St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-12-10
FLETCHER IS SWIFT.
A New Representative Drafts
a Bill Upon the Charter
Question.
How a City Fay Have a Spe-
cial Charter Without Spe-
cial legislation.
Bill Provides for the Estab-
lishment Of a Municipal
Board Of Review.
Doings Of the Common Cour-
ella Man Forced Into
WedlOok.

George H. Fletcher, one of the repre-
sentatives-elect from the Thirty-second
district, has already drafted bill COW
ering the city charter question. The
aim of Mir. Fletcher's bill is to provide
for the incorporation of cities and for
the amendment of city charters with
out violating the new amendment 10 the
constitution, which prohibits special
legislation. Under Mr.. Fletcher's bill
city can have the sort of
charter it wants, and one that is
not like every ether city charter
in the state, without violating the new
amendment, and Mr.. Fletcher proposes
to take the control of municipal incOr-
poration and charter amendment out OF
the hands of the legislature. His bill is
entitled, IAN act to PROV ID for the in
corporation OF cities, anu the amend
ment of city charters, and for the better
regulation of affairs OF cities in this
state" The bill provides for the estab-
lishment Ola municipal
ESoard of Review,
to consist of the governor. auditor and
attorney general of the state, the gov
ernor being chairman and the auditor
secretary. The board of review shall
have power. upon petition OF the mayor.
or One-third of the common council, or
thirty legal voters in any city, 10 ID
veSligate the official acts or conduct of
any city official in the state, elected or
appointed, including all employees OF
the city. The board can suspend or eX-
pei any such from Office. in conduct
ing such Investigations the board
of review should possess all
the power of district court.
This board shall have the power, also,
to investigate atany time the system of
bookkeeping or the business methods
of any department of municipal govern
ment. And at least once every two
years the board must investigate the af-
fairs of every city of over 5000 inhabi-
tantS and submit a detailed report of
such investigation to the legislature.
The board shall also have power to Or
der changes in the business methods o.
q city if it choose.
Naturally one of the-to Minneapoli-
tanS-most interesting portions OF the
bill is that relating to the
EncOrp Grafton of Cities
and to the amendment of city charters.
Towns which desire to incorporate as
cities must have at least 5000 bona tide
inhabitants. The way the incorporation
must be accomplished is this: Two
hundred legal voters must file with the
state auditor petition setting forth their
desire to incorporate the posses sion
by the proposed city OF 5000 inhab-
itants and the name Of the proposed
city, VITA a copy Of the charter desired
attached. The governor must then cal.
a meeting of the board of review within
thirty days. at which meeting argu-
ments tor and against the incorporation
NAV be presented If the board of re-
view decide that the petition for incor-
poration should be granted, report
must be filed with the state auditor and
a copy of the petition and proposed char
ter. with the decision of the board. must
be sent to the county auditor of the
county in which the proposed city is.
All this must be done fully twenty days
before the general election. Then the
people Interested vote on the question,
and that vote decides the fate of the
charter. Ii incorporation carry, the
government shall make proclamation to
that effect Osher provisions designate
manner OF publication. expense, etc.
How 1t Works.
This bill provides for the amendment
of city charters in much the same man
ner as for the incorporation OF cities.
The common council must first. by
twO-thirdS vote. declare for the submis.
sion to vote of the people of the pro-
posed amendment. The mayor then ap-
proves the resolution, files copy with
the state auditor, the board of review
acts upon it, and it takes the same
course as a petition for Incorporation,
the people finally voting on it. In the
case OF city having both a council and
a board of alderman, a vote OF the ma
jority Of the members of each body is
all that is necessary to propose an
amendment to the city charter, instead
of tWo-thirdS vote.
MI. Fletcher has had this bill printed
so that it can be carefully examined by
all persons interested i'll charter build
ing under the new amendment to the
constitution. The objection some might
raise to the bill is that 1t vests
a good deal of power on the governor,
auditor and attorney general. 1t also
adds materially to their official duties,
particularly in the section providing for
the biennial investigation of the bust
ness affairs of each city in the state.
Mr.. Fletcher says he realizes the i'm
portance of the charter question. He
does not maintain that his bill is perfect.
Hence he wants to hear from as many
people as possible.