The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1893-03-10
FOR CITY GOVERNMENT.

EIludy Il tOiC66T Il 1865 COu Udl lieu
a synopsis of the first draft of the new
general charter which is now being
prepared. The bill provides that the
mayor, council, controller and treas
urer shall be elected by the people.
There are to be two aldermen from
each ward, and in cities of over 3d.
700 inhabitants, five aldermen at
large. In those cities of less than 3d.
600, three at large. This feature
seems to be very Objectionable one.
1t may work all right for large city
| like ST. Paul or Minneapolis, but for
city the size of Mankato, it would
not only incur needless expense, but
prove hindrance to the transaction
of public business, Six or eight men
would dispatch the business that
would come before council in city
of this size, in far more expeditions
manner than would a body of fifteen,
and the result in the majority of cases
would undoubtedly be just as satisfac-
tory. The larger the body is above
| the number our city now has, the
slower Will be the movement
of the business before it, and
the greater the expense Another
feature about the provision for the
council which does not commend it
self to those who have the best inter
est of the municipal welfare at heart,
is the length of the nterm for which
members CT the council are elected,
which is four years. If. good men
were elected to such POSITIONS
who believed in conducting the affairs
of the city, on business principles,
| there would be no cause for objection.
but when men who are not so careful
about the city's welfare, secure a
place upon the council, two years is
plenty long enough, and the people
ought to have a chance to make a
change at the end of that time. Again
in term Ct four years important
changes might take place, wherein
the people and their representatives
might hold a wide difference of Opin-
ion, where the said representatives
might be as honest in their views
as the people were in theirs, still ip
the interest of the progress, a change
might be most beneficial. In all such
cases TIVE ears term would be plen-
! ty long enough.
1t also provides that the municipal
election shall occur at the time of the
general election in November. This
is most serious objection to the
measure. 1t would give no chance
whatever for reform as any time in
the city affairs, no matter how badly
needed. II would throw municipal
affairs into the turmoil Of state and
national politics where they do not
belong, and make the said offices the
trading stock of professional poiiti-
clans of both parties to further other
schemes. More than this, the atten'
; tion of the people being attracted by
state and national questions, those oil
municipal concern would be sighted
or overlooked entirely, We should
advance in matters of municipal con
troll and not take backward step as
would be the inevitable result Of hold
ing the election at the same time as
the general election.
Some of the other features reported
are as follows: The police are put un
der the absolute control of the mayor
to appoint and remove. No person is
eligible for policeman who is not a
citizen; who cannot read and write
the English language, and who ha;
not resided in the city at least one
. year. Assessments for improvement:
are to be made per front foot of abut
ting property for all purposes nov
specified in city charters. The cash
value of the property will not affect
the amount Of such assessments. II
is optional with the council to include
in the assessments the cost of laying
water pipes and sewer pipes to curb
ing. In case that two or more i'm
provements are made at one time the
council must separately apportion the
costs. The council must cause plan:
and specifications to be prepared, to
gether with an estimated cost Of the
work by the city engineer, for the in
spection of interested parties before
, any resolution is passed ordering any
improvement to be made. Twelve
days notice of time and place o.
hearing before the council of the prop
erty owners and others interested IL
the proposed improvement must bt
given. The city engineer assesses
costs. and after completion OF the as
sessment shall submit the same to the
city council. The council may reject
any or all bids and order the work tt
be done under the supervision of the
city engineer. In the making of as
; sessments the amount assessed shall
be the amount Of the estimated cost
Should it cost more, the excess is tt
| Il III 81 MI