COMMISSIONER OF JURORS.

In Bronx and New York Counties the Commissioner of Jurors is appointed by the Appellate Division. In Kings County he is appointed by the County Judges, District Attorney, Sheriff and County Clerk; in Queens County by the two resident Justices of the Supreme Court and the County Judge, and in Richmond County by the Supreme and County Court Judges and County Clerk. The Commissioner of Jurors in any county may be removed by the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court on charges after a hearing. The Commissioners receive $6,000 in New York, Bronx and Kings; $3,000 in Queens and $1,500 in Richmond.

The Commissioner of Jurors selects and summons trial and special jurors for the Supreme Court, trial and grand jurors for the County Court (in New York County for the Court of General Sessions and trial jurors for the City Court), and trial jurors for the Municipal Court in his county. Each year he prepares a list of the residents of the county apparently eligible for jury service. He examines into the qualifications of prospective jurors and hears and determines all He claims for exemption from jury duty. may summon persons before him to testify as to the qualifications of prospective jurors. The Commissioner assists at the drawing of jurors, and the names of delinquent jurors are returned to him for the collection of the statutory fines.

The Public Administrator is empowered to collect, take charge of and administer upon personal property and debts of persons dying intestate and leaving assets within the county where there is no next of kin entitled or willing to administer. He also administers the estates of persons leaving wills with no persons competent to probate or act as executor thereunder. The effects of persons dying in charitable institutions are turned over to the Public Administrator if they are not collected by relatives.

PUBLIC ADMINISTRATOR.

The Public Administrator in Kings, Bronx and Richmond Counties is appointed by the Surrogate. In New York he is appointed by the two Surrogates of that county. In Queens he is appointed by the Surrogate, County Judge and Sheriff. In New York, Kings and Queens the Public Administrators receive salaries of $10,000, $5,000 and $1,200 respectively. They are required to pay over to the City Chamberlain all fees and commissions received by them. In Bronx County the Public Administrator receives a salary of $4,000 and is allowed to retain his fees and commissions, but is required to hire his subordinates out of such moneys. In Richmond he receives no salary, but retains his fees and commissions. The Public Administrators in Queens and Richmond Counties perform all the work of their office personally and have no subordinates.

SHERIFF.

He

The Sheriff is elected for two years in New York and Kings, three years in Queens and Richmond, and four years in Bronx County. He may not succeed himself in office. may be removed by the Governor on charges after a hearing. The Sheriffs of Kings, Queens and Bronx Counties receive salaries of $15,000, $10,000 and $10,000, respectively, in lieu of all fees received by the office, which must be paid over to the City Chamberlain. The Sheriff of New York County receives a salary of $10,000 and half the fees of his office in addition. The Sheriff of Richmond receives a salary of $6,000, and may retain all fees.

The Sheriff, on mandate of courts of record in his county, arrests prisoners on civil processes; levies executions, replevins and chattels, and serves summonses, citations, subpoenas, writs of habeas corpus and warrants of attachments. He is liable on his bond for the escape of a prisoner or for failure properly to perform his statutory duties. Where there is a contest as to the ownership of property levied upon, he may impanel a Sheriff's Jury and subpoena and examine witnesses under oath. He is the custodian of the county jail, where civil prisoners are confined (in Kings the Sheriff has jurisdiction over a portion of the Brooklyn City Prison for this purpose), and is responsible for the transportation of criminal prisoners. Bronx and Richmond the Department of Correction has no such jurisdiction, and hence the Sheriff exercises the function of keeping criminal prisoners, which in New York, Kings and Queens Counties is performed by the Department of Correction. In Bronx and Richmond criminal prisoners are also confined in the County Jail, but criminals sentenced for more than six months are committed to institutions outside of the county under the jurisdiction of the Department of Correction, or to the State Prison at Sing Sing, and hence do not come under the Sheriff's jurisdiction.

In

ernment; religious freedom; freedom of the press and freedom of speech; the right of citizens to bear firearms (under certain restrictions); trial by jury; excessive bail, excessive fines or cruel or unusual punishment shall not be imposed; a person arrested shall have a speedy and public trial and be confronted with the witnesses against him and be defended by counsel; no person shall be compelled to be a witness against himself in any criminal proceeding, nor be deprived of life, liberty or property without due process of law; no person shall be placed on trial a second time for an offense of which he has been previously convicted or acquitted.

A man who has been a citizen for 90 days and a resident of the State for one year, of the county four months and of the election district thirty days, who has never been convicted of bribery or other infamous crime, has the RIGHT TO VOTE. A person who makes a bet on an election cannot vote thereat.

In cities of the first and second class GENERAL ELECTIONS are held in the odd numbered years. Presidential elections are held in the even numbered years.

PRIMARY ELECTIONS are held once a year. A primary election is for the purpose of electing leaders of the various parties, who act as delegates to the party conventions at which candidates for public office are nominated. The primary is held seven weeks before the general election. The difference between the primary and an election is that at the former party leaders are chosen, while at the latter public officials are chosen.

Any political organization which casts over 100,000 votes for Governor may be recognized as a POLITICAL PARTY. The object of this is to prevent irresponsible people from placing a great number of candidates in the contest for public office who have no chance of being elected.

A person who has been sent to State's Prison loses his right to vote unless he has been pardoned and restored to citizenship

by the Governor. A person sent to a Reformatory does not lose his right to vote. The polls are open on election day from 6 A. M. to 5 P. M. No electioneering is allowed within 100 feet of them. Saloons are not allowed to be open within one-quarter of a mile of a polling place.

A CHALLENGE is to question a man's right to vote, but it does not prevent him voting if he swears that he possesses all the necessary qualifications for voting. This is called "SWEARING IN HIS VOTE."

In cities of over 5,000 inhabitants no man can vote unless he has previously registered his name for that purpose. The

days of registration are: For first two days about three weeks before election, and for the last two days about two weeks before election. False registration and illegal voting are felonies, punishable by five years' imprisonment. Any unlawful interference with persons about to vote or with the election material is a misdemeanor.

Any person who pays a consideration for an election or appointment to a public office shall forfeit his office and be forever barred from holding public office.

Election day is the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November.

THE REFERENDUM is a method of submitting a law which has been passed by the Legislature to the people for their vote of approval or disapproval. It does not become a law if a majority vote against it.

THE INITIATIVE is that a law may be drawn up by any citizen and if it is signed by a certain number of people it may be submitted to all the people for a vote. If a majority favors, it becomes a law.

PROPORTIONAL REPRESENTATION is that each political party be represented according to the number of votes

cast.

THE RECALL is a system of removing from office by the people's vote, public officials who have been elected and failed in their duties.

The powers of the CITY GOVERNMENT are derived from the State Legislature and are set forth in an instrument called the CHARTER, which defines the city's liabilities and privileges.

CITIES are divided into THREE

CLASSES. The first class includes those having a population of 250,000 or over; the second class those of 50,000 or over. All below 50,000 are in the third class. No definite population is required to make a city. Where a large proportion of the voters desire it, the Legislature grants a city charter. The present charter of Greater New York, which became a law in 1897, has been amended by the Legislature many times.

THE MAYOR.

THE MAYOR, who is elected for four years by the people, is the chief executive of the City Government, and is responsible for its administration and the enforcement of its laws. There are sixteen departments, with a commissioner at the head of each (except two) to aid him in the performance of these functions. He may appoint and remove at will the heads of those departments, but not the Comptroller, the five Borough Presidents (who are elected) or members of the Board of Education.

With the exception of the Comptroller and Corporation Counsel, who receive salaries of $15,000 a year, the heads of most departments receive salaries of $7,500 a

year.

The Borough Presidents and the heads of departments are also classed as the executives of the City Government.

THE SIXTEEN DEPARTMENTS of the City Government are: Finance, Law, Police, Water, Gas and Electricity, Charities, Correction,, Street Cleaning, Bridges, Parks, Fire, Taxes, and Assessments, Education, Health, Tenement House, Docks and Ferries, and Department of Licenses.

In case of war or pestilence the Mayor may, by proclamation, designate the place to hold any court, except the Court of Appeals. He has the powers of a Magistrate.

The Mayor shall report to the Board of Aldermen at least once a year the condition of the City's finances, and he shall keep himself informed of the doings of the various departments.

All ORDINANCES OF THE CITY ARE PASSED by the Board of Aldermen, with the approval of the Mayor. If the Mayor does not sign or reject an ordinance within ten days, it becomes a law, just as if he had signed and approved it.

The Board of Aldermen may pass an ordinance by three-fourths of its vote over the Mayor's veto. The Mayor's salary is $15.000 a year.

The Mayor, Comptroller, District Attorney and Sheriff may be REMOVED BY

THE GOVERNOR on charges. The Mayor may be suspended for thirty days pending the outcome of charges, which are investigated by the Attorney-General.

THE BOARD OF ALDERMEN.

The PRESIDENT of the Board of Aldermen is elected by the people in the same manner as the Mayor. In case the Mayor is absent, through illness, etc., the President of the Board of Aldermen shall act as Mayor. In case of a vacancy he shall so act until noon of January 1st next succeeding an election, at which a new Mayor shall be elected, during which time he possesses all the powers of the Mayor except that he cannot appoint or remove heads of departments unless the Mayor be absent thirty days, and he cannot sign nor reject any ordinance unless the Mayor is absent nine days.

The Board of Aldermen shall elect a VICE-CHAIRMAN, who takes the President's place when the latter is absent, during which time he possesses all powers of the President of the Board of Aldermen. If an Alderman dies, another one is elected by his associates to serve the remainder of the unexpired term. The latter is to be of the same political faith as the deceased member.

There are seventy-three Aldermanic Districts in New York.

The head of each department is entitled to a seat in the Chamber of the Board of Aldermen, and he may participate in the discussions, but he cannot vote. He must answer all questions about his department, provided that he is given forty-eight hours' notice of the nature of the questions to be asked.

The head of each department makes an annual report to the Mayor upon the general condition of his department.

The Board of Aldermen appoints a CITY CLERK, for six years, when a vacancy occurs, who may be removed by the Board of Aldermen, by a two-thirds vote, on charges. He shall have charge of ordinances and records of the Board of Aldermen. He also issues marriage licenses and auctioneers' licenses.

No money shall be expended for public ceremonies, etc., except by a vote of fourfifths of the Board of Aldermen. They are the trustees of the city property. They appoint Commissioners of Deeds.

A FRANCHISE is a privilege given by the city to a private party to operate a railroad, tunnel or ferry.

THE BOARD OF ESTIMATE AND APPORTIONMENT grants franchises to railroad companies, tunnel companies, etc. This power was formerly exercised by the Board of Aldermen and the Mayor.

The Board of Aldermen may appoint a committee to examine City Departments to ascertain if they are properly managed.

They fix the salaries of public officers with the approval of the Board of Estimate and Apportionment. They may establish parks, streets, docks, etc., and may condemn land for such purposes, and authorize the issue of bonds for public improvements, with the consent of the Board of Estimate and Apportionment, and they regulate the use of the streets, speed of vehicles, driving, etc. The Mayor may call a meeting of the Board of Aldermen at any time.

Rules for the Government of the Police, Health, Fire, Park and Building Departments may be made by the Board of Aldermen. The Mayor and Borough Presidents are ex-officio (by right of office) members of the Board of Aldermen. The other members of the Board of Aldermen are designated as "The Aldermen Elected."

The Board of Aldermen constitute the CITY'S LEGISLATURE. And this body may enact local laws (known as ordinances, from the preamble, "be it ordained") for the city, which do not conflict with the State laws. The Board's power extends over Greater New York only.

THE BOARD OF ESTIMATE AND

APPORTIONMENT

consists of the Mayor, Comptroller, President of the Board of Aldermen and the five Borough Presidents. The Mayor, Comptroller and President of the Board of Aldermen shall each be entitled to cast three votes. The Presidents of the Boroughs of Manhattan and Brooklyn shall each be entitled to cast two votes. The Presidents of the Boroughs of Richmond, Bronx and Queens cast one vote each. quorum consists of a number sufficient to cast nine votes, at which two of the members having three votes each shall be present. The first meeting each year shall be called by a notice from the Mayor, who presides at all meetings. Any taxpayer may offer his views upon the business transacted at such meetings.

A

They prepare the ANNUAL BUDGET to meet the expenses of the City, with the concurrence of the Board of Aldermen. The Board of Aldermen can reduce the amount of appropriations, but cannot increase them. The approval of the Board of Estimate and Apportionment is necessary before the head of any department can transfer money from one fund to another.

THE COMPTROLLER

is elected the same as the Mayor. In case his position becomes vacant his successor shall be appointed by the Mayor until the 1st of January following an election, at which a Comptroller shall be elected, who will serve the remainder of the unexpired term. The approval of the Comptroller is required by any city employee before he can enter into agreements which involve the outlay of the City's money.

The Comptroller is head of the FINANCE DEPARTMENT, which is divided into six bureaus, as follows:

1st. Bureau of Collection of City Revenue and Markets, which collects rents of markets and revenue accruing on interests of bonds, etc., the Chief Officer of which is the Collector of City Revenue and Superintendent of Markets.

2d. Bureau for Collection of Taxes, the Chief Officer of which is the Receiver of Taxes.

3d. Collector of Assessments and Ar

rears.

4th. Auditing Bureau, which revises and settles accounts in which the City is debtor or creditor.

5th. Bureau for Reception and Safe Keeping of all City Money paid into the Treasury, the Chief Officer of which is CHAMBERLAIN. He must file a bond of $300,000, with four sureties, for the faithful performance of his duties and the delivery of all money intrusted to his care. 6th is the Bureau of Statistics.

THE CHAMBERLAIN

is appointed by the Mayor. He is Treasurer of New York County. The Receiver of Taxes, the Collector and Assistant Collector of Assessments and Arrears, the Auditor and Superintendent of City Revenue and Markets are appointed by the Comptroller. The Comptroller may also appoint two deputies and one assistant deputy.

The Finance Department has entire charge of MARKETS. That part of Wallabout Market called "Farmers' Square" is reserved for market gardening. A permit from the Finance Department is necessary before erecting a stand or stall in a public market. The Comptroller has power to rent or lease any part of Wallabout Market, except the docks or piers.

The Comptroller may issue bonds, with the authority of the COMMISSIONERS OF THE SINKING FUND, but not to exceed $2,000,000 in one year. Bonds for greater amounts are issued by the Board of Aldermen, with the approval of the Board of Estimate and Apportionment. Bonds are issued by the City for the purpose of borrowing money. They are sold to the highest bidder.

The Comptroller and his Deputies have claims for or against the City. He shall power to administer oaths when adjusting submit to the Board of Aldermen each year, four weeks before its annual meeting, a statement showing the amount of taxes necessary to be raised.

THE COMMISSIONER OF ACCOUNTS shall examine the books of the Comptroller and the Chamberlain, and report to the Mayor the financial conditions of the City, as shown by such books. He may also examine books of other City Departments, administer oaths and compel the attendance of witnesses during such examinations.

The heads of all departments may maintain offices, with deputies, assistants, etc., in other Boroughs.

THE CORPORATION COUNSEL

He

is the head of the LAW DEPARTMENT. He appoints and removes assistants. conducts all legal proceedings for the City. He shall not permit or confess judgment for or against the City without the written consent of the Comptroller; and if the sum involved exceeds $10,000, he must have the written approval of the Mayor.

When a City employee is summoned to court to be examined for an act done in the performance of duty, the Corporation Counsel shall defend him. The three principal bureaus of the Law Department are: The Bureau of Penalties, the Bureau of Arrears and Personal Taxes and the Bureau of Street Opening. The Corporation Counsel appoints the head of the Bureau of Street Opening and other employees thereof, and regulates their salaries, subject to Civil Service regulations. The Assistant Corporation Counsel assigned to this bureau shall cause his subordinates to act as clerks for the BOARD OF ESTIMATE AND APPORTIONMENT, in all matters relating to the opening of streets and parks. The laying out of streets and parks must be previously advertised in the City Record.

THE BOARD OF TAXES AND ASSESS

MENTS

consists of five Tax Commissioners, appointed by the Mayor, one of whom shall be designated president in his appointment. One of them shall be a lawyer. They shall appoint Deputy Tax Commissioners, not to exceed forty in number, and prescribe their duties, each of whom shall be an elector and freeholder in the Borough from which he is appointed.

THE BOARD OF REVISION OF TAXES AND ASSESSMENTS consists of the Comptroller, Corporation Counsel and President of the Department of Taxes.

THE BOARD OF LOCAL ASSESSMENTS consists of three persons, appointed by the Mayor.

THE SINKING FUND COMMISSION is composed of the Mayor, Comptroller, Chamberlain, President of the Board of Aldermen and the Chairman of the Finance Committee of the Board of Aldermen. A sinking fund is a savings fund which exists to accumulate money for the payment of debts secured by bonds, often not payable for fifty years. If it were not for the Sinking Fund enormous indebtednesses would fall due without any fund to meet them. The Sinking Fund Commission has power to lease City property and to sell City Property, with the concurrence of the Board of Aldermen, when it is no longer needed for its original purpose. They cannot sell parks, wharves or land under water. They adjust disputes between private property owners and the City, respecting boundary lines, etc. They cancel bonds and stocks of the City on maturity and liquidate the City's debt. They assign places to hold the City's COURTS and JAILS.

They have charge of the WATER SINKING FUND, which is used to pay the debt incurred for the City's water supply, and the General Sinking Fund, which is used to pay off interest on stocks and bonds of the City. They shall preserve. inviolate the rights of holders of stocks and bonds issued by the City. Money from assessments of local improvements, sale and rental of City property, etc., is paid into the Sinking Fund. Property sold by them must be at public auction, after being advertised in the City Record. All applications to lease real estate for the City, including Armories, etc., must be passed upon by this Commission.

A FRANCHISE may be granted to a FERRY COMPANY without advertising, by a unanimous vote of the Sinking Fund Commission and Dock Commissioner; otherwise it must be advertised and sold to the highest bidder.

The Sinking Fund Commissioners and Dock Commissioner may establish ferries between Richmond and Brooklyn.

The Sinking Fund Commission and the Board of Estimate and Apportionment are two of the most important boards of the City Government. The Mayor, Comptroller and President of the Board of Aldermen being members of both boards, which act as a check upon other boards and departments.

DOCK DEPARTMENT.

The Mayor appoints a Commissioner of Docks and Ferries. He appoints and removes at pleasure, one Deputy Commissioner. The Commissioner cannot execute any lease, contract, etc., without the approval of the Sinking Fund Commission, except the sum is less than $1,000, and for repairs. He has power to regulate the use of marginal streets fronting on docks, and may regulate by license or otherwise the transfer of merchandise upon or over such streets. But he must not interfere with public driveways. He surveys water and waterfront to ascertain its adaptability for commercial use, etc.

He assigns places to the Borough President for PUBLIC BATHS. He issues PERMITS to erect sheds over piers, but cannot revoke same after they are paid for, without the consent of the Mayor and the Sinking Fund Commission; but temporary permits for the use of docks may be granted by the Commissioner and revoked by him. He assigns a portion of the waterfront to be used by the Fire Department, with the consent of the Sinking Fund Commission.

No dirt or refuse shall be thrown into the river. Shops or booths cannot be erected over docks, but PUBLIC MARKETS may be built on them when they do not interfere with the free flowage of water.

Docks between Gansevoort and Little West 12th Street are to be used only by persons transporting FARM and GARDEN PRODUCE.

Dock masters are appointed by the Dock Commissioner.