The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-01-01
QUESTION OF POWERS
New Offices Created Shonld Be
Filled by the Mayer
UNTIL THE NEXT EEECIiOs.
Another Days Work by the Charter
Commission Use and Abuse OF
Railway Passes.


lars the most important one before tiiaN
body Yesterday. The Teport2of the com
uitfee on powers states tnaE the Ia" -
plain which provides that any new 0ttieeFs
created shah be filled by the mayor uH-A
the next general election.
IL was suggested that the provision ceAld
be escaped ~ holding special election for
the adoption OF the charter d few days be-
fore the general election The use ana
abuse Of railroad passes ~ public SfIlcaAi@
will be stopped BY provision adopted ny
the commission. J. j. McGlfyras resoii=
ton for the city ownership OF liz water
system was amended and adopted The
new public library bilk was also finally
passed.
Powers or tho Commission.
The committee on powers. TO which was
1eferred the question 81 De Wosfe as 80
whether the mayor would have taTe power
20 fili until the next general election all
Offices created by the revised charter, n
adopted by The people a the next general
election, OF, In other words. u the com
mission can provide for the election OF
officers created by the revised charter At
the same election at which the charter is
adopted. reported that the act whlch pro-
vided for the commission provides that
"any new offices created shall be hiled
By appointment Of the mayor until the
next general election. and subject 10 sAch
ratification and control by the city couus
ell as may Ice provided In such alteFed
changed and mpdified charteE2' - q
The committee thinks this Provision is
mandatory IA It's terms The manner OF
ratification and control by the council cap
be provided In the charter. but t5ie APP
pointing power Of the mayor is bestowed
by the act itself and IN the opinion Of the
committee cannot be taken away ~ any
provision of the charter. The committee
says there Is one way that tue elfcct7 81
this provision can bc disposed of legally.
without any serious effect. and thdr Is by
providing for The submission o. the re-
yised charter a few Gays preceding jheo
time fixed for The general election That
there would be no occasion for the mayor
10 make any appointments for those few
days. and the political parties. ar8ier5
standing the fact. could make thCir- noufi-
nations accordingly. and the election OF
the full set OF officers provided for IN the
new charter be elected al the general 4lec-
ton.
Preston. OF the COMMITTEES. submitted
minority report. to the effect that he vQis
or the opinion that tile holding Of a sTQ'-
ciai election few days prior ID the gen
eral lection, At which special ELECTION the
proposed charter amendments should be
submitted. would avoid confusion and all
questions Of legality OF validity, and would
be the best plan IN all respects, save that
OF expense. lie thought theCexpense OF a
general election could b. avoided by the
following plan: Provide in thu new char
ter for the election Cat the election held
on it's submission Of the elective officers
provided for by it. Then II there is question
of the title of the officers elected. the
mayor could appoint them. referred.
The Use of Railroad Ptt-~as
The use of passes on street railroads by
fgubiig Officials pangeb Cuustd H4g HE 8{agttv-
sion. The matter came up on Andrews
resolution. presented a few days age pro
viding that no city officer shall accept a
pass on any railroad and also pEoeding
a penalty. consisting OF a nne a. largo as
the salary he may have received from the
city during the time he may have used the
pass.
Several amendments were offered and
Tremper jocularly suggested that thr PEN
atty be made boiling IN oil. JosBn adding
that the offending officer should be drawn
and quartered after being boiled The
disposition 10 ridicule the proposition made
Andrews Indignant aud he made a few
warm remarks about the evils of the free
pass system. citing the last legislature as
an INSTANCE of how the railroads killed
legislation 10y carrying the legislators 10
Olympia on pa asses. lie said the farmers
of Eastern Washington had never been in
such hard straits as nov. and they haa
been unable TO obtain relief from their
servants at the capital because OF railroad
bribery.
One ONCE for One Dnicinl.
Preston did not agree with the ma Ior-
ity report Of Andrews and Allen. and ne
submitted an amendment as a substitute
for the Andrew bill. The Preston amend
ment was adopted 10y "a vote of Y to- 1T
includes a provision that no head at de-
partment. or other elective or appointive
officer, councilman. or member ~ any
board, commission OF bureau created hy
this charter. except policemen or nrtmvu
shall hold any other office Federal stafc
county or municipal. except in the Nati6n-
aiGuard or as notary public. or De an en-
ploye OF the city or any other department
commission. board, bureau. Institution or
office OF the city government. or be al
rectly or indlree tly Interested IN any con-
tract with the city. or with any DEPART
ment. for the use OF the city or become
surety for the performance OF any such
contract.
Nor shall such officer accept from any
railroad or street railroad corporation. op~
Grating ir whole or m part ia the GIG. ssuy
pass OF free transportation. or traDspoYta-
ton upon any terms, save such as are
open 20 the public generally" The xi0ia-
tiou of any OF these provisions shall work
a forfeiture % tat office ana removal from
office by Impeachment pr other proper
procedure. TIE guilty otficer shall ia Al-
dition % forfeiuug his office forfeit Is the
city al sums q monev pAli him 1y the
City as salary during tre SINE lg W.l.r
he shall 0c guilty % such misconduct
Il is also provided that uo i-rsou eie-.eI
or appointed 20 any soca office iu th!, .It,
shall be. eXcvnt wden otherwise tu this
charter ~ ny neral laws Ut tat
state specifically crowded, eHsl.gr te euy
other office IA tnts -ily 3l.rtrE th- tt~,,