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

The report of the chamber OF COM
merce committee on the Howard char
ter is a document of more than ordi-
nary value. 1t is one of the few Studies
which have been made comparing the
merits of the Bell charter and those
of the proposed law. 1t represents the
opinion Of representative citizens and
taxpayers. 1t is moderate in tone and
goes into sufficient detail to lend weight
to its conclusions. When we say that
1t was concurred in by all the men,
bers of the committee appointed to
consider the subject save one, and that
the entire chamber adopted it with only
this single dissenting vote, we have
stated as strongly as possible the opin-
ion which those most earnest for mu-
nicipal reform, retrenchment, tax re-
duction, and the Improvement of our
local act of government have formed
of the proposed Howard charter.
The committee has collected and sum-
married. the reasons that have already
been given by the Globe why the
people of st. Paul ought not to ex-
change the existing charter for the
Howard law. 1t would be to substitute
an untried law. prolific of litigation, for
one now fully interpreted by the courts.
1t would be to give up our absolute
limitations of local expenditure for the
unchecked prodigality of a city coun-
Gil, subject to no review save by one
OF those boards" against which the
Howard charter advocates inveigh so
heartily. 1t would be to substitute the
rule of politics for the rule of business
in all the departments where business
system now prevails. These are
changes which no patriotic citizen who
comprehends the issues at stake can
contemplate without serious appre-
hension.
The friends of the new charter have
failed signally to show any good rea-
son for the position which they have
staken. They cannot point to any mu-
n1cipal economies that are likely to
be realized under it. With whatever
honesty of intent, they are certainly
deceived in the notion that it's accept
ance would work a reform On the
other hand, as we have pointed out so
many times, and as this report reiter-
ates, st. Paul can obtain every benefit
offered by the Howard charter without
swallowing the evil along with
the good, and 80 without resign
ing the acknowledged excellences
OF our present municipal law. We have
but to wait for another year, patient
with the charter under which we have
just accomplished an enormous saving.
and then we shall be authorized TO
frame a charter of our own, which we
can constitute of the best parts of both
these laws, selected at our pleasure and
subject to change thereafter as expe-
rience may advise. Accept the How
ard act, on the. contrary, and the ills
OF it are irremediable. For no change
can be made in it except with the con-
sent of the whole state; that is. those
provisions which are suited to Mime
apolis and Duluth. but unsuited to ST.
Paul, could never be repealed or amend
ed at our solicitation. The report of
the chamber of commerce and the &C
ton taken upon it represent faithfully.
we believe, public opinion in this city
on the question of a change of char
tiers. In view Of the facts there set
forth, facts which no one attempted to
deny and whose force as arguments
cannot be broken, it is difficult to I'M
derstand how any man who loves this
city and hopes to see it prosper in the
future can so much as hint that it
should saddle itself with a law whose
provisions no other city in the state
has made move to accept.