The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-09-09
CONCERNING CITY AFFAIRS.
Suggestion to the Charter Commission
by Mr.. Abe Spring.

SEATTLE, Wash, Sept. 8, 1891.
To THE EDITOR: since the publication of my
letter Concerning City Affairs" in your paper
of August p, a number OF my acquaintance
have importuned me to address myself directly
to the defects OF the charter. For the sake of
complying with their urgent requests, also
OF satisfying myself whether or not our present
faulty city administration can be attributed to
charter defects, / endeavored to reread and
thoroughly study the charter. On reaching
section 5, article T. I believe 1 therein found the
chief obstacle to good city govei nment With
your permission will quote the entire section,
so as to avoid the accusation of having cited
only portions suitable to my argument:
SECTION 5. No member of either house shall
hold any other Office, federal, state, county or
municipal, except in the National Guard or As q
notary public or be employe OF the city or
either of said houses, or be directly or indi-
rectly interested in any contract with the city,
or with or for any department, institution,
board, officer agent or employe thereof. or adj,
vance money or furnish materials or supplies,
or become surety for the performance OF any
such contract, or directly or indirectly recon-
mend, solicit, advise, request or in any manner
use his influence to obtain the appointment of
any person to any Office, position, place or en-
pioyment under the city government or under
any department, board, officer. agent or en-
ploye thereof; prorfded, that nothing contained
In this section shall IMPAIR the right OF a MEM
any position or office to he filled by the city
council or by the house OF which he Is a mem
Der Each member, upon taking office, shall
make and file in the office of the city clerk IN
affidavit that he will faithfully comply with
and abide by all the requirements of this sec
ton, and the violation of any Of the provisions
of this section shall work a forfeiture OF his
membership and warrant his expulsion from
the house 10 which he belongs.
That ! may be thoroughly understood beg
leave to define my intention and position IN
writing these letters II is not my purpose to
criticize men; | merely desire to analyze meas
n gnph auaiv sis
becomes necessary to turn the microscope of
public gaze on the person or persons having Ia
charge the enforcement of such measures cam
not refrain from doing so. have no personal or
political ak 10 grind. / have opinions. and so
long as can get frst.class newspaper 10 pub
lish them and consequently the public to read
them, SO long shall continue to write them
with the sole hope OF adding my mite TO the mo-
| curement of a thoroughly business-like CITY adj
miuistration, and II possible of Wrestling il from
the hands of professional politicians and utterly
| inexperienced men, in whose hands our CITY
| administration now appears to be. This is not
| intended an apology to those who take so
much exception TO my recent letter. | do not
believe | offended them, and certainly do not
desire 10 apologize TO them, but it is intended TO
| place myself in true position before the pub
| lie, whom wish to arouse to the necessity OF
managing their own affairs, instead of leaving
| them in the hands OF INSCRIPTIONS politicians
One more preliminary word and will be
| done. There are at present men in both houses
| OF the city legislature, as well on the admin
| istratiye boards, whose integrity, honesty and
| to certain extent, ability, l do not question
| But these very men are only too pleased TO have
| their actions publicly scrutinzcd
| hold that the section above Quoted dehsrs
| generally speaking, all OF our prominent bust
ness men from serving on the council Such
| provision is well applicable 10 all of those serv
| ing the city under pay. because when one &C.
cepts pay from the city treasury for his services
small or large, he should devote in return for
| sucs enumeration his entire time and enero
TO advance the city's welfare, and should dis
continue all prior business re atoms or eonnec.
| tions. But said section ought to be so amended
! that 1t viii not apply 10 members OF the CITY
council.
| City extraordinarily, bills framed by a eitv
oconduct their own affairs in the way best suited
| 20 their own conditions ana eircumstances--ars
! practically new. No eminent American or
| English writer has vet thoroughly treated the
| subject. The most prominent writers of the
| day are often abiding 10 the system. but none
! dare 10 make any definite deductions from il
| owing 20 the fact that the results do not vet
| justify absolute conclusions. This leads me 10
two-f0ld conclusion: First-Ii the trainers az
| our charter have erred, such error is entirely
| psrdonaole, because at best their labor was in
the nature OF an experiment, and reason allows
every eNper!menter certain latitude second
| IL IuftAet proves the utter folly OF copying q
charter for one city from another. What might
be highly beneficial and profitable to cities the
size OF Brooklyn or other lsrPe Eastern cities
might be absolutely detrimental to Western
cities the size az Seattle. Food which 1
could easily digest AMI enjoy would.
perhaps, Kill my S.year-od child Brook
| lyn-snd cite that city because
she was the frst to earnestly experiment W III a
new charter-has in her charter section SINH.
lsr 20 the one above quoted She csn well
afford 70 have IL, as she is old aud large city
and has practically an unlimited number OF
good business men % choose from, and also MANY
retired Nero hantS who grew with the CITY 10
their present successful position aud are willing
10 serve her for the fame and honor there il in
II, as also prompted by s spirit of gratitude.
she suffered nothing by saving 10 her ner.
chants, Those of you who wish to serve ne a.
councillors cannot sell ne or nv contractors
any goods, nor can YOU 60 bonds for any one
having dealings with ne" By so doing sba
loses nothing sad 81 the same time prevents the
possibility of some INSCRIPTIONS merchant
entering her council with the object OF adyapc-
ing his material welfare.
Now let US look st seattle-A vounr nnShi,,
western eity-in which every business man
strains hrs every nerve 70 advance his and her
welfare. With the number OF successful bust
hess men limited owing 10 the size of the CITY.
with hardly any retired merchants ask in ali
harness. can she a1oEd to say to her business