The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-03-18
THE CHARTER REVISION QUESTION
Judge Orange Jacobs Views on TIT
Needs of the City Mt Present.

Needs OF the City 1t Present.
To the Honorable the Mayor and Mem
bers OF the City Council: Gentiemen--I
had the honor Of addressing a brief COM
munication to you on the absorbing SUBJ
tect of charter revision at recent date.
and having received no reproof or other
detriment Tor my presumption. / am en-
couraged to try 1t again. The conviction
announced by me then. instead of de-
creasing, has increased with an intensified
feryor. Whether right or wrong. the con-
sensus OF opinion for revision approaches
unanimity. 1t has been iterated and re-
iterated so often that the charter Is the
cause OF most. IL not all. Of cur Ills. that
opposition Is silent and at least tacit as
sent generally prevails. In other words.
the reformers have made so many glow
Ing promises. prophesied so many benen-
cent results and indulged in so many
glittering generalities." pregnant with so
many municipal beatitudes, that the con-
yictton IL growing that they ought to have
the opportunity to usher In these prom
ised reforms Take them at their word.
gentlemen II matters not whether you
or can apprehend the grand results
promised or not. We may not be In the
spirit and these things possibly can only
be diseerned by those who are In that
condition.
In the recent conference / was sorry to
notice the slight tendency to belligerency
that ought not to astonish you. A true
reformer Is never conservative either In
acts or words. He IL always radical. posi-
tive and aggressive. He always catches
flies with vinegar and never deigns to kiss
the "Blarney Stone" He Is sincere, stern
and infiexible. His zeal. glowing with n
constantly increasing conviction of the
rightfulness, If not the divinity. of his
mission often makes him imperious
There is always tipge of unreason, IL
not more. In his means for the accom-
plishment of his ends. He invokes the
power OF a battery of thunderholts to kill
a mouse. Well, the mouse may need the
killing. but he never thinks of trip
hammer. sledge or a stick. There would
be no grandeur in such taking of. Aston
| ished. Why. gentlemen, these are but
proofs OF the genuineness OF his chayac-
ter.
| A few words as to the position of the
members of the committee, based upon
the newspaper reports.
Mr.. White. member OF the committee
| to urge immediate action by the council,
| Is reported as expressing doubts as TO the
| constitutionality of the law which au-
| thorizes such action. Now. I have the
| highest opinion OF Mr. White as an able.
! sound and conscientious lawyer. IL such
| doubts are well founded that ends the
matter SO far as revision is concerned.
| IL would be en- expensive farce 70 go
| ahead. I must confess that. having set
| my heart SO intently on the idea that this
| act would give these reformers a chance
| TO yindicate their claims, and also thereby
! 10 give them an abiding place In the graf
| itude of their fellow citizens. that If Mr..
| White. after careful examination and
| thorough investigation. should announce
| such TO be his final conviction, so great
| Is my confidence in his ability. that II
would make me absolutely inconsolahie.
/ <rAs 49, {.
ing from his reported utterances. is losing
| faith in the municipal millennium. Brace
/ mp. my brother. Take another degree or
two. so as TO get within the inner temple.
| My brother Graves thinks the present
/ charter ia too cumbersome" He wants
| IL light. airy and portable, like greenbacks
/ or national bank notes. Alas, that lets
| silver out, but ne Is one of my candidates
/ Notwithstanding.
Brother kinnear. heretofore and now
| considered as one of the wisest and best
| legislators ever sent by this county TO the
state legislature, and one whose wisdom
| and merits deserve other recognition, ad-
vises that the duties OF the city treasurer
| be cevolved on the county treasurer with
all that implies, Now. i am prepared TO
| 80 Brother kinnear one better prn.
| pose the dsvolvfng OF the duties OF the
| board OF public works. and that OF all
| the commissions provided for by the
| commissioners. with the addition that
the chairman Of the board Of county
| commissioners he mayor sx +oaisi, of the
| city. and that the mayor provided for in
| the charter gracefully bow himself out
| OF Office. Now there may be slight ohjec-
| tons 10 this devolutien. Increase Of
| duties may lead TO additional work and
| increased expense on the part OF the
| county for the benefit OF the city. Farm
! ers and others living outside the city NAV
| object-hgt they ought To consider that 10
| live IN a county with such a city In 4,
| ought 10 be fun compensation for the as-
| 6ttESsiai burden imposed Then again.
| they might say that the city had no right
/ without authority from the legislature
In tn1rose upon the county osacials these
| additional duties and upon the county
| these additional expenses. But I cannot
| waste nay time answering such oniec-
tions-I leave that 10 the reforrners.
| Now l come 10 the position OF my
| friend AcGiiyara-esrnest. sincere ard
/ fnsefa;igahle IN vork-hs always has the
courage Of his convictions like such a
! rasn however much | may disagree with
| hlEa IN his methods. IT understand
! hisa correctly. he Is IN favor OF return
| ing 10 what style the one-horSs conn-
81 condition He ard car never agree
o. that proposition. / had though. tina
tne disastrous history Of the past in this
city was an sll-sussscsens answer 20 all
/ sa1ch Propositions. The facts are too well
| known 30 need efah0ra ton from me- Since
this cits vas organized Il has ~ 10 date
enacted az ordinances. And yet sone