St. Paul daily globe., 1889-02-27
THE WATER BOARD.

One would suppose, from the way the
Pioneer Press rants about the proposed
changes in the appointment OF the water
board, that somebody's niger was be-
ing pulled out the woodpile. The bill
agreed upon by the Ramsey county
delegation, transferring the appointing
power from the district court room to
the mayors Office, is such a common
sense movement, no disinterested per-
son could possibly find fault with it.
The wonder is that the appointment OF
the water board was ever committed to
the district judges in the first place.
The district court has no connection in
any manner OF form with the municipal
government of st. Paul, and the mere
fact that the judges of the court, or
some of them, happen to reside in the
city, is no warrant for the asSump-
ton that they are any more interested
in the city's government than any other
citizen would be. In the next place, it
is possible that majority OF the
judges, or even all of them, may reside
outside of the city limits and yet be cit
izens of Ramsey county. The idea of
delegating to persons who are not resi-
dents of the city the power to I'LL the
municipal offices of great city like
this is too preposterous proposition to
consume time in discussing. 1t would
be just as appropriate to delegate to the
ear of Russia the power to appoint
chief of police for this city as to confer
the power of appointing any one OF the
boards or commissions constituting 4
part of the city government upon any
one other than some one connected with
and responsible for the city's govern
ment. The principle of home rule,
upon which American independence
was won, and for which Ireland IS fight
ing to-day, enters as an important ele-
ment into this matter. If st. Paul is
not capable of sustaining local munich
pal government without the interyen-
ton of foreign power, then the best
thing for the city to do would be to sur
render its charter.
Another serious question entering
into this discussion is the constitutional
right of the judiciary to make official
supposed to be confined to the executive
department, and under our American
system the three branches of govern
ment are created separate and distinct
from each other, neither having the right
to invade or in any wise interfere with
the prerogatives of the other. Still. if
the district judges were constltutionally
invested with the power to appoint, it is
safe to say that in this instance, at
least, they are personally averSe to eX-
ercise that power. They find enough
business on the court docket to employ
all their time, without having to super
wise the municipal government of st.
Paul.
But yet, waving all other considera-
tions, the propriety of locating munlci-
pal appointments in the chief execu-
tive of the city is so apparent that no
one would dare to protest against it
unless actuated by some selfish motive.
All other boards and subordinate Off
eials are appointed in that way, and
what reason is there that the water
board should be an exception? 1t is of
no greater importance than the fire de
partment. the police department., the
health department, and all the various
boards and commissions that constitute
a part of the city government. The
proposed change in the manner of APP
pointing the water commissioners does
not involve any reflection upon the
management of the present board. The
purpose is simply to make the city gov
ernment what it ought to ee-a distinct,
compact, Independent municipal gov
ernment totally free from outside in
fuences or foreign dictation, and to
give to the executive head of the city
the power commensurate with his re-
sponsibilities.