St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1895-01-09
MUNICIPAL REFORM.
The League Holds a Long
Meeting at the CONNER
cial Club.
A COMMITTEE APPOINTED
To Frame a General Bill for
the Government Of
Cities.
GEN. sANB0RN'S MOTION
To CentPaliZe All Power in
the Mayor Carries Unani-
mously.

1t is apparent that If the taxpayers
keep on hammering they will succeed
in convincing themselves that there is
necessity for remodeling the municipal
government of the city, and at least get
a bill as far as the legislature looking
to that end. The Municipal Reform
league took fall out of the municipal
reform question at its meeting in the
Commercial club rooms last night. c.
w. Hackett, president of the league,
presided.
After interesting papers by Comp
trOller MeCardy and Charles A Moore
had been presented. the few present
inulged in a long general discussion
from which was finally evolved the
proposition to appoint committee to
frame a general bill for the government
of the cities of the STATE, one to inveSti-
gate the management of the wafer de-
partment, and another TO see what
revenue is being derived by the city
from corporations enjoying valuable
franchises from it.
Following is MIR. McCardy'S short,
crisp paper:
"Replying to your request for brief
paper on How to reduces the expenses
Of the city and country l would say:
Generally speaking, by the use Of more
sand and less sentiment in official life.
A cultivation of the III ethods of econo-
In, E,i- oil
PEELED to use in private life. A greater
regard for the feelings and pocket of
the taxpayer, and a dismissal of the
idea that the city can stand it.
"By the cultivation of public spirit
that will compel the city to be managed
for the benefit Of all the people, and not
for the purpose of making dozen or so
of its citizens rich. By the Municipal
Reform league and the Commercial
club sending committee to meet with
the conference committee on the second
Monday of each month to inform them.
selves as to the affairs of the city.
"Esy Refusing to Listen
10 the proposed Wiping out of the pres
ent charter, which has been the means
of saving 100000 per annum to the city
since its adoption. BY refusing to waste
time nlb0ling at the question of saving
$500 per snnum on some officials salary,
until you tackle the city lighting ques-
ton. on which you could save more
money annually than the city officers
salaries amount TO.
For your Information, | beg to say
that there has been let gasoline light
ing contract for The year 1895 at price
which saves the city $4,000 per annum,
or d total saving Oh the, contract at
tempted 10 be let in 1898 for five wears
of $50, 000."
MIR. MOOre said that tax levy was
much larger IN this city than it is in
other cities, and expressed the predic-
ton that the end must soon be reached.
He advocated the placing of the city's
business on tue same basis as private
corporations are conducted, free irom
politics. The fee grabbers, he said,
work the legislature, and prac-
tically run the city. lie would have
salaries reduced to the same level as
! those PAID by private corporations, use
| less employees dispensed with, power
centralized in the hands of the mayor,
| and the Wiping out OF two-thirdS OF the
| boards, and their duties conducted by
| public works and the park board, he
said, were simply instruments for the
! creation of debt ana the infection of
burdens on the people. He criticised
the gas company, the water board, and,
i'll fact, most every department of the
| city government came in for roast.
W. +. Murray said there was nothing
| to be gained by talking. What was
| needed was action. He thought steps
should be taken to have general mu-
| nicipal law passed by the present Iegs-
latuTe. He criticised Mr. Moore's paper
in some respects. He said there is prop
erty to represent every dollar of the
cty'S Indebtedness, and the great bulk
Of the
Debt Was Created
in making improvements recommended
| by the chamber of commerce. He
thought at one time the city was paving
too much for gas, but he came to a diff
! t, le t conclusion on Investigating the
. .er. The only saving that could be
made under the present form of munic-
| ipal government would be some reduc-
| ton i'll salaries.
Senator OZmun said:
''SOme things can be done by the leg
| islature and some cannot. One thing, a
| DllL Will pIOpaOly NC pascal peEUllttlllR
| city councils 10 reduce salaries. Under
the present constitutional provision, no
law can be passed that is not general i'll
its provisions, and with the division OF
opinion among the members Oh the
question, and the demands made by the
different cities in accordance with the
changes they individually desire in the
administration of their own affairs, it is
doubtful if one at all satisfactory can
be agreed on. The fact is that most any
system of government is good enough
if administered by good men. The
trouble is that we seem to be unable to
elect good men,"
Il came to ttat conclusion myself last
fall" Clipped in Mr.. Murray, and the
remark brought down the house.