The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-01-11
THE CITY CHARTER.
MT. Spring Discusses One OF the Pro-
posed Amendments.

MT. Spring Discusses One of the Pro-
posed Amendments
SEATTLE JAN 10, 1892.
To THE EDrroe. On next Thursday the city
council will vote on the several amendments to
our city charter submitted TO them by the
charter revision committee. There are seven
teen amendments, believe, and Ii is certainly
next to impossible to discuss the merits or
dement's of all OF them in q newspaper
article. Fortunately large number OF the
amendments need no discussion. One can per-
celFe az glance that they are decided improve
ments upon our present charter.
Proposed amendment No. is, however, 80
glaringly faulty and SO decidedly inconsistent
that deem it my duty as citizen and resident
OF this city to call the attention of your readers
to its grave defects. Before proceeding, how
ever, wish to utilize this occasion TO say that
to an extent our citizens deserve to suffer the
penalty generally accruing to 8 city from bad
laws, organic or otherwise That our present
charter is somewhat faulty, or rather too cum
bersome for our size, no one denies The fact
that charter revision committee was created
and that amendments were suggested, to an ex-
tent proves such to be the case. It 10 now
nearly two months since these amendments
were voted upon for the first time by our
council aud received their sanction, but
still not q word, for or against, has
been said about them by the people.
No discussion through the press on platforms
has taken place. It is safe to say that very
large number of our citizens are not even aware
that all these amendments have been published
for ten days in our two official papers and have
therefore cost the city quite a respectable sum
already ask in all candor, is that right? One
may justly complain when no has done all in
his power to avert certain evil, but failed; but
what right has one to complain when he stays
idly by and allows the evil to grow without even
making attempt TO check it. What right
have our citizens to complain when they make
no earnest effort to remedy the existing evil?
Undoubtedly will be told in answer to my
questions that am too hasty, that the amend
ments will not be presented to the people for
voting until March, and that they will doubtless
discuss the them before that remote date both
in the press and on the platform. But there are
two decided objections to the delay.
First-A municipal election will then be pend
ing; political fanaticism, campaign cries and
perhaps party lashes will then be predominant
in the agitated mind OF the public. Hardly
thought Will then be given to proposed changes
in our organic law; the personnel OF the various
tickets will be excitedly discussed. Who cares for
such trivials IS charter amendments when such
vital questions the probability of Jones keep
ing certain pledge or smith obeying certain
faction in preference to another are agitating
the public mind?
Second-The expense of again printing the
Objectionable amendments for thirty days and
printing them on the ballots. The charter
wisely provides that after the publication of a
proposed amendment for ten days, sixty days
shall elapse before further action. 1t Ia plainly
observable that the object is to give the people
chance to digest the quality of the proposed
Improvements and to expreas themselves,
so that the council may be guided as
to how to act before mourning the
luther expense OF printing and an
election. ] am not betraying any confidence
when frankly say that before the first vote was
taken on the amendments several members of
the city council spoke to me about the advisable
ity of voting against some of the amendments
counseled them to submit all the amendments
to the first printing, so that people will have Q
chance to express their feeling on those sub
jects.
But people are always ready to criticise, but
seldom ready to frankly express their wishes or
desires, and by so doing aid the council to give
decision before large amount of money is
expended. 1t will be asked who am l who dare
to eritisizs whole city? To such questions
answer that it matters not who am. The Ques-
ton worthy OF consideration is, are my criti.
cisrns just or unjust, and am willing that the
people should decide that matter. As to the en-
lfghtment of our people, do not deny il. On
the contrary, chserfully subscribe TO the fact
that the residents of this city are enterprising,
loyal, public spirited and all that, but they are
Httle-yes, more than little--careless about the
municipal administration of our city,
i regret TO have taken up 30 much space with
the preface Of this letter, but humbly confess
the inability to resist the temptation to give my
fellow-citizens piece OF my mind when they so
richly deserve it,
Amendment No aims at affecting different
changes; first. to numerically equalizs the two
houses OF the city council; second, to elect
aldermen In the respective wards of the city
precisely under the same conditions and CIR
cumsta1ces as the delegates are elected, and not
at large. as now; and third TO pay couneilmen
$500 per annum, but fine them s. every time
they are absent from a council meeting, though
a provision is made by which the average coun-
Gilman can easily avoid paying the fine, for all
he has to do is to give his own word of honor
that he was unayoidably absent.
take il for granted that the Trainer of the
amendment is not opposed to the dual system of
city legislation, else he would propose the abol.
ishment of one house and the retaining of the
other. so there is no occasion here to either de-
fend or praise the dual system. But the pro-
posed amendment robs that system of the many
virtues that its defenders and supporters claim
for il.
The Chief it might be added the only, merit
that is claimed for the dual system is that one
house can check the other, and, unless there is
absolute collision, which in very corrupt adj
ministrations will happen, no faulty legislation
or robbery can possibly be enacted.
How can one house be expected to check the
other when both have the same numerical
strength, are elected in the same wards under
the same conditions, and are subject to the same
influences, and whose members must possess
the same qualifications before they are eligible9
! hardly think IL needs argument TO prove the
faultlness OF the proposition, for two houses SO
composed are no longer dual system of legisla-
ton with houses independents of each other and
rpa " md mill To ar
or otherwise, but simply a number OF council
men with the same sympathies subject to the
same ward influences, divided in two, seated in
two different rooms, not with q view of correct
ing each others faults, but with view of meet
ing the seruplcs of some citizens who are still
foolish enough to believe in dual municipal
legislation.
Again, object to the election of aldermen
from the various wards on the ground that IL
restricts our limit of choice IL is folly to
longer deceive ourselves. Our municipal affairs
need the calm judgment and honest purpose of
our best trained business men. With me land IL
should be the same with every wsll-wisher of
this city, il is not a question of politics party
success or sympathy 1t is simply question Of
fact Our city certainly is in debt, and eonsid.
erably so; our city certainly needs further I'm,
pFoyements and many OF them; our city has not
q sufficient revenue to meet current expspdf
ture, not 20 speak OF Improvements: our citvss
credit has been taxed TO nearly the utmost
limits. The state Legislature gave US special
privilege TO go in debt, and We have exhausted
that limit
Our citizens are paying taxes, both BY way Of
license and direct taxation, as much as th.y car
possibly stand, under the existing condition..
and do not think any one viii deny that thass
conditions exist, though do not wish il to hs
understood that am blaming any one man or
any one party for the existing conditions. In