St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1896-03-10

Under such a provision it may be expected
| that instead of being governed by genera
law, a city is to be governed by mixture OF
| special and general laws. This clause may be
expected to be very fruitful subject of liti-
CATION, and that the courts will be busily &C.
cuPied Tor an indefinite period In solving
problems, including the problem as to whether
tional.
An amendment to our constitution permit
ting cities to adopt home rule and frame theiI
own charters is to be voted upon by the peo-
pie at the coming fall election. If the amend
ment should be adopted, our city could, If II
deemed 1t wise to do so, adopt the home rule
plan. II such plan Is to be considered il
would clearly be unwise to adopt the Howard
charter for the space of few months.
Your committee are not informed that any
city In the state has shown any disposition
to adopt the Howard charter, the object OF
which is to obtain uniformity in city govern
ment
Having considered the subject in its various
aspects, your committee make the following
recommendation:
That 1t is unwise at the present time for
this city to surrender its present charter and
reorganiZe under the general law
When Mr. Ludden had finished the
chamber burst into applause.
Gen. Sanborn, in submitting his mi
nority report, said that st. Paul could
go along under the Howard charter
for three or four months, and then Sc
cure other general enactments if such
were found necessary. The present
charter would forever prevent econom-
zeal government. 1t might be good
enough so far as it went, but the city
government must be reorganized.
w. H. Lightner desired Gen. San
horn to indicate in what respect the
Howard charter would prove more
economical. The actual cost Of the city
government at present was not So, 000,-
600, as had been claimed. This sum
included special assessments. Gen.
Sanborn replied that he had, like the
heroine of melancholy romance, al
ways been misunderstood. He
escape from the operation Of the pres
ent special law.
Mr.. Dean remarked that next to an
earthquake, the adoption of the How
ard charter would bring the most death
and destruction upon st. Paul. Mr..
Dean had seated himself at the feet
of Judge Schoonmaker to learn the
beauties of the Howard scheme, but the
judge had revealed no beauties. The
Bell charter, in at least two respects,
had done much good. 1t made 1t fell
ony to appropriate moneys in excess of
the specified limit, and it held the men,
bers of the city council personally re-
sponsible for excessive appropriations.
The chamber applauded Mr.. Dean.
Col. Clough had, as a railroad man,
more experiences with legislatures than
Gen. Sanborn, and he informed the
general that too much was not to be
expected Of legislatures. Laws had al
ways been made on the log-rolling
principle, and always would be.
Mr.. Murray wallowed his childlike
righteousness to entrap him into stat
Ing that no man in his right mind
would ever advocate the adoption Of
the Howard charter. Then all the di-
rectors smiled aloud, except Gen. San
born, and all except the general voted
to adopt the majority report.
Mr.. Peet, presiding in the absence of
e. V. Smalley, appointed Messrs. Cas-
tie, Sanborn, Berkey, Murray and
Fairchild committee to draw UP a
memorial on the death Of DR.. David
Day, who had long been an esteemed
and valuable member Of the chamber.
Mr.. Lindeke, just before adjourn
ment, read a letter from Assistant City
Attorney Phillips, stating that the evil
of travelling stores was one beyond the
reach of any existing laws.