The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-12-14
MAYOR PLEADS FOR
HOME RULE IN CITY
Tells Brown Committee Re-
sponsibility Should Rest With
Board Of Estimate.
WANTS GREATER POWEh

tho city g0VernmefN. we believe v
should be actually responsible. We Sin
ply ask the State to give us the pow,
and we'll agree to face the music"
In these words Mayor Mitchell. ,cs,if,
ing before the Brown legislative comm
tee at the city Hall yesterday afternou
summed IN his plea for a larger mcasui
Of home rule. The Mayor was the o..
witness. and he had not finished his ties,
mony when the committee adjourned T..
resume It's inquiry at IL O'Clock tn
morning. Comptroller Prendergast am
President McAneny Of the Board OF Al
dermen were present during the after
noon, and one or the other will follow IN.
Mayor on the stand.
The committee, of which Senator Zion
r. Brown, majority leader In the state
Senate. Is chairman, was created by the
Legislature to investigate the finances ~
New York city.
Sees Need Of Relief Pers.
After Mayor Mitchell had been All.
swering questions for moro than an hour
yesterday Senator Brown said:
ut Is apparent that you ought 70 have
relief OF some kind. and we are here T.
try Il give 1t to you
Once. however, when Mr.. Mitchell safe
he would like to sec Increased power
guaranteed the Board Of Estimate by III.
Constitution Senator Brown eNpress.f
his opposition lie cited tho casa -
Rensselaer, county in support Of MS
position that the state should not fo-fe'
Its authority 20 ACT In financial matters
81 have v advocated any measure
Of home rule which Quiz interfere with
the sovereignty of the state" the Mayor
explained. I'VE seek only independencr
TO act for ourselves on local matters"
At another time the Mayor expresse
the belief that q benefit, economical an
administrative. would be effected II ~.
FIVE counties In IN greater city wee
merged into one. The ~trove be
tween the Board OF Estimate and the
Board OF Education was aired In sup.
port OF the Board OF Estimates couten
ton that II II the better qualified {,
control the educational departments
budget.
should the city have Jurisdiction over
the departments OF JUSTICE Senate
Brown asked.
1T should not interfere with the a.
ministration OF justice" replied tie
Mayor. but the city authorities slou, ID
have the power to fix tho ate of so..
aries of court attendants and en-
pioyees'
Virtually the same answer WAS ,,
10 tHe question NnOnlu tlN CITY g
eminent regulate the Office of the H.,
,iict Attorney"
Mayor Pointa 10 Police.
Isn't the preservation OF the peace a
state Junction." asked Chairman Brown.
The work of the police IS not. Pad
Mr.. Mitchell.
The Mayor in answer 10 other uTr.
tons said he believed the city suuF.i
also fix the number OF employ .cs H'u
the salaries In the County Clerks ni
SheriT's offices. The Mayor prom -. ]
10 give later In his testimony th" or
line OF "A measure which he believed
would meet the situation of whirn the
Board OF Estimate is complaints
IF the Legislature had enacted ~
bills which were introduced at the 'rst
session IL would have gone a long "
toward Fighting the situation" n, 81 Z
But some Of the legislators did ro'
seem disposed to enact them" sad SCI
ator Brown.
PERHAPS We can educate thosN 80
l~ators," the Mayor responded honc"u..
Isn't Il a Fundamental priurlp'" 30
government that the compensation fr
services rendered should I've !afi hy
those TO whom the services are -er
dered" asked the chairman "The roo
pie OF the city have no greater 'u'ero1'
In the District Attorneys and RoG s;sr'
Offices than have othc~ rcsii.-'s 90 g.
county. Would q not b. 'rnTo log
for these offices To- loo ,sc NOD ug
the borough governments 1000
81 don't mini so" rcplicl 'ro -.
by 50 dpirG YOU wouli r~t.'c,.
spit tho ~ city into 70 ,uuhrr
cities. Expenses for s'roct imnr
ments are paid by Individual 80 t'or-
yet this work is IN tho bands - ''
Board of Estimate and 'hn plan t..
been found salu'arv. THO NH'-1 = Gale
upon 20 consider all kinds az w.
needs"
wants RespOnsibtiit Centred.
What injury could possibly ~rn'"
cse checks sent 20 the p'e'rt-' "
uoys Office cane from tho B"'1. a.
President
That would violate lie priur.N'e -
such matters should Ice % the ',u! %
a group instead az an individual F'
DIVISION Of counties - purely dr''H
Tho people of the various counties rr.j
eriy look to the board for ~rcepn'r'h''r
This responsibility should no. be =
Nilpl "