The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-03-19
MI. E. W. Knight Givss Several Rea-
som for Opposing the New
Measure.
i.1Aaior Walker is Heartily In Favor
OF Giving 1t q Fair
Trial.
Inquiries Concerning His Inter-
View Yesterday.

tlnuea ana the opinions are as divided aG
ever.
II object to the charter for several rea-
sons" said Mr.. II. w. knight, though |
wish you to understand that | have the
highest respect for the gentlemen who
framed it. All are prominent citizens in
our community and deserve not only res
pect for their ability, but are entitled to
credit for their public spirit. While their
work contains many commendable features
AZ likewise has features which l regard az
bad without intending any reflection on the
authors. These are mistakes which will
prevent my voting for the charter and there
fore l am against it.
In the first place it occurs to me that a
board OF public works as established by
the charter will prove unnecessary and
cumbersome machinery for our city govern
ment as it now exists. 1t should be remem-
bered that Helena is a city of only 1900
people and is not SO large that it cannot be
cWell governed by a good mayor n coun-
Gil. 1t is thought that this work can be one
better by three men, but to begin with
good men will give their entire time to this
work IN a salary of $4,000. But If bad
men should make up the board see what
power of evil they will have. For instance,
look at sections seven, eight, nine and ten.
When a new street is opened or graded tn
board has the power to decide which sec
tion of the street shall pay the cost and to
apportion this accordingly, and it is within
their discretion to assess different sums to
each block within the section abutting on
the street. / have known of cases in cities
where non-paying property assessed by this
method had to be sold to pay the costs; that
is, it was virtually confisoated. Now then
in addition it is also provided in section II.
article seven, that after a certificate OF
taxes has been delivered by the city clerk
to the city treasurer the courts of the state
shall not entertain any suit to enjoin or
ton l regard as most absurd for it aims to
prevent any redress from tho law. Here
then is an arbitrary power given to three
men without any apparent means of obtain
ing satisfaction for a grievance. The sec
tion l have just quoted is q strike at a vital
conceive how it was adopted by the franz
ers nor can l see the object. This alone, TO
my mind, is sufficient to condemn the
charter. A word concerning the election of
aldermen at large. l presume the object
was to secure better aldermen, but l can
not zee how this will be brought about; and
again suoh q system comes in contact with
the time honored proposition of representa-
tation for taxation. Now, why will
the best men be induced to run
az aldermen at large when they will not
run as ward aldermen? II this matter can
that side Of the question. It is proposed to
have an alderman at large from each ward
to be nominated by the city conventions.
You can easily see that a candidate NAV be
defeated by his W ward and yet elected
by the city to represent the citizens Of that
event the will Of the citizens of that par
ticular district would be defeated. In other
words the people of the ward who pay taxes
would not be rightly represented In the
city government in which they have al
sRis prino x5ts is the ries others L II II
also right to elect state senators and con /,
gressmen in tho same way. These in brief
are my reasons for opposing the new instru-
ment. though am we'll aware that changes
are needed in tho present charter. The
changes propose by the commission are far
80 long as there is no immediate danger to
the city under the present system. l be-
lieve it would be far better to wait until a
more satisfactory charter can be prepared
Major r. G.. Walker said, ''of course l
am in favor of the new charter. We need
street improvements and new sidewalks,
and to o after these We need a board of
public works. As it is now the street COM
missioner il responsible to no one. The
city government should be run on business
like principles and regard the new charter
as a great step in advance. 1t should have
no difficulty in getting excellent men for
the board. Two thousand dollars is a COM.
70. table salary and should attract honest
and capable men. l believe that q good
trial will certainly show the value of the
system. TIL charter contains all the best
cities and is almost similar to the Spokane
charter. The same ideas nave worked we'll
in other towns and should work we'll in
Helena. This town has grown out of viii
lage ideas and should be governed accord
ingly. The election of aldermen at large
will improve the council. and the board of
public works will give us improvements we
should have. No, l do not think too many
powers are delegated to the board. They
will necessarily have to have authority to
go ahead with the work. l hope the char
ter will be adopted"
rally in favor of the charter because / was
on the commission that framed it. 1t ia a
mistake to suppose that the authority of
the board is not limited. The board can
not hire an officer without the consent of
the council and can make 40 contracts or
expenditures over a limited amount without
the consent of that bcdy."
MI. l.. H. Hershfeld said: $50 those
gentlemen h framed the charter wished
to know what | meant when | said it was a
scheme of real estate men. | will tell
them if they will come to me. l meant the
men who tried to build a chamber of COM
MERGE down in a hole at the other end of
town, and l can give the names. I am re-
sponsible for my own opinions and was not
misquoted."
A correspondent who does not give his
name but calls himself Taxpayer sends
the following communication:
You asked for opinions on the new char
ter and school bonds question. I, for one, |
am opposed to the new charter, for the rea-
son that it creates a one party power. l
think every ward ought to elect their own
alderman; second, l am of the opinion that
if the new charter should be accepted this
city will be thrown into debt 80 deep that
it will tax two generations of different
government than We now have to get it out
of debt, before we will have n chance to
amend the evil, that is, to the next legisla-
ture and, therefore, | will vote against it AZ
every taxpayer should.
In reference to the school bonds. l am
in sympathy to expend all the money the
taxpayer Gan afford for educational pur-
poses, but ! am decidedly against voting
for my sum which our present school trus-
tees should have the handling of. They
have proven themselves entirely uutrust-
worthy of public confidence. Tn Chicago
boodlers are nowhere in comparison to
Howav luthrio u 70 knkipr Aim o;,a ,r