The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-03-21
QUESTION Is ..HOW. :
Another Lively Debate on Char
fer Revision.
RAMSEY TRUSTS THE PEOPLE
He Wants TAImesaEafe Eaecsf0n, - Does
White shznnfssr OF Commerce.
Accused Of Hedging

Des1iss ac-sor Oh charter revision vii
Dc taken BY sae to1-t committee Of TIE
coIDcz roUzeIl next "Wednesday after
-so1n- Tnts DECISION xas reached yesEfr-
day SstsrGcoa ar1s- v-oloage1 meeting
OF EEse EcErssftee with members OF the
- GDsE12as League the Chamber Of Con-
Hzercs. fae Referendum Club and ether
citizens The discussion vas inForral.
ara g-eay Haaay questions were asked
BACK aid forta. tire counefsnea manifest
lag he deepest interest," IN all that wzs
sa1s Any unnecessary sscrozc hznsns a.soa
time Was as0sss=@ by TIRE sssSsage OK 4 no
taSa. as s3uz az the meeting Eas called
20 order. That 10 cae se allowed more
inas orc sssescz uztil ali who xfx.e6 10
l@ik Rad been heard fgofn. and In coase-
2neaE- great narnser of the visitors
gained the floor. There wss q Consider
able audience in ATTENDANCE So-ne Of The
speakers severely criticised rhe Chamber
O. Commerce for what was termed srx
sotne-sault| la changing ats attitude to-
ware sns senate bill. which was raxes6
~ TIRE late legislature Dr.. Rzrasssy Fss
the assault. and waz followed BY wfyYfzrn
n White. john r. Kiaaear ara Others
iasy @e-e answered. however. by e. o.
GTaves. who denied that the Chamber a.
Con- rraerce stood IN fear OF The rseopIe
ana xaa stated that the object OF having
ths coufssss areEaa-e sAs proposed changes
necessary expense ard a. sznan cost
VIII Not Build skeleton.
In the midst Of the discussion the fol,
iowing communication wassreaa from
John j. AcssIlxra- Dexter Horton. W. a
armstrong. John r Ksanear. ~ n. lat
if1Sr and William IL White a Committee
OF the Municipal League:
feel compelled most respectfully
70 ceeiine your Invitation 20 submit 20
h& &zzlA
IoF uais CITY, szcn as se think shrsssyS s,s
framed and adopted hv this city under ~.
PTosisaons OF senate bill No, ~ As vs.
understand the provisions Of that zct
your duties are simply 10 call an election
Tor the selection OF fifteen free holders
Ior CHARTER revision You have an option
10 40 this On your OWN motion. or al ths
suggestion OF any interested PARTIES win
out petition.
Iniess you choose TO do this. the law
does not require yen 10 act until ron IRE
moved by tie proper petstiog in which
case you have no option. the law r@ousr
ING you to order the election. We have
10 Ponsf, ana yen haye no power 10 bind
me Charter reyisers by constructing
skeletons Of charters or completed ard
fEN-cAotaed charters. II such skeletons
| are intended for the purpose OF advancing
| or promoting any other mode Of amend
/ ing OF revising our city charter than thar
4
/ nave no suggestions 10 make
| Wants the Council Il, Revise
The first speaker WAS Jacob rurth .ho
1 IN response 10 a csn from the audience
stated that he appeared as a r.r,~asa.,a.
1 I'VE o. the Chamber OF Commerce and
/ wished 10 discuss the question .Hay IN
/ Proceed2" as everybody coscesieS thai
The enarier should be changed AT meet.
| hs OF the Chamber the sentiment had
prevailed. he said. with but little opposi-
ton. that the question could We'll ne lef-
TO the direction of the committee OF the
council II was thought that this commit
tee could more intelligantiy handle reyi-
SION than any committee of fifteen free
/ holders The coanciimen Should take
| plenty Of time and receive Suggestions
| from every citizen that should come be-
| fore them.
He Would Trust the People.
| Quite contrary view 10 that expressed
of Mr. Furth was given by DR. Ramsey.
WOO next took the floor He insisted that
the Chamber Of Commerce had turned a
complete somersauls, and for himself wa 8
| nrraiy convinced that the action .aksr,
| AGeSday was wrong. II was IN the line
| OF Tear OF the common people, ASSUMING
,hat they were not to he relied urosl
There arose Ia the controversy the cd
| question as 10 power In the few or pazva.
IN the masses. He paid a tribute 10 the
ability OF the councEimen. saying hV
thought they could he relied on "Eut
! be continued. III you assume TO say i
| tfs people that they shall not do tn!s
/ thing. hG; that wen DO tt ourselves I
fhi.sk you are n wrong position. / can
Only say 70 You. DO rlgAs as you go along
aa3 }9t the public take care OF Itself
There was no fear Of tbs people. or thas
| Pcpalists or Democrats. er any cthsy 20.
istlcai organization would stand In The
| way, Like the lIoas in Pilgrims Pro
gress. they would. probably ba Fcane
chAiaed ana harmless Dr. Ramsey ci5@ca
| his speech by saying shat what the people
/ wanted was the hest. the nest economical
ard the simplest charter.
William II. White said the reason ire
Chamber of Commerce had gone straight
| back OF It's ow3 proposition was that il
was conservative body OF mea IF you
| ever heard ~ a reform from ccaserya-
| tivss. he said lust point cui the page
| % history that records e." Reforms were
/ Invariably accomplished by radical men
| and advanced thinkers. sSa shsy we're al
| Ways Opposed by the conservatives who
| Mere afraid 81 the people being TOO raai-
| cal srl thelT changes. Turning 20 the as
Senhle1 coauEtlnca. Mr. White called out
| in his nloSt eFuphatlc tones. accompanied
| by gesture o. unusual FnaEnituae "rs
! ore IS 70 judge the tutEre ny tas past.
l