The Saint Paul globe., 1896-12-19
AND THE REST WOULD BE EASY,
SO SAY--TEsTs CON-
FER EEGS
The Sixth Ward WheeihOrse Is
Restless and Chafes Under
Committee Rein.

only preliminary one, but much good
had been the result.
After an Informal discussion a reso-
luton was adopted appointing Messrs.
Sanborn, Clark, CIough Lightner,
Phillips and Chaplin as a committee to
report as to whether legislation was
wanted for the city and, if so, what
was wanted. Senator Stevens said
there was only one way to do, and that
was to begin, and he suggested that
committee take the charter under
which the city was now working and,
after thoroughly discussing the changes
deemed advisable, report such as were
needed. Representative Mcdonald from
the Sixth ward said four years ago the
time Of the delegation was taken up
by listening to committees, and he for
one, felt as though it was not neces-
sary to bind the delegates to any re-
port which would be made. He was in
honor bound to his constituents to as
sist in legislation which would make
changes in the board Of public works.
the municipal court and the board of
control So far as ne was able to
judge, private interests had given the
city a deal of vicious, if not all such
| kind of legislation. He particularly OBJ
jected to the placing on the committee
Of Assistant City Attorney Phillips.
Much of the legislation, he said, which
was bad had come through the city at
t0rney'S office, and he did not want
to pledge himself to support legislation
which would originate in that office.
| This statement aroused the ire of w
P. Murray, who said, as he understood
| it, the action of the meeting was not
binding on any one. It might be that
| the gentleman from the Sixth ward
| could secure all the legislation needed
for the city, but of this he had some
doubts. All legislation which had
originated in the city attorneys Office
while he was connected with it had
been at the request OF the chamber of
commerce or other representative
bodies. Senator Stevens said all that
was desired of either Mr.. Phillips or
Chaplin when the committee met was
TO answer questions as to details, and
he did not think any of the committee
would be guided by what any one
would say if it did not suit them and
the interests Of the city.
On calling the meeting to order Presi-
dent Peet stated that the chamber did
not want to interfere, with the deIega-
ton, but desired to help them in doing
what was for the best interests of the
city. He alluded to the matter of civil
service reform which was Of serious
moment. The horticultural society also
demanded a bhl for the protection Of
the forestry law, and the question Of
good roads was also to be considered
The principal matter to be considered
by the delegation, SO far as the city
was interested, was the subject of
charter legislation and the merging of
the city and county into one organiza-
ton. Senator Sheehan said all the
cities were under the constitutional
amendment allowed to frame their own
| charters The legislature would, how
ever, first have to pass a law limiting
the scope of the charter commissions
who would have to frame or draw the
| charter
Senator OZmun said the Howard
charter bill as amended by the com
mittee had a few serious objections
| which he did not agree with. The
| chief of the police, chief Of the fire de-
| partnent and water board were under
the bill elected by the council. In the
| main it was a splendid bill. With
| amendments mentioned for the ap-
| polntment of the officers mentioned by
| the mayor and doing away with the
provision putting it to vote of the
people he thought it would be all right
The question of whether it was neces-
| sary to- have any new charter at this
| particular time was issued by Green
| leaf Clark.
1 ID
| to Kill the dog by cutting the tip of
| his tail off. The members of the dele
/ cation had not the time to prepare
! charter. He advised that a commits
| sion such as Gen. Sanborn, Greenleaf
/ Clark and others be appointed. The
| Howard charter was a fraud all the
way through. The disclosures in Min
neapolis showed that the system OF
/ contracts should not be left to the
| council. Unless st. Paul could get a.
! better charter than the Bell charter
it was best not to make any change
JudgegC1arke said he was under the
impression that it would not get a.
chaFterwhich would be as good as the
one n0W-in use There were limitations
| liz the present charter which he feared
| would not be placed in new one He
/ advised the running of the city under
/ the present one If 1t was deemed ad-
vfsable to do away with the board of
| public works 1t could be done without
| interfering with the charter generally
! He advised at the time that the bill
would not stand. Had there been no
limitations put on the city by the Bell
| charter four years ago the city would
have been in a bad position today.
Gen. Sanborn said at the time. the
! Bell charter was passed, 1t was found
the expense of the city per capita was
/ larger in ST. Paul than any other city.
! Last year the committee found that it
| cost, directly and indirectly, over SO, ,G00,-
| 600 to run the city, and this year it
| would be about the same. The real
/ question to be asked, was whether the
| city could get better charter under
| the general law than the one now in
| use. The delegation must assume ac-
| ton in the matter. The Howard char
/ ter. in his opinion, had some very bad
| features, in that it did not put the re-
| sponsibility anywhere.
The private interests were the most
! difficult thing to overcome in passing
sound legislation. His opinion was to
| take the Howard and Bell charters and
by a grating process make a general
| law. Minneapolis, he said ought to be
willing now to come to the aid of ST.
| Paul and assist in passing general
law.
The uniting of the city and county
| government would save the city about
| 100000 per year. 1t was possible that
| this could not be done without a con-