The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-02-01

month The fire commissioners and the
police commissioners have also arranged
To meet the same night but there are not
enough clerks or rooms 10 accommodate
these bodies and one Of the boards VIII
have TO postpone its meeting. The Hre
commissioners will probably only hold
formal meeting and take recess, as the
police commissioners have summoned
many witnesses for the sheallan inquiry
and IL would be q serious inconvenience 70
require their presence again. The inquiry
win probably be held in the old city hall,
now the police court.
A very earnest effort is being inaugural
ed by the members of both houses of the
cts council to bring about greater harmony
between the two branches of the Legislative
body, and so expedite public business. Al
are equally loyal 10 the proposition and il
will no doubt result most beneficially-
One important step is found in the sug-
gestion made first, it is understood, by Del
egates Lansing, Hanford and kittinger TO
have more frequent joint meetings of COM
mittees The flrst result is TO be found III
the admirable ordinance by which the Of
ices of superintendent Of public buildings
and superintendent of buildings arc con-
solidated This removes q cause of friction
ing. The happy conclusion was reached
by Joint committee consisting of Alder
men Miller Wilcox and Snyder and Dele
gates Lansing. kittinger and Furry.
Another source of misunderstanding is
the subject af collecting grade taxes. The
aldermen thought the honse was deter
mined to throw the whole matter into the
hands Of d Moore Reife, and the House
was under the apprehension that the al
derrnen were determined 10 turn ii over tn
the corporation counsel. In either case ii
would have resulted in hardship TO many
people of limited means, and would have
involved the city in a hopeless entangle-
Inent of litigation.
Several informal consultations have been
held, and many members Of both houses
have resolved 10 adopt business-like and
conservative course. They viii recommend
the passage of the ordinance introduced by
Delegate kittinger in the House and pro-
posed by either Alderman Miller or Alder
man Pontius ia the upper chamber
Mr.. Miller was at tirst disposed to think
that the cases should he Immediately pros
ecuted, but he mas made some personal in
qniries which have, he says, induced him
10 take less radical course.
Il find" said he to n PosT-INTELLIGEx-
gEK reporter, that those who have not
paid their grade taxes consist of two
classes those who viii not pay and those
VINO cannot pay all at once. The proposed
ordinance meets this condition. Cnder
its provisions the treasurer, who is also the
tax collector, Is empowered tn take steps
Tor the collection of grade assessments by
gentle means. He will report to tine city
council once a menth just how each case
stands, SO that each body of the council
may determine for itself what cases it will
he lenient In and what eases shall be
turned over to the corporation counsel
There will be no fear then that firm of
attorneys can skim the cream and throw
all the remainder back on the city AT the
end of their term.
Il am positively opposed TO giving up
the councils control of these cases. as we
should do if we turned them over pell-mell
10 the corporation counsel or any other at
torney The ordinance | speak of will put
the entire matter, for the first time in the
history Of the city, into such shape that
the city council will know just where TO
extend time and where To press the cases
for settlement
At present the treasurer has no power
10 take partial payment, and there are
few members of the council doubt if
there is one-~who wishes 10 cypress
small property owner who is willing but
unable to pay all At once, by means which
would be perfectly justifiable in cases of
some men who can pay but will not.
q
the council can stand as guardians and say
who shall pass and who shall not, as the
two houses consider best. 1t does not in
terfere with the corporation counsel, rs
the treasurer is not permitted 10 begin
legal proceedings, but only to report in
full TO the two bodies
When Mr.. Miller is convinced that he is
right he is q staiwart champion of cause.
The decision of Judge Jacobs that only
the majority of quorum of either house
is necessary TO the final passage of an
ordinance, is not sustained by the other
legal members of the charter commission.
There might possibly be a doubt as TO the
effect OF the section under which President
Jacobs ruling was made but there can be
none as To the intention of the commits
sion. Ii was specially designed TO check
hasty legislation aud retain in the hands
of the absolute majority of all the MEM
berS Of both hOuses the power TO saw what
bills should and should not finally pass.
While the opinion of the corporation
counsel Is entitled To great consideration
vet in view OF the fact that the charter is
the work OF number of the abiest lawyers
ct the city. and they in all their labor.
were actuated by the purest motives and
most cautious intentions, 1t can scarcely
be believed that the gates have been left
wide open. The clause of the charter UNI
der which the question has been raised
reads as follows. mo bill shall become
an ordinance unless, on its final passage in
each house, at least majority of all the
members vote IN its favor, and the votes
be taken by yeas and nays, and the names
OF the members voting for and against the
same be entered in the Journals" The rul-
ing of the chairman of the house of
delegates was that an ordinance upon its
bnai passage must receive 81 least a ma
jority vote of ali the members of each
house. This construction IL held by the
corporation counsel TO be erroneous. his
opinion being that majority Of quorum
can pass an ordinance. His construction
Is that 4 majority of each house can pass
an ordinance.
The argument of President Jones Is that
the words "a majority of the members -
arc the principal aud governing words of
the clause; while the corporation counsel
maintains that the word ''house" deter
mines the whole controversy. If the char
ter read, "a majority of each house " in
stead of "a majority Of the members of
each house. the corporation counsel :
position would be inpregnable. The
word house" when used in parliament
sry, law or charter provisions means "a
quorum 20 DO business. but the phrase
"a majority Of the members oi n house"
means quite another thing. In California
tbs supreme court Of that state in passing
unou the meaning of the clause OF the
city charter OF san Francisco. No or,li-
nance or resolution shall be passed EXCEPT
by majority Of all the members elected"
1.-THE number provided for by the charter
and elected being eighth. held that
vote of i've was necessary g the
passage OF an ordinance. And afterwards
IN passing upon the same clause where
one member had died. the court held that
vote Of ave members was still necessary.