The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-03-27
s.HskTEH REVISION
a CSr1 espontcEc Suggests Flsn kcr
Exciting Public Interest


Seattle March -. ISS-
To The Editor: Petitions are now being
.r3ustrso1sly circulated throughout the
city with . view % obtaining the sigma
lures % a sufficient number OF Ga7lined
electors. that Viii ask the city council 10
Issue cail for an election OF fifteen free
holders. 70 frame q rev charter IN ac-
cordAnce with the provisions Of 5 & No.
zf7 passed by the legislature that has re-
Gently adjourned
IL all the hopes Of The prime movers in
this venture are realized IL the COUNSEL
sa-ald call the election promptly; II the
freehoIders should submit a charter 10
the people as required by the petitions II
the people should adopt the charter, and
a new set Of officers elected under the
new charter e will take fully five months
before the new regime, under the new
charter, can assume complete control or
the city affairs.
The term OF all Of the present city OFF,
Gals and rhree-fo0rThs OF the city council
expires the first part OF March, lS-s. 50
that all mat can De gained oy this sudden
squirt OF reformation Is six months time.
IL may be freely conceded that. general
ly speaking. the people OF this city are In
favor Of a. new charter. Taxation u
heavy, tiIn4s are hard: a change OF any
kind might be better than the present
Ye; II must be, and every fair and candid
man VIII as freely concesfe that Just what
change there Is needed or wanted the
people OF this city have at the present
time no idea. When a few days ago the
council asked the Municipal League and
all other reform adjuncts 10 submit
skeleton OF a charter. were those reform
bodies true 20 themselves and true to the
people. they would have frankly an
swered: We cannot submit a skeleton
because We have none. We have never
%A..sn ~ -
or soul Of the charter; the only thing that
preoccupied our minds was TO have new
charter and elect a new set of officials.
and take our changes that lightning
might strike us, SO that some Of US might
get into Office
Now that We understand these prelimiu-
airy propositions, and they cannot be sue
cessfully refuted. I VIII submit plan
that in my judgment Will give us a new
charter and sfficient time and opportunity
fn which 10 frame a proper charter. !
propose that we organize in every ward
OF this city a club (call IL whatever name
you choose), whose object IL shall be 10
educate the people in the science OF mu-
nicipal government, such clubs TO hold
weekly meetings: 10 read and discuss
standard works upon municipal govern
ment; TO formulate and hold public de-
bates, between two or more clubs, upon
the essential principles of municipal gov
eminent, and generally 10 crystalline
public opinion as 10 precisely what
changes are wanted and needed.
At the end OF three or four months.
when public opinion has been pretty we'll
educated upon the subject. then call an
election for fifteen freeholders. Two OBJ
jects will be gained thereby: First, we
shall know just for what purpose we ara
electing charter trainers: second, We shall
have learned TO know not only what we
want. but also as to who would be the
best men to entrust with the honorable
office of framing for us into law what We
want and desire.
When these charter trainers have been
elected. give them until the end OF this
year IN which~to frame and perfect
comprehensiysVaod simple charter Let
every ward club appoint committee
whose duty IL shall be to present 10 the
trainers of the charter the wishes ana de-
sires OF their respective clubs.
Then, when such an instrument has
been properly drawn. carefully consid-
cred present the charter 10 the people Tor
adoption or rejection, and II adopted elect
a new set of officials, under the new char
ter, In the first part OF March. 1896. when
the terms OF Office of the present olncials
will expire by law.
! do not think that any argument In Ia
vor of the plan here suggested Is neces-
sary II Is so obviously fair, just and
reasonable that no one can have well
grounded objections TO Il. II may, how
ever, be said that by the adoption of this
plan there is nothing TO lose and every
thing to gain. AL partisan strife, all FEAR
of being ousted from Office. and all greed
OF getting into office Will be eliminated,
and the only proposition under considera-
ton will then be to frame for this city
charter that will give us a better. sim
pier and cheaper form Of city government
than the one We have now.
ABE SPRING.