Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1892-12-09
UNIFORM CHARTERS.
The Constitutional Amendment
Forbidding Special City Char
ters is Ratified.
New Municipalities Will Hereaf-
ter Come Under tine Of
Three Glasses.
Duty OF Incorporating Taken
Away from the Legislature
Official Paper Suffers.


ment voted on ut the recent election
was carried. The vote has been suffi
cicntiy canvasScd 70 demonstrate that
fact
That amendment prohibits the lcgiS
latTc from enacting amy special Or pr
vatc law for tilr incorporation Of cities
or the amendment Of the charters there
of" Up 70 the present time that pro
hibitiOn has existed 50 far only rs
towns and Villages" are concerned,
but lot rs TO 'citi"s."
The amendment will put stop to IN
endless amount Of special legislation,
giving to the charter Of one city Ill
manner Of licenses and restrictions not
found in that Of another, The amend
ment has been ratified by the people
and passed b. the legislature twice,
h"nc" it is now j part Of til" funda-
mental law Of the colnonW, alth.
Hereafter all cities will be incolpO-
rated III accordance with the provisions
Of tho general law enacted ~ the lcgiS-
lature in 1889. 1t was drafted by Il
committee appointed by lie supreme
y -
The general law provides that the cit
les Or the state now existing or that
may be created under the provisions
Of this ACT" shall he divided into classes
as follows:
First class Those with Il population
Of 10000 or oyer milwaukee, aIona)
Second class Those with Il popula-
4 tn
Third class Those with Il population
over 1000 and under 10000.
No city now incorporated is affected
10y this law but such city may come
under its provisions by the passag. Of
iii ordinance by Il three fourthS vote
Of all the members of The common corln-
ell The cit. officials then in power will
continue III their L Spectivc places. The
proposition to dignity villages as cities
is IT, be voted on as heretofore ANY
city OF village having voted to incorpo-
rate under this act, shall certify the
fact 10 the secretary Of state
and the governor shall then issue let
t"rS patnet under the great seal Of tn"
state, rcciting the facts, defining the
boundaries Of the city, and constitu-
ting the same Il body corporate and
polite"
The legislature hcnrrforth has absolute
~ nothing 10 do With the incorporation
OF cities
The general incorporation law pre-
eribes how territory may be annexed
officers chosen. the powers and duucs
of the latter and Of the common council,
rs to the courts, various departments.
schools, finance. taxes, etc. No SALARY
shall be given to any mayor except III
cities Of the first class and to no alder
men or school commissioners in any
city. The adoption of this law by amy
city repeats its present charter.
The officers of u city of the first class
shall be a mayor, two aldermen for
each ward. treasurer. comptroller. clerk
engineer. tax commissioner and assessor
chief of police. Justices OF the peace
school and other boards. policemen,
iiremt n etc.
The second and third class cities
sh,.ll have mayor, two aldermen FOR
each ward, treasurer, clerk. comptroller
attorney, assessor Or aSscSSorS, survey y
marshal one Justice and one contable
for each ward, one or more city phySi-
clans, 4 street commissioner, chief nf
tire department, 4 board of public works,
a board of school commissioners, one or
more policemen and such other officers
rs the council may deem necessary.
Public officials shall be elected rs now.
AS the amendment 10 the constitution
forbidS the enactment Of any special
law to amend" us well as to 'incor-
porate." Il city. any existing municipal
ity must. if it seeks an alteration Of
its charter, come into one Of the classes
under the general law and take pot
luck under its provisions
The adoption of the amendment will
save the state or the cities interested
the expense Of preparing special chart
erS, Of having them run the gamut of
the legislature of being printed in the
official state paper, etc, etc. As city
charters are usually more Yolnninous
than the general laws. the reduction III
the expense Of making the biennial pub
ication OF laws in the official state paper.
will be cut down more than one-haIf or
several thousand dollars each two years
The law will be useful, too, i'll pre-
venting thee incorporation into char
tiers Of provisions calculated 10 sub
serve selfish interests.
Brewers Want More Pay.
Milwaukee, Dec. "A demand for
higher wages to take effect with the
beginning ofthc new year has been
made Ivy the Brewers union.
The brewers held 4 large meeting in
liederlranz hall yesterday. and after
discussing the matter for three hours
they formulated their demands, and ap-
pointed 4 committee of five to present
them to the brewery owners. They
ask that the pay of men employed in
the wash house be increased from
$50 to $50 per month. and that of men
in the cellars and brew houses from
$50 TO $50, making an even advance
Of So per month for both classes.