New-York tribune., 1922-04-09
Aldermen Nav
Be "Firedn f.,
Lack Of Work
Have Ceased to Func,;.
and Should Be Aho' oa
ished, According 10 S'' Rs'
port of Brooklyn Boass ,s'

ne board Of Aldermen =,
Ironing body, is not held in hiyh ~ ,a'c'
by the Brooklyn Real Egfat. D. ssafd
the Brooklyn brokers have tbos. 60 u
the Board of Aldermen will h. m w. way
by smaller body Of repre....p.a .p,sea
with power to function. If N. ,e' .1,
men remain, the brokers supgs,t r'p''' =.
they receive no compensation 49, ,am IN aas
90 nothing to warrant nav u'l. ~
limited power. the board Y "a !
greater value to tho city than .. Y
the perfunctory bodies that EN-. .'ae q
fore the Revolution. -
In report to the Broot,.
Estate Board by Sidney ? g. Nel
chairman Of thc committee on ei,.
get and municipal affair he ,.n "
/ state control probably il ~. y.
fortunate thing for the Citv :. %es
Yok. u is city Of bysteria snr.
million and one undercurrsr,. ~
population made up Of every ,a.. =
bic nationality. each element bayin..
cwn Ideals and desires; votes ing 7,
huenced not by reason. but h. e's - -
interest, economic problems eith. seN
/ b'red or not understood. nronos;..
mat no fare is better than r,,'l9! ora
iafe. and no rent IS better than ~
| rent and \ dishonest dav's 80. ~
better than an honest dsy,s ~Ors & y
openly advocated. Rsys
IS IT. any wonder that marv ,;,i..
! are afraid to trust the local c;.,' t,'1eH
efnment with greater nower. rnt;t'r ~
capacity To administer thom s.f., o.., -
shown? ssieig Is
/ Board Does Not Function
Under The circumstances +, s..s.
seems practical to urge tho craaii. aasa-
o. greater powers to the Pa Pa''a! !.
Aldermen. 1t may be Of value ~
( duce II IN size, so that as ,n,.tI..
oodF IT. may function more ef;r;sr..
ana In that way may create 2 can....
TOR greater possibilities. which TouIj
/ no doubt, follow as soon a. i =.
+ came evident that the BODY va, ..,.
! bic to assume them. N'p''
1t is hardly necessary IN .r,-..
( the powers Of the Board oe Ailar.s..
as now constituted As mart f'.,. NJ y.
city government il has almost c.,.., 1
to function. ''sl
one report on this subiect ,t...,
that the Board Of Aldermen. "a ns-.
Of the city government. has alms,,
/ ceased to function and that fre1usns.
! suggestions have been made that /,
bs abolished. That report prono..s
/ that some real business be GWEN ~
( the board 70 transact under :nlI.,
! measure Of home rule. and complains
that as long as the genuine functions
/ of local Legislation are exercised a
/ Albany. 1t cannot be expected that
many citizens Of adequate caliber ca,
be persuaded 10 serve in the Board ef
Aldermen.
/ Some Favor Small Body
That report further recommend.
that, in giving the board mora poFe-.
the number Of its members be imredi.
ately reduced. so that Aldermanic Dis
tricts would correspond with Senate.
rial districts instead of Assembly, dn
trIcts as at present. Th,s would rssn
a reduction Of the number Of Aldermen
from slXty-five to twentv-three. Should
this body be reduced and their resvon.
slbilities increased, II would appear Is
be advisable that some adequate PROV.
sion for increase in compensation
should be taken under consideration.
The Meyer committee recommends
that the Board Of Aldermen retain
their present powers and choose thetr
own presiding officer.
Comptroller Craig's recommenda-
tlon is that the new charter create
municipal assembly, consisting OF the
Board Of Estimate and the Board of
Aldermen, which would have full leg
islative powers in all city affairs, 50
that this assembly would nave con-
plete jurisdiction over public serTfs
corporations, including the right 10
/ fix rates and enable the city TO engas.
in any business for which it may Issue
franchise 10 any firm or corporateai
but salaries OF the Aldermen are ts be
increased to $4,000 a year This assem-
bly, would have full power to enact
legislation for all purposes Of local al
mlnistration. government Of the peopte
and property within the City Of New
York and the counties contained there.
IN, with full power 70 amend, repesl
! or rescind any law OF the state IN con-
fiict with the proposed charter and tne
ordinances made pursuant thereto.
Craig's Scheme Not Acceptable
"It is hardly necessary to take the
Comptroller's suggestions on this SUP.
ject seriously. as there is no llkellhooa
of their adoption. In fact, he sets up
new state within the State OF Ne"
York. Such a solution, in my mine
would be a calamity. The city nsees
state control over purely state 1unc-
tions to a greater degree at this TIM I'm,
than it ever did. Otherwise, tax oil,s
would include deficits OF all sinas
created by experiments in municipal
ownership and psternal ventures ID.
cluding the building Of apartment,
financed with city funds. The iogics.
thing seems to be TO reduce sne oo's
so that it may function more efnclehtit'
increase the salary to attract hisH
caliber OF men, and if the capaclVy ~.
greater esponsibility becomes eV'aens
by reason of such change, then 70 sees
for greater powers for that body. sons
proposed having a larger body, eiai'a, !,
ing that the mere fact that 1t IS SINE. :. !.
will not improve the character ol ~.
membership, also that 1t would De NV
difficult to improperly infiuencs d. :"
larger body because in larger w.
there will always be some one to opposss
a bad measure. 1t would seem thar "
smaller body with ample power 70 ~.
stitute inquiry at all times ~.
degree of publicity could be haa III ,;.ht M
conduct of the city affairs, whlch in's'
prove of great Importance. az. -,
The members of the Commis's.
City Budget and Municipal Anairs ysr, s.r
Henry j. Davenport, chairman; na'
NJ. Lewis. NJ. c. O'Brien, Lewis .re. e.
Pounds, Charles E. Rickerson, Ciaien ma.
B. Smith, Frank II. Tyler. John ,aar -. i.