Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1893-04-14

ported favorably on the credentials
which had been presented them.
There was a sort of suspicious calm
during all this. And it was the typical
calm before the storm. That some
move would be made by the new council
to deprive Mayor Allen of some of the
rights and privileges belonging to him
as mayor, has been expected, and it
came in the shape of a number of rules,
introduced by resolution of Alderman
Braithwaite, for the proposed govern.
ment OF the council. The rules we're
numerous, and about the usual ones
adopted by deliberative bodies with two
exceptions. And these exceptions we're
the u of an hour of about as warm
debate as Is often heard.
One of the rules was that no ordi.
nance or resolution could by passed
unless all Of the aldermen were in attend.
ance, and the other was that the council
appoint the various committees instead
OF the mayor as has always been the
custom.
When MI. Braithwaite started to read
his rules Mayor Allen started for the
clerks desk and secured a piece of paper.
He wrote while Alderman Braithwaite
read and when the latter had finished
reading his rules, Mayor Allen had a
veto message prepared. The motion to
pass the rules carried with Aldermen
Reade and Gussner voting no. Mayor
Aliens veto was then read, and it set
forth that as the city council had been
governed by the present rules since the
organization of the city, and as affairs
had always gone smoothly hereunder,
there was no good reason for a changes;
that in his Nhe mayor's) opinion, the
rules were not in the interest of good
government, but were directed against
him, personally, and that he had been
informed that certain ch%airmanships had
been promised some of the aldermen
should they vote to pass the rule taking
the appointive power from the mayor.
Mr.. B%raithwaite said the veto cast re-.
Elections upon the council, and that if
any promises had been made, he was
ignorant of them. He moved the passage
of the resolution wei the veto. The
roll call showed four of the aldermen,
Braithwaite, Healy, Cunningham and
Robidou in favor of passing over the
veto, and two, Reade and Gussner in
favor of sustaining it. Mayor Allen de.
clared to veto sustained, as it took two
thirds of all the aldermen-elect to pass
over a veto. Mr.. Braithwaite said he
would like to be shown authority. Mayor
Allen referred him to and read section
80 of the charter, and Mr.. Braithwaite
subsidized for a moment, only to rise
again and owe the election of a mayor
pro tenn. This Mayor Allen ruled GU,
of order, as the charter provides no such
election shall be made unless there be 6
vacancy in the Office of mayor. Mr.
Healy moved to appoint a president Of
the council, and Mayor Allen prompt,
ruled this out of order, also, there being
no provision or precedent therefor.
Mr.. Healy wanted to know if an ap,
pointment of the kind could be made il
there were a rule for it, and upon ar
affirmative answer Mr.. Braithwaite col
same more paper and prepared a rule
giving the council power to appoint {
mayor pro tenn at their first meeting
And while he wrote his rule Mayor Aller
wrote his veto and they both went to the
clerks desk at the same time. After dis
c%ussion the resolution was passed as be
fore, and Mayor Aliens veto was read
stating that the resolution was opposed
to Sec. AZ of the city charter. MI. Aller
then asked Mr.. Braithwaite the object o.
the rules taking appointments out of hit
hands. Mr.. Braithwaite said he knew Of
none. Mayor Allen said the council
were e%ndeavoring to take out of hif
hands a right which had been held by
mayors since 1875. To him the appoint.
ment of committees by the council in.
stead Of by the mayor accounted
for the "mllk in the c%ocoanut,'
and he was perfectly willing
to have his former statement that
promises of chairmanships had been
made, investigated by a committee. The
opposition did not seem to care to pick
up the gauntlet thus thrown down, and
in the meantime, Alderman Reade ex-
pressed himself as opposed to the rules
proposed by MI. Braithwalte, and
wanted an explanation of the rule, re-
quiring all aldermen to be present be.
fore an ordinance of any kind could be
passed. MI. B%raithwaite explained this
by relating an incident of old timers,
and in s doing he stepped on Ed.
Barrett's toes. by stating that a bill had
been passed and a warrant drawn the
same night. And then Eddie rose to
his feet and called Mr.. Braith waite
down with neatness and dispatch,
stating that no such thing had ever oc.