The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-08-04
THE CLOSING SESSION.
End Of the Task Of the Charter
Commission.
NEXT STEPS TO be TAKEN.
After BeinE sabmitted to the Council II
WIN Be Printed and onsred to
the People.

This morning the fifteen freeholders, who
nave been for nearly two months framing
me Seattle charter. viii append their sigma
lures to the completed document A meet
Ing il called for 10 O'Clock, at which ali
must attend In order to sign it, although
only majority Is needed to make II q
valid draft.
The session will be held in the city hall,
where it win be read as completed work
BY Secretary Doan. The reading will
probably occupy from four and half to
ak hours, so that it viii be near the close
Of the afternoon before the last word is
written on what win probably become the
organic law Of the city.
The members of the commission are
Judges Orange Jacobs. Roger 8. Greene,
II. @. 6truye, J. r. Lewis and Junius
Rochester; w. X. Andrews, Colonel G. NJ.
6heafe, j. G. Nixon, John Collins, Robert
Calligan, Douglas Young. Jacob Furth,
George Donworth, George B. Adair and
John Leary.
The commission viii submit the charter
to the city council at its meeting tonight,
and it Is to be hoped that proper arrange
ments may be made by the city fathers to
receive the fifteen freeholders, who are for
che nonce the sovereign people, They are
llso distinguished in their individual
character. They include two ex-chief
justices of the supreme court. Jacobs and
Greene, an ex-United States judge, Lewis,
ex-Judge Strive. ex-Probate Judge Roches-
ter, ex-CouncilmanJ Jacob Furth. ex-Mayors
Struve. Jacobs, Collins and Leary, ex-Presi-
dent Of the Democratic League Donworth,
President of the Board of Trade Adair,
Park Commissioner Sheafe, ex-Deputy
Clerk Of the Supreme Court Andrews.
Messrs. Nixon and Young are not Office
holders themselves, but are credited with
having no little influence in naming office
holders. Robert Calligan is on the horns
Of dilemma If he receives the charter
IS councilman, he can hardly present it
as commissioner. He will have to strad-
die the fence for the first time in his life.
The council have no discretion as to the
immediate subsequent proceedings. With
in i've days they must cause the charter to
be published for thirty days, in order to
obey the statute, and must then within i've
DAYS thereafter "provide for the submission
thereof to the qualified voters OF said city,
and shall for that purpose give at least ten
days. notice" by publication and posting
notices.
The provision 'at least" gives the council
: certain discretionary power and places
the election at as remote q distance, so far
as the statute is concerned. as the time at
which the charter commission need submit
the charter until it is framed" Having
"framsd" IL, however. they have only
thirty days within which to submit it to
the council.
The council probably viii not delay the
election longer than seems reasonable. 1t
will be the performance of hari-kari as the
present legislative body must inferentially
declare its own dissolution.
It is to be hoped the council will read the
charter, - II has two back-action provis-
ins. one - to election precincts and an
other a. to the steps to be taken under the
statute. The charter is not supposed TO be
born until election day, but it will begin to
show signs Of vitality tonight.