St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-02-08
Trip TRIPS HIM UP.
fhe Author Of the New City
Charter Gets Back at
Russell.
The Mayor Should Be the
Chief Executive in
Fact.
Cow the New Charter Has
Been Mispepresented and
Misinterpreted.
Food for Reflection for All
Who Apo Inter nSfnd in
Food for Reflection for All
Who Are Inter ested in
Minneapolis.

To the Editor of the Globe.
So much has been said against the
proposed new charter for our city, now
In the legislature for action, and so
many wiful miSstatements concerning
it and its provisions have been made,
that 1t is but Justice that the matter be
set right.
A certain attorney of this city, in re-
view published in the papers OF yester-
day, went to the very extreme of UNI
fairness in his efforts to put this charter
in false light and thereby, if possible,
keep his job.
Errors of the printer mo proof of this
bill having ever been read when
printed, were commented upon and
distorted into glarng inconsistencies;
many points not to be left in were con-
strued into serious defects; point here
and point there was taken and none OF
the restraining or explanatory matter
was included. 1t was the work Of spe-
cial pleader, trying to put the best face
he could for himself and bis clients on
bad case they found themselves mixed
up in, and this in direct contradiction to
this same pleader's candid, honest opln-
ion privately expressed, that the char
ter was a good one, and correct I'D prln-
clpe.
Much has been said about the Built
bill and Philadelphia charter; all talk
to the contrary the people of Philadel-
phia are well satisfied with their charter
and their government, and have no de-
sire to make change or 20 back to any
OF the old systems. Mr.. Mathews, quoted
In the Tribune several different times as
condemning the Philadelphia charter,
In private talks in this city spoke
Just the reverse and in the high
est terms. The fault in their
city lay in the fact that they elected
ma nmayor, who was possessed of more
money than brains, and knew nothing
Of the management of the affairs OF the
city. However. the Built bill was not
The model after which our new charter
was drawn. though several features in
it are adopted. and those would COM
mend themselves to any sound business
man.
The Model OF the New Charter
Is our sytsem of state and national gov
ernments, division of the executive
and Legislative departments. each hay
Ing its peculiar functions and the line
sharply drawn. 1t is proposed that the
mayor of this city shall be to the city
what the governor is to the state, or the
president to the United States. He
shall be the chief executive, charged
with the enforcement of the laws and
empowered to select his own eXecu-
hive officers and spbordnates, subject
to confirmation by the city coun-
ell What could be thought of the
proposition that the legislature of this
state should insist Oh choosing all the
executive officers of the state now
chosen and appointed by the governor
and say to him, you must execute the
laws of this state, but we will select the
men to enforce them" 1t would be
contrary to the genius Of our insttu
tons and to all known laws of govern
ment; would any capable, selt-respect-
ing man consent to such thing and
take the Office? So, if congress wonld
Insist on electing members of the
presidents cabinet, judges of the
courts, and all the purely executive off
GERS, would any man consent to this?
And yet that is the position the mayor
of this city is in. He is charged with
the enforcement of the laws and Ordi-
nanceS, the execution OF contracts and
The protection of the city's interests,
and yet he cannot elect his own eXecu-
live officers and say who shall as
SiSt him. A body, most of the time
inimical to him, selects the executive
officers, whose great ambition seems
to be, many times, to thWart
the mayor and discredit him
city has complained of the injustice of
this system; he is charged with all mis-
takes Of these men; he has to take the
curses. Responsibility can't be heaped
on the council, and the mayor, guiltless
of the trouble, has to sit by helpless and
take the abuse. 1t is proposed to rem
edy this by making the duties of the
council purely legislative, and leave the
execution of the ordinances and con-
tracts eff the council and city to the eX-
ecutive department of the city, or the
mayor and his subOrdinateS.
Direct Responsibility
Is better and safer than divided respon-
Sibility. Distribute this among twenty
or thirty men, and who is there to look
after it? Who feels this responsibility?
Any one who has ever done business
with any of the city departments knows
there is no responsibility anywhere.
The city engineer refers you to the
council committee, and the council
committee refers you to the council.
anu lD6J UdCh W JIiG 6ilS lDStI again,
and the result Of it all is you get no
satisfaction anywhere.
Under the new charter the work will
be so divided that the responsibility can
be traced and located at once.
A word as to the connciPs interest in
contracts and improvements, etc.
No contract can be let by any depart
ment except by express direction Of the
city council, and must be confirmed by
them and carefully executed.
[ Not one cent of the cIty's funds can
be spent except by direction of the city
council; it has absolute control of the
finances of the city, and the council has
the same powers and greater than those
now possessed under the present char
ter, and the only material change is in
the appointment Of heads of depart
mentS.
The ward funds remain as at present
and the control Is as at present. The
change in any of the workings of the
wards and other funds of the city is
slight; they will still be under the con-
troll, management and direction of the
aldermen and city council. Before any
appropriation bill can be offered in the
city council, it must have the indorse-
ment 81 the comptroller to the fact that
there is sufficient money in the proper
fund to meet the appropriation.
The mayor appoints all heads of de-
partments subject to the confirmation
by the city council. The council can
reject any unfit man. Does any one
think for minute, that mayor who is
responsible tor all acts of his subordin-
ateS, will appoint an unfit man, and if
he should prove to be so, keep him in
Office? The mayor can remove any Of