The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1889-02-03
CHARTER AMENDMENTS.

THE draft of the proposed charter
for this city, now before the Oregon
legislature, has been received for ex-
animation.
It constitutes an entirely new
charter, and repeals the one now in
existence. The general tenor and
verbiage of the document, and the
provisions, as whole, are similar to
the present organic law of the mu-
nicipality.
The proposed charter enlarges the
powers and duties of the council in
the matter of streets and licenses.
The sections relative to these changes
have already been published.
An important change is proposed in
the present practical workings of the
council, in the following.
SEC. Sc. A majority Of the whole
number constituting the council as
then provided by law is a majority of
the council or members thereof,
within the meaning of this act: Pro-
vided in case a vacancy or vacancies
exist in such council a majority of
the remaining members shall be a
sufficient majority to fill such vacancy
or vacancies. The concurrence of a
majority of a quorum is O sufficient
majority to determine any question or
matter other than the final passage OF
an ordinance, and the appointment or
removal of an officer.
Another radical innovation is con-
tanned in the following,
SEC. &C. The auditor and police
judge has jurisdiction and authority
of a justice of the peace in both civil
and criminal matters, and shall have
the same power and jurisdiction and
be subject to all general laws Of the
state prescribing the duties and
rights of justice of the peace and
mode Of performing them and shall
receive the same compensation and in
like manner as other justices of the
peace, as provided for in the general
laws of the state regulating the COM
pensation of justices of the peace.
The proposition which will arouse
the most discussion. is contained in
the following:
Sec. 104. The council shall when
a street or part thereof has been i'm
proved to its established grade, and
in accordance with the provisions of
the ordinance providing therefor, ac-
cept by ordinance such improvement,
and thereafter all improvements or
repairs made on said portion of said
street shall be made at the general
expense Of the city, and be paid for
out Of the general fund: Provided,
that hereafter when any street or part
thereof be ordered improved, it shall
be to its established grade.
Sec. los. The cost of establishing
or altering the grade of any street or
part thereof shall be paid out of the
general fund of the city. The term
general fund.-" as used in this chap
ter, includes any fund raised by spe-
cial tax for the purpose in connection
with which such term is used.
Were there no Indebtedness allowed
on the city assessment for taxes, that
would pass unquestioned. But IN
der the circumstances, the passage of
the last two sections quoted would, in
our opinion, saddle the expense of
keeping up the expense of the streets
of this city on that portion of the
property holders least able, financial
ly, to stand it. There is a favor of a
job about this part of the proposed
charter, which detracts from much in
1t that is avowedly good.
What We must look at is not what
may alone be contemplated" but
what would actually result
In general it may be said that any
measure that would result in giving
us decent streets in place of the
present impossible and disgraceful
attempts at public thorougbfares, de
serves consideration.
We would even overlook the Proba
BILE first fruits Of having some
public ways repaired at public ex-
pense and made good streets, if the
thing wasn't overdone, and alder
manic influence used to maintain
some streets at the expense of Others
equally deserving.
Though far from being all thai
could be desired, the proposed char
ter is, probably as good as could bC
expected, perfection being usually de-
MED that class of instruments, anG
whether it passes or is rejected the
most of US will view the result with
our usual placid indifference.
THE new American navy, WheI
completed, will consist of twenty-five
vessels ranging from the armored
cruiser Maine, carrying 444 men