Evening journal., 1889-01-03
AMENDMENTS TO THE CHARTER.
Councils Caucus Decides Uponan Import
ant Change In the Registration Law.

At the meeting of the Democratic mem
bers of City Council on Tuesday evening
last, after the selection of Drs. Fahey and
Miller as vaccine physicians. several pro
posed amendments to the city charter
we're considered. The Democratic mem
bers have had under consideration for
some time past amendments to the Regis
tration law, and at the caucus number
of changes were proposed and adopted.
The city solicitor was directed to prepare
bill in accordance with the suggestions
of the caucus.
II was decided to have the registration
law apply to all primary elections at
which city officers are nominated The
position taken by the caucus being that
no one should have right TO vote at the
primaries who was not entitled at the
election. A further amendment TO the
law was decided upon, fixing the time of
the meeting Of the boards of registration
six weeks before the election. 1t
is the intention Of the amendment
to have the boards Of regis
tration to meet in each ward Of
the city IN the evening within six weeks
from the time of the election The reg
nlar Registration days one and two weeks
before the election viii still continue
The object Of the evening meetings of
the Board OF registration is to allow men
who arc compelled to work TO register
without loss OF time. The amendments
still allow the party holding their nomi
nations to select their own
officers of election, but directs
under penalties for refusing that they
must accept the books Of registration
made out by the Department Of Elections
and must allow no one to vote whose
name does not appear on the registration
list. 1t is expected that this amendment
will be prepared within week and then
submitted to another caucus and after
their adoption there, submitted to an
open council.
The only other amendment Council has
decided upon asking the Legislature is
one fixing the salary Of the members OF
Council. There are several other contem-
plated, and there is one very important
one that will be presented to the present
| session of the General Assembly. It Is
fixing the term Of membership Of Council
at three years instead of two. 1t is pro
posed to dispense with the coming June
election and allow those members whose
terms expire at that time to continue in
Office until June1090 and elect their success.
sors for three years The members whose
term expire in 1890 win hold over one
year and their successors will be elected
in June 1891 to serve for three years.
The reasons OF this change is first Of
economy, to hold an election it costs the
city from SO, 900 to "a, 600 and when it is
taken into consideration the curtailed
powers Of the City Council there is no
real reason for frequent elections.
IL Is not thonght that council win ask
the Legislature for power to borrow
money to refund a large part Of the citys
debt about coming due. At one time
this was contemplated II is thought
best, however, in view Of the large sur
plus accruing at the end Of the year, to
pay off this city 5 debt as it comes due.
In former years there has always been
q special legislative committee who hired
two rooms at Dover for the season. This
year the law committee will act as leg
islative committee and viii have no Dover
headquarters.