Perth Amboy evening news. [volume] (Perth Amboy, N.J.) 1903-1959, 1912-01-05
Gives Opinion that Demo-
Gratis Proceeded Within
Bounds Of Law and Charter.
DALTON ACTING MAYOR
Republican City Committee
May Meet Tonight and De-
eide Upon Action.
MUCH COMMENT HEARD
Many Sympathise With Gar
retson--Supporters Find
Flaws in City Charter.
MUCH COMMENT HEARD

- ~uAf tSts
City Attorney G. G. Hommann has
backed up the action OF the Demo-
cratic organization, In e1ecting AL
derman Lawrence G. Dalton I'd the
newly created Office OF ricc~president
OF the board, thereby giving him the
powers Of acting mayer by an opin-
ion today In which he holds that
said action Ia within the bounds ct
law and the city charter. He says
the aldermen have the power and
right to elect a vfce-president, re-
gardless OF the fact no such officer
has been elected In tile past. The
Republican City Committee mxy
hold special meeting tonight, and
eHdeavor to And some means at re-
dress. Many Democrats and Re-
pubifcans alike are Eympathixinx
with Alderman-at Large Ferd Gar
retson because Of the trick the DEM
ocratie organization played to take
the acting mayorshfp from him
Cites Law On Matter.
The city attorney stated In an
opinion to Mr.. Garretson and
NEWS reporter, that the action to
name Lawrence G. Dalton as vice
president OF the council and conse-
,quentiy acting mayor of the city, to-
replace Mr.. Garretson was perfectly
within bounds OF the laws govern.
ing the subject, He said the lawa
of 1890. under which the city was
divided into wards and aldermen
were selected from them ana an aI-
derman-at-large was enosen frenr
the city at large. we're now worked
under, but that did not preveslt TIE
city frum living up To tlfut nnrtaon
az sectaan 2 of the city chart tsr n ieh
provides Tor fna seIActIe cf IL Vice
president OF the caune1l
~sG~ig evident To Mr. q d *-sss ssassss
Sym ---.sss IT, tlse en- al ths
laws on al Wsas that tlla alderman
at large should Hrf fass mayor pf III
city In case Of absence, resign III ION
or death OF the chief executive. They
claim the city was nrst really given
a fiimsy foundation on which Id
fight the Convery Extension and
other legal matters. when vice
president wes named - ccc.
Ing mayor. Tho charter provides
that there should be three aldermen
and six couneilmen selected from the
city at large and that the mayor
should preside over them. There
fore the intent of the charter. ac~
cording to Mr.. Garretson, seems to
have been to have vice president
chosen to act as presiding officer OF
the council and acting mayor when
the mayor was absent, resigned or
dead
MIR. Garrefson's Contentious.
Now 1t IL further contandesI by
Mr. Garretson. that when the city
changed its Cover s9fens araording
to the laws OF 1890, the change In
cluded the abolishiGs s. slls usllee al
vice president because the city
would then have an alderman at
large to act In the mayors stead.
The frat chapter OF the laws Of IVlI
provides that the atderIll i i i j,
OF a city shall act as mayor during
the mayors death. AS ii makes no
provision for the mayors absence or
resignation, the Dem oeratic organ
ization, he declares. tafas advaataga
or this fact and reyerts back to d
part OF the old goss nsslent eo4 cred
by the charter and selects yica
president. Mr. Garretson says IL Fl.
plain that Intent shown In both
cases is in his favor and that by all
that is right, the alderman large
should become the acting mayor Of
this city if the mayor is not able to
act, regardless of what is contained
in the charter.
Live Up to City Charter.
Mr.. Garretson's friends and syn1-
pathizers contend that II the city has
adopted q part of the charter for It's
government at this time. It might
as well live up to all parts of it and
revert back to old times: have the
city divided into three wards and se-
lect aldermen and councilmen and
have the mayor preside at council
meetings as in former days Hr
Hommann said this was not neeeH-
sary. He asserted the city could be
run under the laws of 1890 and still
have vice president fo act as mayor
In cases OF Necessity, because there,
was nothing In the laws of that
year that prevented the rity frc1s
maintaining such an Office.
Was Voorhees, SetiOn Lcgal2
Those on Mr.. Garretson eide
would like to know. II MIR. Wiehf's
explanation for the change is really
true, why are not all acts OF William
ID. Voorhees, as actiag mayor nnsI
aud void: why It not that very tecf-
nical bond issue invalid and shy are
not all warrants signed by Mr.. Voor-
hees as acting MAYER veia sFascse
are questions the city attorney deem
subjects for debate MIR Honna nann
says even the charter was net really
lived up TO when the city affairs were
governed by IT. for he declared il
provided that the payer as presiding
officer of the council should only
have a deciding vote. but d yosa at
ways voted.
lFontfnued On rage