The Lake Charles echo. [volume] (Lake Charles, Parish of Calcasieu, La.) 1876-1898, 1889-05-31
THEPRoP0sED cHARTER.

After our cDmment on the charter As
published IN last issue was set ND III
type cerain changes were made III the
charter which rendered that portion
referring 70 the number Of aldermen
lnapplicablo Serious matter for CON
liberation, however, remains.
We do not cungmentin hostile spirit.
for We feel that the present municipal.
charter is defective and insufficient ,and
We recognize 10 the draft proposed for
adoption many good features Every
citizen Of the town is, on shonId be-
deeply interested 10 the municipal law,
and It is the duty.of the periodicals. to
direct close attention 10 any portion
thereof which may eventually prove det-
rimentai to our best interests As it
now stands Il is defective.
LIST. Il stipuhrtes that the mayor and
aldermen to be elected under it shall
hold office two years, and the first cleo
ton to be held will be in June, first
Monday, 1891. None are to be elected
at the time of it's adoption, and under
the law of the State no amendment can
be adopted within one year after the
date of Its adoption. The mayor and
aldermen to be elected on the 3rd Of
June, according to the mayors procla
nation, which also appeared in the last
issue, will be elected under the provis-
ions of our present charter, hence there
will be an interregnum from the Bird of
June, 1880, TO the first Monday in June.
1891. It cannot be filed by election.
No authority will exist. 1t cannot be
filed by the governor. He can only
appoint for unexpired terms, while
their terms will have expired Can they
hold over until their Successors are quail
fled Theauthority under which they
were elected will have been repealed,
Will not they really be legiSlated out Of
Office on the Oath Of June, 1889 by the
adoption of the new charter without
clause retaining them
Again, the veto power Of the mayor
is nullified by allowing the votes of
three aldermen to enact law over the
veto, and thus acts would be passed by
three, while three 1.-THE mayor and tw"
aldermen) and the veto would be re-
corded against.
Is this the sort of majority necessary
to give stability to uur municipal legis-
lation
Again the board to be elected are TO
fix the compensation OF the mayor and
officers. LIST, There is no condition that
it shall be fixed once for the whole term.
except in case OF collector aud treasurer.
Hence, if all the board are Of one way
of thinking, salaries may be made too
high. IL the maj 'rlty are opposed to
the mayor his salnry may be made 10
rldisulousiy low as to compel merito-
rlOus officer to resign. So with other
officers; pets may be employed at ex
horbitantly high salaries or good Off
GERS may he forced out by ParsilOony or
i'll will. I'd, A board of officers elected
for one year will have power TO apprn-
pria e and fix taxation and licenses for
two years, and thus bind those who
would follow the second year. and per
haps leave them without funds.
Would it not be better to have the
mayors salary fixed in the charter it
self, and clause inserted therein that
an ordinance fixing the salaries of all
other officers shall be adopted by the
boald prior to the election or appoint
ment of such officers, not to be charged
during the term. Otherwise little
game of tickle me and l will tickle you,
might cost the town several thousand
dollars
That portion of Section Z, of Article
10, which authorizes the issuance of
bonds not to exceed six per cent Of the
assessment, is violative of the State
constitution, and should not disfigure
the charter, besides it might in time
mislead the council and cause trouble.
We have heretofore warned the peo-
pie against the danger Of making them
selves liable to 10 mills parochial taxa
ton, and will not repeat
But how does the charter get before
the people? Not at request Of tue eiG-
gems, as required by the law. Not even
by resolution of the town authorities IN
council assembled for rs il is now adj
vertised it does not corr, spond with,
and is mot the same instrument ordered
by the council to be Published. 1t is
therefore lille sally presented for the
vote Of the citizens. Ii may be- said
that the law i, dIrertory. 1t is th"
only law authorizing the amendment Of
the charter. Do you wish TO invite
litigation Suppose on the Oath #
June the people do not all choose tn
vote, and the majority Young CAST lhelr
ballots for its adoption. but do not con-
stitute a majority Of the registered
voters. Can it be said then to be Law ?
A thing presented without authority,
and not accepted by half the voters
BY whose authority is the town PM
to the expense of nm election on the
Oath of June, not asked for?
What good is to be gained by chang.
ing the limits ? What authority fol
casting some out ? What good from
taking in more territory ? We have
incorporated room for $4,000 peopl,
now.
Citizens. reflect, then act. Do moi
! be hasty because Of desire TO bette
: our condition
Tllai Charter.