New-York tribune., 1922-02-18
Clash Looms
On Home Rule
Bill in Senate
TOlbcrt Will Move Discharge
of Committee Consider
ing Proposal 10 Grant
Broad Powers 10 Cities
Charter Delay is Feared
Governor Is Confident That
Some Of Relief Sought
Can Be Had by Special Acts
From q Stnn non-enaon6...

ALBANY, Feb. II. The clash be
tween city and rural members Of The
majority on the question Of home
rule FOR municipalities, which has been
threatening for some time, doomed
larg, to-day when Senator Ward V.
Tolbert. Republican. of Manhattan,
served formal notice on the Senate that
at some future date he would move
to discharge the Senate Judiciary Com
mittee from further consideration Of
his home rule proposal.
The Tolbert measure is ono Of
seven proposed amendments TO
grants OF power on the cities
of the state, making them indc-
pendent Of the Legi stature in the ad
ministration Of their local affairs. All
seven measures have been indorsed by
the State Conference of Mayors.
The judiciary Committees in the
houses have decided to Kill all these
proposals. justifying their action Oh
the ground that none should be corsid
cred at the present session, but should
wait until the extraordinary session
is convokeJ by Governor Miller to con-
slider the report of the New York City
Charter Revision Committee.
Senator Tolbert and several other
Republicans from the cities are fear
fu] that the charter revisers, because
Of the death Of their chairman, former
Supreme Court Justice Scott. will not
be able to complete report in time
for the 1922 Legislature to act on it,
While this was the view also held by
imme ediately after the death of Chair
man Scott, they are now conf dent that
the committee will be able to report in
time to call special session before
September.
In addition the Governor, according
to those in his confidence, believes that
it will not be necessary for the cities
TO wait for a constitutional amendment
to be adopted in order to obtain some
of the relief sought. The Governor, it
is said, is of the opinion that gem
erous grant of home rule can be con-
fcrred by the Legislature by special
acts. and that these could be written
into the law at the extra session, and
thus save the cities wait Of two years
the shortest time in which the or
ganic law could be amended
The Republican legislators from the
cities declare that if the Legislature OF
1922 goes out of existence without
having acted favorably on a home rule
proposal-and for practical political
pu%oses this would be the case if no
action is taken before the next cleo
tion-the Democrats would be able to
raise the cry during the fall campaign
that the Republicans had ignored the
cities.
Senator Tolbert and other Rcpubli.
cans who hold with him contend that
it would be a political mistake to give
the Democrats this possible weapon
against them, and for that reason they
will make q determined fight to have
the home rule amendment adopted by
the Legislature before March H. the
date of its final Adjournment. They
point to the Republican state platform
Of 1920. which contains definite
pledge of home rule for ci'ics.
Senator Tolbert, who has powerful
upstate support, will press his motion
to discharge the Senate Judiciary Com
mittee some time next week, unless in
the mean time positive assurance can
be had from Governor Miller that he
will call All extraordinary session.
This assurance, of course. can be given
only after definite word is received
from the charter reviscrs that they
will be ready to report before next
September.