The herald., 1894-09-11
TALKING CHARTER REVISION
A Joint Conference Meeting
All Day Yesterday.
Some Important Changes That Have
Been Made.
Ihc Proposition to Put All the Appoint
i've Powor of Administrative Offices
in tho nspds of tho Mayor Uadsr
Censideration-Other Matters.

eiolluS VI AApS5Es. Claucou, Auuus Jofhos
Mey berg, Wood, Griffith and Folman.
with regard to the revision OF the city
charter.
A copy OF the present charter WAS
checked up with view to noting the
differences between the changes made
by the charter revision committee and
the special committee of the chamber OF
commerce and the Citizsns' league. 1t
was agreed to provide for seven members
of the board of education, to be elected
by the people at large.
The next important provision was
water commission, consisting of three
members, should be provided. Mr..
Forman suggested that the office OF
street superintendent should be abol-
ished, and that his duties should be per-
formed by the city engineer.
Mr.. Siauaon stated that it would be
more economical to have one man in
charge OF all street work. I'VE are now
paying inspectors 81 day." said he,
ION streets, who admit that they do not
understand their duties. | took come
cement out OF pail of cement that was
being used some time ago and laid IL
away for two dayH, in cool place. A
dapper young man came along with
portfolio under his arm and asked nae
where | wanted my sewer connection
made. [ asked him who he was and be
told mo he was an inspector. | brought
out the handful of supposed cement and
he crnmbled is between two fingers. lie
then admitted TO me that he knew
nothing about cement. We want to get
some one in charge Of street work who
will appoint competent men to do the
Inspecting
Il know OF an inspector on cement
sidewalks" said Mr.. Forman, who adj
mitted to me that he did not know the
difference between cement vnd plaster
of Paris. That sidewalk he was inspect-
ing at the time talked with him has
sinee been repaired twice. l do NOT be-
lieve the city engineer would risk his
reputation by appointing an inspector
ignorant OF the essential technical
knowledge to efficiently discharge his
duties."
Mr.. f. W. Wood-I believe in the
selection of appointivs officers that they
should be appointed BY the mayor, and
that the council ehorld have the power
to remove ali such officers for GAUGE. If
| you put all the appointive power in the
council il will never be accepted by the
| people.
"On the contrary" said Mr.. Munson,
''every one who has spoken to me on the
subject agreed that it would be impossi-
BILE 10 get the people to accept @ charter
! in which all the appointive power js
vested in the mayor. The city OF Brook
! lyn, which has been exten1ively quoted
as possessing a model form of govern
ment, is one of the most corrupt cities
| in America"
| Mr.. Pessell-The people are very
jealous OF their rights and / do not be.
lieve they will consent to have the Office
of city engineer and street supervision
| dent appointed By the mayor. The
basia OF our government rests solely on
the franchises OF the people, and | do
not believe they would consent to be
deprived of their rights of suffrage as to
theae officers.
Mr.. Innes-I believe IL would be for
the beet interests of the people to let
the mayor have the power OF appointing
all administrative officers. Theee men
should be nen-pnrtiSan, and 10 this man.
ner the responsibility for good govern-
ment or otherwise would rest with the
mayor, who would be answerable to the
people.
THAT will give the mayor too much
patronage" remarked Mr.. PesselI. 81
do not believe in too much onesman
power, and If political boss ehould be
elected mayor there would be vast np-
portunities for corruption in the city
government"
81 believe it would be good idea"
said Mr.. Meyberg, ito publish the new
charter section by section in the news
papers, day by day, and thus give the
people an opportunity TO thoroughly d.
gest it before the new charter 10 ubmit'
ted to vote Of the people,"
The question OF a city auditor was
next taken up for discussion, and Mr..
Offices of city auditor and city tax col
lector should be consolidated"
THAT would leave no one to keep
check on the city clerk" said Mr.. Mum
son.
THE city auditor should be separate
from the city clerk" said Mr.. Siauson,
land further than that the city auditor
should be appointed by the mayor"
The discussion then ewitched back tc
the streat superintendent, Mr.. Eormar
saying that the present department wal
badly managed, and that he should bs
held to strict accountability.
1.-THE street superintendent can fal
back on the state law and ignore tht
council" said Mr.. Teed.
"Then you can draw up series o
resolutions and define lis duties." sait
Mr.. Forman.
Eyes, we have tried to do &C." eaid
Mr.. Munson. ''but the trouble is thu
street superintendent will stop work OF
the streets and cay he will not q
ahead until the council gives him thu
necessary money"
"If the mayor appointed the stree
superintendent the council could remov,
/, him for cause" said Mr.. Forman.
/ 1T is very delicate matter Tor the
council to remove man appointed b.
the mayor" remarked MIR. Nickel.
Owe nave a CAGE in point now" sai,
Mr.. Rhodes. There is vigorous effor
being made to have MIR. Dickinson re
moved from the library board. Peopl
] say, why don't the mayor remove him,
and the mayor says why don't tn
D council remove him. That is wher
: the hitch comes"
The question Of electing councilmeI
Q for four years was taken up and 1t wa
i agreed that IL would be well to cleo
one~half for two years and the remand
er for four years. 1t was decided ate
; some further discussion TO pass tn
: question OF appointive officers for tn
g preaent.