The record-union., 1892-03-22
THE FULL CHARTER.


There is printed in full in the RECORD
UNION this morningl the proposed new
charter. 1t is the duty of every citizen
who values his home, who takes an in
terest in the city, who wishes to con-
serve the highest prosperity of the peo-
pie, to read the document through care
fully; to give its whole scheme thought;
TO arrive at no hasty conclusion for or
against it.
1t will be seen that its scheme is mod
eled very closely after the form of the
State Government; that very clearly
stated system of checks and balances is
set out; that the duties of officers are very
precisely and in much detail stated, so
that there can be no misapprehension
concerning them.
1t will be noted also that the executive
and legislative powers of the city gov
ernment are kept distinct and indepen-
dent, and each made a check upon the
other. That while there is given to the
Mayor somewhat more of power than
under our present system, in which he
really has none, there is placed upon him
greater responsibility, and duties that
will take his time and require him to de-
vote it all to the office. 1t will be noted
that the legislative acts Jointly with the
executive in naming city employees,
and that with two exceptions of any inn
portance, the people retain to themselves
the election of all officers which are by
the nature of their offices more di-
rectly responsible to them. In two
cases there is a change. The Board of
Education selects, as is done in many of
the best ordered cities, the Superintend-
ent of Schools, on the same principle that
to them is intrusted the election of teach
ers, whose offices are the more important
and more nearly related to the interests of
the schools. The Chief of Police is chosen
by the Mayor and the Trustees, because
the former being the executive, and the
police force being directly related to ex-
ecutive duties, the enforcement of the
law, it should not be independent of the
chief executive authority.
The Mayor is made an executive in
fact, the watchman over the books. ac-
counts and doings of all officials, to re-
port to the people, to see that duty is per-
formed, economy promoted and dill
gence encouraged. The legislative body.
for malfeasance or for neglect of duty, can
impeach the executive, and thus these
independent departments; both response
bic to the people directly, with one chosen
by wards and one by the city at large.
operate as checks upon one another.
The charter is human institution and
therefore not without defects. But the
one question for the people ought to be,
DO Its virtues promise to dominate" ?"
If so, minor mistakes of Judgment can be
overlooked, and such errors as may be
discovered be relegated to the future for
correction. The charter-makers appear
to have labored in the light of the best in
formation procurable, and of the expert
ence of other cities which have tested the
application of the system of complete
separation of the executive and legislative
branches.
Let the people read the charter calmly,
We repeat, reflect upon it and guard
against hasty approval or condemnation.
OF one thing they viii become convinced
the new instrument cures defects in
our present government that are well
known to put in peril the revenue system
of the city, and that deprive the commu-
nifty of any executive officer who can act
for the people in tire correction of abuses
and in compelling those who assume city
trusts to prove faithful to them Of this
there is by no one any denial, and to just
that extent, therefore, the comparison be-
tween the two charters may be said to be
concluded.