The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-06-13
CHARTERS OF CITIES.
Experience u Some Other
Places q LEGAL Laws
aEFoaaa NEEDED ~ SEATTLE.
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aEFoRaa NEEDeo ~ SEATTLE.

Wow dat The bod qusseioa b settled.
sns way 10 clear Coz reform Of the city
charter. Sir nosths q the year are pTac-
tscaiiy eoos. and Il any amsndmsnts are
q D submstssd 70 the people as the s'ec-
Ton next March. preparations should b
made nov. Ths views OF Dr.. J. s Klce-
Der. president Il The house ot delegates,
and Compsrolier Carson hsvs besn given
q some isogth. bot the movement toward
amendment rests there.
Is - almost i0poosible for the city c0un-
cal 70 undertake the task Of modifying the
municipal law, and is has been proposed
70 have . COMMITTEES u eitisens work With
council committee. Thars 10 even greater
danger in the sslecsien Of such people nov
Than IN the drafting Of the original char
ter; because any tinksrsng with parts OF
the charter By men NOT familiar with the
present enrirs scheme Of local government
and nos acquainted with the practical ap-
piication Of theories might work consider-
able mischief
The direction in which reform viii b
made must Be toward simpli6catSon. The
mode Of reaching that end il not - I'M
eqnivocaily admitted The Dsmocrats BE-
ing IN power, they viii probably perSist
In that dtHusiye form Of government which
mussipiies elective os1css, in order that the
people may have something to say - 70
every Once. The modern tendency in
municipal government everywhere. how
ever. 10 20 cast the most direct response
biiisy upon IN executive head, Who 10 held
directly accountable 70 the people.
The sooner and the more certainly
municipalities. show themselves to b
capable Of inseliigsnt sslf-government the
sooner will interference BY state leGis-
latures become obnoxious 70 the people.
The experience Of some Of the larger cities
Of the United States may Be of some
service.
While it may not Be wise to apply forms
OF government adapted 70 the principal
cities to cities Of 00.000 and 10000, the
same general principles successful
in one, may safely Be applied
to the othsT. New Yosk's population i
l.5i5. 30l, greater than that Of any one Of
twenty-nine states in the Union. Its
charter il direct statute Of the legisis-
ture. The mayor 10 elected for two years,
and he appoints the heads Of the exscu-
tive departments: Finance. Law. police,
public works. parks. docks, charities and
corrections, fire, health. taxes and assess
ments and street cleaning. The legisla-
tive body 10 only one house called the
board Of aldermen. There are thirty men,
bsrs. elected BY districts. and president
elected 1t large.
In Chicago the mayor 10 elected for two
years and prssides over the meeting Of the
city council. but has no vote. except on .
tie. Tho council consists Of sixty eight
~ldav,v>u nua-half ~ .hnv. ara >fa~tsN
each year.
In Phiadslphia the mayor appoints and
removes all heads Of departments. These
are public safety. public works. receiver Of
taxes, city treasurer. city controller. law.
education. charities and corrections and
sinking fund commission. The city coun-
ell 10 made up Of two bodies. the select
council and common council. They have
equal power. but tho select counciimen ad-
wise and consent A. to appointments.
Brooklyn has distinctivsiy centralized
city government The mayor. elected
every two years. has the sole and exclusive
power Of appointment Of heads of depart
ments except the comptroller and the
auditor, who are elected. The board OF
aldermen is the only council
In Boston the mayor 10 also charged
with the responsibility Of appointing the
chief officers, but the board Of aldermen
confirma The board has twelve members.
elected annually. and the common council
has sevsnty-fve members, three from each
ward.
The case Of St. Louis IL perhaps the most
interesting. because 1t was to . great ex-
tent the model upon which the govern.
ment Of Seattle was based. 1t is regarded
as one Of the best systems in the United
States. The charter was framed By free
holders. II divides the city into twenty
eigh: " ards. The mayor holds Office tor
four years. and has large appoinsive
| powers, although they are checked by
many restrictions He appoint. a
board Of public improvements, but
the president is elected. He also
appoints y board OF assessors. whose
presiden, il elected by the people: aboard
| Of health. chief of the tire department,
charity commissioners. . city counselor
and minor officers. These officers are
chosen by the mayor At the beginning of
the third year Of mis- term, and in their
appointment he must have the concur
renee Of the council, the upper branch az
the legislative body. The object in
making the time O! appoiEtmen, to
SO late in the term 10 to
give him better opportunity OF selecting
his officials after he has acquired experl-
ence and to avoid the rush Of applicants
from among those who seek Immediate re-
ward for party services. The lower house
is called the municipal. assembly. The 20
lice department is governed hy board sp-
pointed by the governor. bu, the mayor /,
an ex officio member. The council con-
s.sts Of thirteen members. elected eyerv
four years. and the house of delegates con.
sis,s Of ,wenty-eight members. one from
each ward. elected every two years
San Francisco is governed by board OF
supervisors. and several attempt. 10 aaon,
: charter have failed. Los Angeles. Oak.
land, Stockton and san Diego have. how