The Lake Charles echo. [volume] (Lake Charles, Parish of Calcasieu, La.) 1876-1898, 1893-03-24
gEW 0HARrER.

listls more TRAN three months ago
some critieisnas Of lhe city eounel
called forth 3 letter from one Of il
most acfi~e members Il regard % TIE
seTeets 81 the existing charter and the
uster upelessness b: trying 10 make
MANI much needed improvements
uutil he oId charter was replaced By .
new one. Among other things con-
tanned ID this letter we quote asfolloRa;
ssWe are nov al work on Q charter
broad enough and strong enough to
enable the city 10 do something for
itself and it's inhabitants, and hope to
hass Tie aanls ready 10 submit 70 p
mass meeting d orr citizens within The
next thirty days. This letter bears
date Dec. 20, 1882 Three months
and I'VE days have elapsed and yet we
have heard nothing il regard to the
charter
AS We have remarked on q former
occasion the columns Of the EcHo are
open TO any member IF the council who
NAV wish 10 explain this or any other
matter OF public interest. AS We
understand the matter, a charter will
have 10 be voted on al the general city
election which occurs in June. Now
W. do not know what progress has been
made, bnt we do know that tine time Is
haateniug Oh and not very much re-
mains 10 be FILTERED away if the char
Ter receives the required publication
previous to the election TO enable the
council TO submit II 30 the Jnne election.
We ask pardon for submitting plan
which can do no harm whether adopted
Or not. Let an advisory committee be
appointed consisting, say, Of five citi.
gems whose knowledge, experience and
time Is such as to recommend them for
the work, and then let the work be
apportioned among the members Of the
council and the members Of this com
mittee, each subcommittee taking one
subject, say one for streets md alleys,
one on municipal officers, their duties,
ETC., etc. Let the council provide
itself with copies Of the charters Of half
dozen or more Of the most prosperous
and wide awake towns in the country,
having populations varying from eight
thousand 10 forty thousand inhabitants
and then LET them select the best fen
lures Of each. Let the council commit
tee on charter and the advisory com
mittee meet 81 least twice week unti
the charter is ready TO be submitted to
the people at the next general election.
There is precedent for the appoint
ment Of this advisory committee, in the
board provided for BY the last session
Of the legislature to draft amendments
TO the state constitution to be submit
ted TO the people at the next general
eleetion. One other suggestion we
would make and that is the manner Of
the submission Of the charter. We are
Of the opinion that 1t should be snb-
mitted in sections, so that if portions
OF Che charter should give rise to differ
enosB Of opinion, that opinion could
have ntleraDoe at the polls. That is to
nay; 90 that the voter could vote against
the adoption Of portions Of the pro-
posed charter without voting against
il as whole. In the same manner
alternative sections might be submitted,
thus allowing the voter a choice be-
tween two or more articles on the same
subject.
We submit these thoughts for what
they are worth, and will be happy to
hear either from members Of the conn
ell or private citizens in regard to this
very important matter
MORE. Since writing the above we
have learned that the council has
adopted at least one oi the suggestions
made above, viz: it has appointed an
advisory committee consisting Of three
of our citizens TO aid 10 tbs drafting
Of charter, We still think If the COM
mittee was enlarged to five the matter
conld be expedited