Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1885-02-03
SACRAMENTO CHARTER.
SHALL 1T BE CHANGED FOR 4
NEW ONE.
Remarks Pro and Con 10y Some of
Our Citizens Before LeSis-
Iative Committee.

ing at the Capitol for the purpose OF dis
cussing the amendments to the Codes re-
lating to q uniform system of municipal
governments, ". A. Anderson, City At
torney, was called upon to give an expires
sion upon the amendments Mr.. Anderson
at first advanced the proposition that the
Legislature has the right to amend the
charter of 1868, and that it will not be
special legislation under the new COnstitu-
ton, for the reason that the Act was i'll
force prior to the adoption of the Constitu-
ton He cited the decisions of Colorado,
Kansas, Missouri and Indiana. In the new
Constitutions of each of those States there
is the same provision concerning special
legislation. Mr.. Anderson then presented
the following objections to the cOntem-
plated charter, admitting that all that is
good therein is already contained in the
charter of 1863:
First-The provision of the amendments
continue in force all the Acts relating to the
bonded debt This, he holds, is either
without meaning, or else intended 10 cir
cumvent the litigation now going on.
Secund-Thc revenue system should be
specific, and not left as is done by this Act,
to the precarious conditions of an ordi-
nance.
Tbird-The City Council should not be
allowed judicial power to try and finally
determine election contests. This is judi
cial and should be left with the Courts !;
otherwise, it would be merely a partisan
matter with the Board.
Fourth-The copying of the county as
sessment roll is bad, and should not be
allowed for the reason that it is intended
to validate the invalid assessment made in
behalf of the bondholders, under the man
damus proceedings now in force against
the Trustees.
Fifth-The Police Court should not be
abolished; rather, the jurisdiction should
be extended so as to give that officer juris-
diction of all indictable misdemeanors.
That the Justices of the Peace are not
municipal officers, and are not under the
control OF the Board of Trustees, or Coun-
Gil, and are not responsible to this Board
for any act or thing.
Sixth-rhe Council of ward representa-
tiveS is bad, and does not accord with an
economical government.
Seventh-rhe present city government is
the most economical and centralized that
could be adopted, with few changes.
Mr.. Anderson argued these matters at
length.
Mr. Davis then presented his views, and
stated that public meetings had been called,
and it was generally conceded by the people
that the proposed charter is acceptable /;
that the charter was signed by a committee
of citizens who advocate its adoption.
r T. Devlin then replied to the PROPOSE
tons of Mr.. Anderson, and argued at great
length He declared that our revenue svs-
tenn under the Act of 1861 is defective, and
that some change is necessary is have a
better system of revenue. He argued that
the provision continuing in force the Acts
relating to the city debt is right and proper,
and Will not affect the litigation. That the
Police Judge could be abolished, thus saw
ing the city 81 800 per annum also the re-
duction Of the Mayors salary; abolishing
the City Assessor, thus saving the city an
other 81, 500 per annum. IN regard to the
provision giving the Council judicial pow
ers. that is already i'll the Act passed in
1883. Mr.. Devlin concluded by stating that
the charter under discussion is complete
and will be greatly TO the benefit Of the
city that the establishment of Board of
Aldermen is a better form of government
and nearer TO the people.
Mr.. Catlin said this city established a
charter in 1850, and carried ii on until 1888
in a manner similar to the one ROW pro-
posed, viz: a Common Council and Mayor
In 1858 the city and county were CONSOLE
dated and DR.. Nichols was elected Mayor.
Five years afterward, 1863, the citizens
found that a change was absolutely neceS-
Sary, and our present charter was adopted,
under which the city has grown and pros
pered. Ii was q matter Of generalization at
the time the Codes were adopted that
they did not interfere with what
they considered a most excellent
charter Under our charter from 1863
to this time we have had no trouble in col
! lecting revenue. Our delinquent lists have
| been less than one per cent. The new
| charter Is not so good as the one now in
force. \ charter was placed i'll our statute
| books some two years ago and there has
been no desire on the part of~our people to
adopt it. The people were 50 industrious
Of making a change or adopting new
charter, that it was impossible almost to
get a respectable number of reputable Cit
zcns to consider the charter al any of the
widely-advertiSed meetings. II was true,
he said, that the press had done what it
could to enighten the citizens ON the sub
iect The trouble was that the people were
satisfied with the present charter and are
not willing to make q change. The people,
if this bin is passed, Will not adopt it.
DR.. Nichols said some found fault with
the old charter Of 1863. and others with
that of 1888. The result was that COM
charter presented. He was 4 member of
the committee Int was well satisfied with
the old charter He said that the Govern
menr Of the CITY under the Consolidation
Act was the best that SACRAMENTO ever had
Suarrow smith smoke at some lenstb If
we had Aldermen lei them he elected nv
wards If tbev are 10 he elected nj laroe.
then Iet Ms Keen our threc saloricd TrIIs-
foes We dnn'f want fhcm ali from one
ward Let Them he divided rbrou,rhout the
wards he or. ne;obbnr. and responsible
lcitizans We want the Iii fo mass 81 that
If under any CONTINGENCY we have 10 sI1r-
rcudar orr nrespnt charter and fail hack
lnnnn tbe C6des tLen we want as accent
Iablea charter as we can ,.et
y \ Denton inade n lenatbv ARGUMENT
i'm favor IF IN, a5~n;ion of the new char
ter and .vt,resso1 q homo tbat tbe commit
ter afler cire,iIl consideration wouid rec
commend lis nass,.,o. The civ would NOT
have the charter now incorporared i'm the
Code He went after the pdlitical rjuos of
TO certain parties and cliques and wound
up by saying that it was a burning shame
that Sacramento, a cljy wiich gave Blame
i''oV 'laJ".I'N' .uout" l0-'I''4 pe c1tllIoiieC'
~ soma hG!hoc1:',ic b9aTd OF trustees
y charter ne said' would ne acceptable
ma. E@Ne 'nt l'""tlt'' iiial lPuid'o'S power