spellbinders.
Representatives of real estate inter
ests made up the greater part Of the ag-
rregation which appeared against the
bill. Robert G. Simons, who said he
personally appeared for interests repre-
senting $4,000 presented petition
against ire DIOpOSlNiOti SiS ~ - lN~i'~
the assessed valuation Of whose property
he estimated at s65,OOo,OOO
Quality, Not Quantity" Says One
"They are the people who built up The
Bronx" he said, "who have brought
residents TO The Bronx. They are the
quality. not quantity"
The -emark about quality caused a
murmur of ridicule TO pass through the
ranks of the advocates OF the bill, and
every one Of their speakers took particu-
lar delight in flaying Mr.. Simons for it.
ITO hell with qualty!" shouted Lewis
f. Gibbs Damn the quality" was the
way former Coroner Albert F. Schwan-
necke vented his wrath.
In answer 10 question put by As
sem mblyman Schecter, Of The Bronx, Mr..
simons admitted that the stockholders
in the various enterprises with which he
is connected were not residents Of The
Bronx and that most of them lived in
Manhattan He held that the passage
Of the bill would result only in an in
creased tax rate and decreased borrow
ing power.
Another opponent was James L.
Wells. a former tax commissioner and
at one time Borough President. He
declared that New York City took over
The Bronx when it was bankrupt and
made possible its present prosperity. The
greatest asset Of The Bronx, he held, was
the fact that it is in the same county
as Manhattan. Mr.. Wells got himself
into a heated passage of words when
Assemblyman Schecter asked him about
his connection with the joining of The
Bronx with New York. His answer
didn't suit the Assemblyman. who asked
the chairman TO instruct him to answer.
Refused To Be Instructed.
"Who are you instructing? You can't
instruct me-" shouted Mr.. Wells.
Then Senator Stilwell interrupted to
ask If he were a lawyer.
Are you?" came back from some one
among the opponents.
Il have been for twenty-five years"
hotly retorted Senator Stilwen "and
want to say right here that I'm not an
Eccelerator."
The LeXt speaker. against the BILL j..
Clarence Davies began by saying that he
was not born in The Bronx.
The Bronx is glad of it," shouted a
man wearing a Bronx County badge. BY
this tine the passing Of such remarks
became SO frequent and boisterous that
James s. Parker. the chairman, threat
ened to clear the chamber if it con-
tlnued
J. Harris Jones. president of the North
Size Board Of Trade. said that many
Wills disposing Of Bronx estates con-
tained clauses that the money shall not
he loaned anywhere except-in New York
County
Millions Of dollars in such loans" he
said, will be called if the Bronx County
bill is enacted, and | know of one man
alone, the trustee Of $10,OO0,OO0 Of these
loans, who will call them the minute the
bill goes into effect"
Taes Would Be More Equitable.
]. o. Hammitt, for the Citizens Union.
appeared against the bill, saying that if
the county lines in New York City were
abolished there would be much more
equitable distribution of tax rates.
Joseph =. Hennessey began the speech
making for the bill. He said that the
keynote TO the opposition had been dol
lars and cents, and no consideration had
been sven TO the common people The
Bronx, he held, is now regarded as a
joke by the people Of Manhattan. Olin
J. Stephens, William Flynn, ex-senator
George Schulz. Charles D. Steurer,
George Price and Lewis o. Van Dorm
we're among others who spoke for the
measure.
EX-Assemblyman Seymour Mork, who
introduced the bill last year, said that it
had been, charged that only politicians
seeking jobs and lawyers were for the
biH
3m lawyer, but not politician, .
ne said. IF l were politician. would
have been back here this year. Politi-
clans win and statesmen lose"
a letter IN opposition to the bill was
read 10y Justice John j. Brady who
said: The assertion that the establish
meht OF a sheriff, a county clerk and
register viii be convenience is absurd
Hlnety-eight per cent Of the business
win theso Offices is conducted through
iawyers and should say that 80 pei
cent OF the lawyers who have such deal
Hgs have offices In lower Manhattan and
would be iuconyenienccd rather than
ofherofS,n