The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1894-11-23
THAT CHARTER.
City Attorney Young Begins
an Active Campaign-Writing
to Other Towns.

| NY ONIIS OSSinS
an Active Campaign-Writine
to Other Towns.
The campaign for an enlargement
OF the charter of cities of Mankato's
population has actively begun, and
the proposed bill that is to 90 before
the coming session is daily assuming
more tangible form.
The matter was first agitated at the
last meeting of the city council but
the hour was late and only prelimi-
nary work was done. 1t is believed.
however, that the proposition will
meet with the favor of the CITY law
makers when they have been enabled
to look more carefully into the matter.
1t is esential, however, that cities
or equal population get together
and present solid front to the legis-
lature. We are outclassed by superior
numbers from the Twin Cities. and to
overcome this the work Of enlarge
ment must be carried On harmonious
ly by the weak minority.
In the meantime, City Attorney
Young is making few experiments in
the way of ascertaining the feeling of
the Minnesota cities who wish to get
In out of the wet, and yesterday be-
gan writing letters of inquiry to the
attorneys of these towns. Following
are the inquiries that are being made:
DO you consider it advisable TO
lOdge as much power as possible in the
cnlef executive of the city, making
him responsible for the good or bad
management of municipal affairs?
DO you think it prefera BILE to divide
the powers and responsibilities of mu-
nlclpal government among various
departments?
What do you think of board of
puDllc works, or some other body, con-
SlStlng OF from one to three members,
Tor the purpose of making special
assessments caring for streets, public
grounds, etc?
Would you make the chief of police
elective or appointive?
Would you have the appointive city
officials subject to removal without
cause?
Would you have a portion of the
aldermen elected by the city at large,
or would you have all of them elected
by wards and precincts?,
Would you have the city assessor
elected by the people or appointed by
the council?
In drawing city charter, would
you be in favor of classifying the
cities as to population, and making
the provisions of each classification
applicable only to cities of certain
population?
What feature or features of your
own charter would you desire to pre-
serve.
Please give your ideas in detail as
to the essential features which you
think would be desirable for cities
having population of less than 10000
or 10000.
In order that country cities may
make themselves heard before the
special committee or before the legis-
lature," says Mr.. Young, 'they should
agree upon essentials among them
selves, and l desire to suggest that
some time in December a committee
Of one from each of the smaller
places in the state be appointed to
meet at an agreed time and place, at
which meeting ways and means be
devised for securing as much as posi-
bic united effort in preparing gen.
eral charter for the government of
cities. The charter which will prob
ably be passed at the next legislature
will for some time to come govern the
cities of the state, and each city
which is liable to come under it should
awake to the Importance of it's own
interest in the same"