The New York herald., 1921-08-20
MEYER TO HUNT FOR
ELUSIVE DEBT LIMIT
Majority PrObers Declare
Hylan Erred in Fixing
Basis of Tax Rate.
WILL RENEW ATTACK
Three Ex-Comptrollers Go
to Support of Craig in Dis
pute With Brown.
NEVER DEBATED BEFORE
Hylan Is to Go Back on Wit
ness Stand on Resumption
Of Probe on Tuesday.
WILL RENEW ATTACK
NEVER DEBATED BEFORE

The Meyer committee is gong to
continue hunting for the city's debt
limit until the elusive thing is located
! While Comptroller Craig and the
Hylan administration both rested yes
terday on the contention they had dis
proven all of Elon r. Browns charges.
the committee was not satisfied and
stated that new line of attack would
be made next week when the sessions
are resumed in City Hall.
Three ex-Comptrollers of the city
Edward NJ. Grout. Bird S. Coler and
Herman A. Metz-yesterday backed
up Mr.. Craig's stand that there was
nothing illegal in the. Hylan admins
tration's application of the tax rate
to the 1921 instead of the 1920 assess
ment rolls. All three are Democrats.
At the office of the Coropration Coun-
sci 1t was made plain that the city has
no intention of starting test suit TO de-
termine the issues involved in the Brown
Craig controversy. The citys legal de-
partment takes the position that the
Comptroller Is right and therefore 1t Is
not Ifle QQIy Ol Tie doIllAulstl dlioh ~ AAA
stitute suit which might invalidate
municipal bonds and credit and cost
large sum to try If such a test is made
in the courts the Meyer committee or
an independent taxpayer will have TO
start il.
Further Ordeal for HyInn.
Mayor Hylan will be recalled to the
stand next Tuesday ana Mr.. Brown may
again question him regarding city
finances The committee has not fully
decided. 1t is understood. whether TO keep
the Mayor on the stand continuously by
starting at once the investigation into
all the city departments over which he
Mayor has jurisdiction. There are
twenty-nine of those bureaus and Of
fices. 1t is more probable that the de-
partments will be taken up one at time
and the Mayor recalled frequently. SEN
ator Meyer. chairman, said the purpose
was TO ask the Mayor generally regard
ing the administration of city depart
ments. Mr.. Brown also will ask the
Mayor about mandatory legislation
which Mr.. Hylan holds responsible for
most Of the city's ills.
When the Mayor has finished the
eComptroller will be recalled. He has
teen assured he will have full oppor-
tunity to make any further statement he
wishes to have in the record. The Tam
many members of the committee are
framing a long series of questions which
they will put to the Comptroller, all of
which will be designed to strengthen the
position of the city administration.
These queries will be designed for cam
paign consumption.
Committee supports Brown.
The majority of the committee are
supporting Mr.. Brown In his contention
that the Hylan administration violated
the constitutional provision by applying
the tax levy TO the 1921 assessment rolls.
The provision covering this point is THE
last assessment roll" The tax Is linz
tied 10 per cent OF the assessment.
The committee holds that the 1921 roll
Is not available when the levy is applied
and therefore automatically the roll must
be that of the preceding year.
The three ex-Comptrolers were en-
phatic in their disagreement with Mr..
Brown on this point. Mr.. Grout. Comp
troller in the Low term. said:
'The levy always has been based on
the current years assessment and I
have never before heard any question
raised about It. believe Comptroller
Craig is right in this. 1t never showed
itself as a debatable point when I was
Comptroller"
Mr.. Coler, now head of the Depart
snent of Public Welfare said he never
knew OF the point at issue having been
raised and he thought Mr.. Brown en-
tfrely wrong Mr.. Metz took the same
view