St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1894-06-01
WHO ARE oBsTRUCTIoNIsTs?

The agitation in Republican circles
over the assembly still continues.
1t is peculiar that all this agitation
grows out of the lawleSS acts of the Re-
publicans themselves, and knowing
their guilt they go about the streets
vociferating their W shame.
The situation in a nutshell is this:
The legislature. at the request of the
then Ramsey county delegation. passed
what is known as the Bell charter.
The present Republican assembly,
illegally assuming that they ale the
Judges of the qualifications of the as
sembiy which succeeds them, proceed
to declare certain men elected as their
successors. LII order TO accomplish their
desired ends, they deliberately declare
the city chaeter unconstitutional. aud
ask the men who are legally elected
under the charter to come into court
and prove that the charter really is
constitutional.
Was there ever a more mOnStrouS,
illegal proceeding?
1t is universally and everywhere rec
ogniZad that the constItutlonality of a
law or a charter a only be passed
upon by the courts. The very system
of republican form of government,
National, State and City, is based upon
the three coordinate branches-the eX-
e~cutive, to administer the laws; the
legislative. to make the laws, and the
Judiciary, to interpret the laws.
Each of these three branches of gov
eminent is absolutely independent of
The others. The present Republican
assembly has assumed, in addition to
its legislative functions, to usurp the
authority of the Judiciary, and declare
the city charter unconstitutional.
In so doing they propose to inaugu-
rafe an extra assembly and block pub
lie business, while through their wen
ing organ and by word OF mouth they
proclaim that the Democrats are the OBJ
StructionlStS.
The position of the Democrats is SIM
ply honest and clearly unassallable
from n legal standpoint. They are
merely acting under the duly enacted
city charter, which, until changed or re-
pealed by the state legislature or set
aside by the coordinate branch of
government-the courts-is the law un-
der which the affairs of the city are
conducted.
If the Republicans had a shadow of
moral or political decency. or ali iota of
honesty. they would recognize the city
charter until it is set aside by a proper
and legal tribunal. Ii they did not
know that their position Is untenable,
they would not eek to obtain by
u%surpation what rigiitfully belongs to
them-if their contention is correct
and what they could obtain through the
courts.
On the contrary, with a sublimity of
cheek, they declare the charter uncon-
s%titutional, and ask the Democrats to
coIne into court and prove the contrary.
According to the city charter, the
Democrats have clearly elected a ma
jority OF the assembly. The assembly,
men so elected will proceed to take their
seats and discharge the duties pre-
scribed by their oath of Office. If the
Republicans desire to seat men who
were not elected under the city charter
as it stands, they have their remedy be-
fore the proper t~ribunal-the conrls.
THIS is the situation, disp~assionately
stated without partisanship. Ii the Re-
publican members of the assembly who
are indisputably elected and the Re-
publican comptroller choose to Illegally
assume the authority of the cou rts and
pass upon the validity of the charter,
the responsibility as violators of law
and obstructioniSts must rest upon
them.
Even the Republican partisans do not
and cannot claim that the Democrats
are violating the charter.
Their claim is that, the charter being
unconstitutional, the Democrats have
no right to act under its provisions.
When any proper tribunal declares
the charter to be unconstitutional it
will lie time to decide the question now
at issue.
The Democrats will stand upon their
legal rights aDd win.