The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1880-02-18
TEE CITY GOVERNMENT.
How the Proposed City Charter
Is Regarded by the City
Officials.
Interview of the House Committee
with tho Members Of the
Council.

In accordance with tho adjournment on Fri
sfax eyen,pR last the Mayor and ADM niatraors
of the city and tho House Committed on City
CHARTER met yesterday morning for tho pur-
rose of consultation on tho provistons OF the
~ changing tho form Of tho municipal govern
mani which has boon prepared by the COM
mittee.
The Mayor informed the committee that tho
city officers hal not seen tho bill. and were
therefore not competent TO pass unon its merits.
CITY Attorney McCaleb. who was present said
that he condemned the prime ipnl feature Of the
bill. which was its provision establish Ing city
legislature. Too muen Legislation had been
the curte pf the city and State This was tArt
recognized and appreciated by the Cnnatttu-
Nonal Convention. who. for the purpose q IN !"
manner putting stop to y. bad provided o.,
ennal = "s ba NH sxas
what the Constitutional Convention nae 90
Clared to be an owl. ,.,,,
remarked that the Legislature provided for IN
fhe Bill was Il, meet but onos y year
Mr. McOaleb admitted tho faet but said y ga ga
Hate H.. was enough. There could be no l.eisla-
ture without special LEGISLATION LAWYER who
had case before the nu.rnm' ohn i wnsnn he
summary docket: another, who wanted 70 pro-
cure divorce drew w law covering his fa1e;
PA hHs wsn q" T ~ he w2a y %
Mayor Patton aaid that In hls opinion tho
proposed legislature won q bring absolute d.
etruetlcn to the city. Theless cumbersome tho
Legislature made the form Of eeyernmentt aud
the more responsibility It placed upon lndivd-
NRls the better 1t would be-
established there would ho no individual ne
Countable for errois or ot1enses. leklslnlnro
was q body. without soul to be denounced or a
MI. Rtchardaon aaid that the aamo charge
might be made against tho State Laxislatnre:
end even aRainet tho Congress OF the United
Mayor Patton admitted TINT such was tho
case. and went on - aay that tho neeasst Tor
legislatures was ono " tho mlsfortunos Of q
republican form OF government hut 1t was only
necessary to sovnretgns. The city WRs not u
eoyerelgn the State can mt any time abolish 1t,
lava for its government, and oven wipe " out of
existence; md the proposed city assembly
would under the circumstances. be not only
detrimental but ridiculous He said this with
all due deierenee to the eommtttoe.
He was oppoaedto tho proposed city legisla
ture Tor various other rssasrns;, There were
many other ways OF hsnetl Ing tho city. which
the Legislatures. IA PROGRESSED could not pursue
Permits for laying tracka putting np te,'eRraph
poses, wero required aud requests Tor thnm
must be passed upon az rapidly ~ possible
day tho na' which sne w"d b
created by the bill VIVA established. the I'm
provements which he had suggested would
have to be dela,ed, . year. and no onterrriso.
no oapitRlist, could Or would wait that time.
There would have to be the delay or the Lesis-
ture would have to confer upon ono man
power which had never before In the history
Of the city been invested IN an Individual y
power TO grant Or reject applications for per
mits Of the kind :and If the man was corrupt
he could make money enough to run one de-
partment OF the government
A change In the form OF the city government
was 4 serious matter. ind an examination into
what IL the daily business Of the Council should
belmnde and a chartor hased on knowledge. and
not evolved out Of the inner copaeiousnees OF u
abb, a hn rad
out referring IT, thu committee At al, p" would
eRy TINT there had been too much Legislation On
city affairs and Il there bad been but on" meet,
New Orleans would be out OF debt to.d day.
Every time he Legislature hos met there, has
ana tRe Y W. 81. u y
that the constitution did not contemplate my
such charter for the city M the committee had
eminent should be administrative and not
legislative. The constitutional Convention
deemed that the main burden was tho city debt.
1t was not 30 much the form OF government |
which hurdened the people Ms II was tho debt. |
and this Y Thought must be got rid Of i pro
e tha Lgslstnre e. dispose s III Ill az did ' no
think the propuaei city charter would give tho
relief contempiated by the Convention when II
His idea was TINT The Legislature should abnl-
ish the city and create syndicate 70 sit ilva
years. and to cell the city property and with tho
Legislature should create three or more muni
Cipalities. to be In no manner connected or rs |
The e'd cy mr. ~ ~
he said. would hold. under the decree rendered
IN the case Of Barclay ys. tho s Levee Gomm's-
ut9 or hs neh h, sa ,ha hs gu
fevee district was divided aud it, debts deyolved
upon police jury OF upon levee eommi sion
Ors II could not mandamns the sub division to |
pay the judgments obtained against the former
commissioners. Again. In B. levin va. Hare,
II Howard Supreme Court reports. i is held
Nat raSt.r 5rarf fnr rnY1 af
property in the hands Of a syndicate created by |
q legislature or appointed by II court. and the |
supreme Court. since the decision. has affirmed
The Legislature IN creating the municipali-
tiea, should provide against the ton mill Tux
limit ever being exceeded , by desttntins OF his
dorse tho plan snss1sted By M Mr.. Mccaleb, b.
he would not admit that such was no case The
city WAS In as good condition W. II m ,Iortty OF |
the large cities OF the Union. and Just as able to
overcome her difficulties.
Mayor Patton ami the other Administrators
agreed with Mr.. Glynn. and tho latter then went
on to say that II change was made. the proper
one would be- q reduction OF expenses. IA de-
crease to five Of the number OF Administrators
and the creation OF board OF supervisors. who
should meet once month and examine the
condition OF the several departments and
should have power to remove suspend an
officer for cause. the b ard to be
appointed Or selected from 1hs city 2; large
condition or the city followed. and was closed
BY the retirem. mt OF the committed.
That the different views expressed made an |
impression on the com mittee cannot be doubled
but unfortunately 40 far as the committee IL
they can have no effect. for AZ will |
be seen by ths report " the House proceedings |
yesterday. Speaker Ogien decided that the
ceased its official existence when 1t
reported the proposed eli ,r'er.
CITY HALL NOTES.