Perth Amboy evening news., 1912-01-06
WRITES LETTER
To- CARRETsOn

Theenlya~s Hstth6rity for the selec-
stfon of a vice president is contain
ed In the t-wenty~eighrh section OF
the charter andw areads az fellows.
And be 1t enacted, That the Iegis~
latfve power Of the City OF Perth
Ambeyfshall beNAsested tn the mayor,
aldermen and eounciInaen, who SHAFT
constitute the council; the council
shall annually elect, one of their
number to he vice president, who
shall preside In the absence of the
mayors saHda5nveasa OF the absence OF
the mayor and the vice president
1.-THE council may select one Of their
numbersto preside for the time be-
ling IL can readily be seen that
the council established by this
Iprovision is one which consists of
the mayor, aldermen and council
men, and that ii is this council as
so composed that Ia given power te
elect a vice president for the ex-
EpEessed mp OF presiding Ia the
tabseRcer,suf the mayer, who was a
member and presiding ofHcer there
of. The only purpose OF his Gre
Iatiun was to preside In the absence
of the mayor.
Now, all this mas been changed
by the act OF 1891 (P. +. 1891, ID.
al. This act entirely changes the
organization OF the council 1t pro-
viaes Fer TIC c,1- * casy one
alderman from each ward. for the
election OF an observation-disclosures
and that he shall be president of the
council or board OF aldermen. The
of this was to take this mayor
out OF the council altogether. +
cannot think that It was the inten-
ton of the Legislature to so rad
ically change the structure of this
body, and yet allow It to remain the
same In one particular which will
bring about the anomalous result
Icontenaded for. When the mayor
ceased ITO be spFssfding officer 1t
seems to me the office of vice presi-
dent failed also. The fact that he lis
given other powers Ia another sec
ton of the charter In the absence
| OF the mayor does not seem to me to
alter the Situation. Section Is alone
.Eprevides for his creation and clearly
states the reason for IT..
a Recommendation.
IL, however, there Is any doubt
about the legality of the action, had
those who were responsible for 1t
desired to be fair, and not to have
lconsummated their action In what
Is clearly a trick, and had Gully the
desire for the regularity OF the
council proceedings, then you should
have been elected vice president,
This would have put all acts be-
yond question, instead of now cloud
5ro Sbs nrof4ax, ~. oro $naa aua~ ssha
act OF 1891 makes you q member
with all the powers and privileges
lappertaining to the office OF council
man or alderman" and the proyis-
ion of the charter sbove quoted.
that 1.-THE council hall annually
elect ii Of their number to DO vice
president, who shall preside In the
absence of the mayor. There Is
not a thing in the charter which
wauId make your election SIS vice
president inconsistent In fact 1t
would clear up the whole situation.
Lands DR. Seaman.
1t seems to me the only coarse
now that the eotatscif q honestly
pursue, L. they still hntd to- the be-
elect q vice president. IL to- reeonsId-
or the action OF the meeting on
"Wednesday night aud Then siact you
svtca ra1a@.
II very nguta pleased to read
IMr. Seamau's letter. kaew ne
would moi stand for such q thing,
II should think tises ether members
would feflew hfm wflHn they con-
slider how greatly THAR aetion Is
condemned by the people