The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1882-03-04
MIR. RrcuoLsoN thought the question was one

OF practcaOlilty, LOT IL Is No yet Oh cAPo'inehs
with us; we know how the old charter has work.
ed; we don't know how the new one will. There
is not much In the questions Of law. The old
charter has been amended, and so has the new,
and is at every session of the legislature and will
be for all time to come. But this is growing
city, and it is to the interest Of all to have the
best charter we can get to protect her interests.
The most serious difference between the TWO Is
the question of taxation. One other difference
is that under the new charter we would have
division into only five wards. Now, how that
will work each man must determine for himself.
The old charter and amendments, he thought,
limited taxation to l per cent; the general law
fixes it at 9 per cent, but the general law pro.
hibits all voting away OF money to railroads and
other corporations Another difference Is that
city oflicers--clerk, attorney and treasurer-must
be elected; but this can be done now by the pas
sage 0! an ordinance. And the council ought to
pass such an ordinance; for now the candidates
for the subordinate Offices have more to do with
the election of aldermen than the people. The
present system brings to the front the horde of
ward bummers, who run the elections. The peo-
pie should elect these officers; il the system
proves bad it can be changed. Under the gener-
al law there is no change-once under it there
we must remain for all time to come. And good
government can be secured under either. We
must have government that will protect the
business men, for they make the town. We must
elect business men to Office. II we can elect to
all our offices men who can manage their own
business successfully, you may be sure the city
business will be we'll managed.
Mr.. D. P JONES said that while there were
some things in the general law he would like to
see out Of it, yet on the whole he was in favor of
adopting it. The city has outgrown the charter
Of 1858. The times have changed, and the funda-
mental law Of the state has also changed since
this charter was made so that it does not in all
respects comply with the constitution OF to-day;
and changes by amendment have been so nuIner-
Gus that lawyers will disagree on every question
presented by the charter. Taking the matter of
sidewalks he thought it impossible under our
charter to enforce their construction or repair;
under the general law there is no question but
they can be built. The general law is in one
sense an experiment with us; but other cities
have used it and we hear of no difficulties. As
to the taxing power, be thought it was unlimit-
ed, yet admitted it was Sin the air." some putting
the limit at one-half and others at one per cent.
In this uncertainty he though it best to throw
away the old charter and take that is certain.
With tie new the only cause for complaint may
be a superabundance of powers granted to cities.
AS specimen of special legislation that has
afflicted Ottawa, some years ago, when it was
possible, some one with on axe to grind went to
Springfield and got special law passed redis-
fr;n attn hn ro-l- nuft thnr
changes, the fourth ward north of the canal
and east of Fox riyer" which law remains in
force now so far as he knew. In answer to a
question he said he thought the lone per cent.
law Of 1881" does not apply to Ottawa.
Mr.. Snow said that the element Of certainly
was the strongest point for the general law. 1t
Ia not an experiment. 1t has been IN force since
1872, and there has since been vast amount of
judicial legislation upon 1.-THE most important
legislation we have. All the laws most import
ant provisions have been passed upon by the Su
prene Court, and are settled A few points in
its favor are 1 Officers must be elected they
may be now, but it is not likely that council
elected by subordinate offices are going to give
the people, by ordinance, the power to
turn them out if they see fit. ri The tax levy
ment having a separate fund which is sacred to
that department. For example, if $4,000 is levied
for street Improvements, that much and no more
can be used in that department. nor can it be
drawn on for expenditures in other departments.
Now there is no check on expenditures. I3l The
Supreme Court has lately said that this general
law is unlimited in its application and meets all
the requirements Of the consttution"--an opin-
ion entitled to the highest respect. The gen
eral law prohibits jobbery and makes actual job
berry felony, punishable in the penitentiary. Isl
Sidewalks can be constructed and the property
taxed for the improvement Now that question
is here in absolute confusion. Isl Our present
city tax is nearly per cent. On this point the
general law Is certain. Now we are in doubt.
think the limit one per cent, but I may be wrong
older lawyers think am. In all cities where
the law is in force we find it works better than
the old system.
Mr. MoLoNEY said ne had made up his mind
that it would be better for the city to adopt the
general law in spite OF few minor difficulties
in the way. This is growing city-having in
creased at least 1900 people in the past year and
hslf-and we are only in the beginning Of our
prosperity, and he thought the general law much
better than the old charter for rising city. As
to the taxes he thought the limit one per cent.
But if the people have the desire and energy
to elect competent business men to office the city
business will he properly handled and this limit
maintained under the general law, for they will
levy no more than may be absolutely necessary.
Further be thought that all the city officers
should be elected by the people-that every man
who wants an Office should submit himself to
the people. He had found by examination that
during the past six years it had cost on an aver
age $4,000 exclusive of licenses and other re-
ceipts) to run the city This could be reduced
5000 making a one per cent tax but we have