The Portland daily press., 1896-12-25
THE CITY CHARTER.
Some Views Expressed BY Our Citi.
zens in Regard to 1t.

Some views Expressed Dy our C1ti.
zens in Regard to 1t.
Reporters for the Press Interviewed Well
Known Citizens to Get Their Opinion
Gases the Parties Had Not Studied
the Charter Sufficiently as Yet to Give
an Ouiuion-These Gentlemen Express
Themselves as Follows:
Mayor Baxter thought the charter ex-
cellent as far,as Fit goes. He especially
approved of the single board. II accepted
| it will make much better administra-
ton of the business affairs of the city
than can be accomplished under the old
charter. One grand thing is 1t places
responsibility where it belongs. Anoth-
er excellent feature is that you will al
ways have under this charter one
half the board composed of
men who have already had expert
ence in busin ens affairs Under the old
| oharter the members are frequently new
ones when the year begins which inter-
| feres with the continuity OF business.
This frequently leads to confusion. The
change In the police system will secure
greater efficiency.
Mr.. Philip @. Brown. one of the trus-
tees of the Brewn estate, In brief, wished
to say that ne had read the proposed
charter and that 1t met with his un-
qualified approval.
Ex-Alderman HOBBS thought the new
charter good thing. He thought as to
the different departments, OF commits
sions. if you can get good men to head
them, then the charter Is a
good thing and will be of great benefit
TO the city. He had doubts about the
arrangement in regard to the school CON-
mittee. Thought the ward CON-
pstent to select man for that position.
Now the Mayor has little power. The
new charter will make him of more conse-
quenoe. He believed in the new arrange
ment in reference to the police force, and
thought it would be of great value to
Portland If adopted. If, in the park COM
missions man like DR.. Smith could be
secured, it would be money in the pock-
cts OF the city to keep him as long as he
would serve.
Hon. j. II. Drummond said that for
quite while he had been considering
the question OF having but one boara in
the city government and is inclined to
favor it, but will not reach a definite
conclusion until he can make some fur
ther inquiries in cities where they have
tried the scheme. He favors the biennial
term, one half of the board going out OF
Office each year. AS to the police, he
had watched the operation of the executive
department for sometime and had found
that while the Mayor is held responsible
for the successful transaction Of that
branch of the pablo business, he has
really had no power in the premises. He
did not think that man who has such
large business to look out for as the
running of city. can do it successfully
upless he has more power than the
Mayor now possesses
Judge Pea body said he thought there
was no doubt that changes should be
made in the city charter. and he should
favor amendments 80 far as they were
needed, but that he should generally be
opposed to any radical changes in the
charter. He thought annual elections
were preferable to BIENNIAL for our citi-
zens. He would regret to see the abolit.
ion of the lower board of the city govern
ment With some amendments he thought
the Common Council would be an i'm
portant branch, particularly in matters
of legislation. 1t affords al check on the
less numerous board. He was In favor
of the amendments which gives the
election of most of the subordinate Off
GERS to the people. He thought the board
of assessors should be elected by the
people. He thought the appointment of
marshal, deputies and policel should lie
with the Mayor.
Hon. Charles J. Chapman snid he had
not yet had time to read the report of
the new charter, and was therefore not pre-
pared to express an opinionsson its merits.
He noticed that it favored the abolition
of the Common Council. In general prin-
ciples he was opposed to that abolition
unlass there were some very strong COM
pensating advantages. Later ON he
should he prepared to give his views.
Ex-Alderman John A. Emery said
that after hasty reading of the char
ter, ha should say lie approved of it. He
thought that if the right men could be
induced to accept Office as aldermen that
ID would result to the material a1yan-
tage of tho ely. But some inducement
should be held out to insure the serving
of these men. When he was alderman
the necessary neglect of his business, for
the city's business, in one instance cost
him the loss of thousand dollars.
Ex-Counoilman 7. j. Little said he
had not yet digested the proposed char
ter, but at first glance he thought it's
provisions admirable. He especially ap-
proved of the biennial term for the
Mayor, provided good strong man was
elected to the position. A strong MAYOR