The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-03-01
THE CHARTER.


vote against 81. Stree them ! pave o@eh
often asked why opposed K. To attempt
% 60 into the matter fully = entiFsay 700
large q task presume other menntfs
Of the commission ike myself. after
spending nearly SIX weeks upon II, large
part II the time night and day. have not
felt inclined 70 again take 10 TIE subject
and discuss IL through the papers or from
the platform But recently the very 81
Ienee Of those who opposed Il has been
used as an argument In ita favor. Ana
already members Of the commission have
been charged with corruption. certainly a
curious reward for the work zone upon II
/ trust tfs instrument may stand or fall
upon ifs merits. and not for the friends or
the enemies II has.
The things IN the charter which In my
judgment were Objectionable we're not
confined to one subject or 10 any single
natter which might be briefly stated
There was no single provision which
caused me to finally vote against the in
strurnent. / know quite wen that no law
or charter can be made perfect As the
charter was discussed and adopted Sec
ton by section, many provisions were put
In OF more or less importance which
thought unwise. The great number or
these, many of which I cannot now re-
member made me feel az the last mat II
was better 10 continue the old than 10
adept the new charter.
some OF the things that are most OBJ
tectionabie 10 me are as follows
Ffrst-The selection OF city councilmen
by wards instead OF by the people of the
whole city seemed to me bad. believe
that If councilnen were elected by the
= hole body Of citizens we would TN the
selections get better men who. after their
election. would give the city better ser
vice ! believe the records viii show that
there has been more extravaganza from
Of . .sffx n
the interest OF some particular ward In
stead of for the whole city, than any other
cause. In my judgment at least one-haH
Of the city council should be elected at
large. II may be said that the old char
ter had the same defects. This is true;
but IL also had dual council To deduct
g. from city couneiiman's salary for eb-
sence from meeting. sickness or any
thing else being no excuse, seems TO me
n rong
second-The provision AT the end OF sec
ton - Of article - that no person holding
any city Office shah be eligible for any
other city Office. would prevent any city
councilman or any other city officer from
aspiring TO the office Of mayor or any
higher office. a most unwise and unjust re-
striction.
Third-The retention of the library com
mission and the reviving of the park COM
mission under the name OF park commit
tee" both bodies being wholly stripped OF
power, seems TO me TO be without the
slightest justification.
Fourth-Tho great powers of the board
OF health and the legislation on the sub
jet OF sanitation going into the minutest
details, seems 20 me TO be Objectionable.
Many of the minute regulations for the de-
partmeut of sanitation will doubtless
need 10 be changed or modified. which
cannot be done because the provisions are
embodied in the charter.
Fifth-On the subject of street railroads
and franchises the commission surpassed
itself. The provision submitted separate
IL authorizing the council TO buy outright
the street railroads. II adopted. would
surely be the greatest folly. For the city
TO incur a debt OF from three 70 six million
OF dollars in the purchase of street rail-
roads which are barely earning their OPP
Grating expenses. with the city in It's pres
ent financial condition would seem too
wild a thing for even the most unthinking
socialist. There is great danger II the city
council shall be authorized 10 buy them.
that owners OF street railroads win soon
De besieging the council 10 sell them. and
the matter OF submitting their purchase TO
vote Of the people would probably not
deter the sale
Leaving aside the question OF buying
street railroads. the other provisions Of
the charter are fatal 10 any Improvement
NlElAE
desirable that the street railroads in the
city should he united so that the people
would be benefited by system Of trans
fers similar 10 that now being adopted in
cities throughout the United States This
can never be done under the provisions OF
sections - and . OF article 4 The provi-
slons OF these two sections would likewise
prevent The extension OF railroads into sub
urban districts and of the Strengthening or
otherwise improving OF the tracks already
laid down. This is not a great injury 10
the railroads. bat viii work a great injury
TO the people OF the city. The provisions
OF section - prohibiting the extension OF
any existing franchises until within three
years OF its expiration. viii cause a heavy
loss. not 20 the roads or 20 the people, bat
80 the city itself. IN this way: Il Is now
universal In the granting Of street railroad
franchises. and section - requires IT. that
the city snail reserve 20 itself a certain
percentage OK the gross receipts. This is
right. and Is undoubtedly the best form
5 II control the city can possibly exercise
: over street railroads. The greater part OF
7 the cities that own their own street rail-
roads n Europe 90 not operate them hat
lease them for a certain percentage OF the
( gross receipts The shortest OF existing
I franchises nave about seventeen years vet
20 run The provisions of section o Will
( prevent any change or extension for If
! teen years on the shortest franchise. II
/ the council shall have power during this
] period 80 grant or extend franchises such
I grant or extension would have 10 be for a
I part 81 the gross receipts. not less than .
( Per cent. az provided by section "a. In
/ an probability every franchise in the city
within less than i've years would be so ex-
! tended. The gross receipts 81 the street
! railroads FOR lisa was about &f0 ee3. Nine
/ tv-siX per cent. or about SSS.Sa OF this
( was used 10 pay wages and for supplies
I Two per cent OF the gross receipts, the
/ minimum would produce a revenue Of
about $ ooo per wear for the city. This
/ VIII unqucSticuaby De- largely increased
! as g4mes improve. For the dfteen years A
/ simple calculation viii show that the city
+ u18y De deprived % a large sum OF money
( by the provision ~ section s0
rho matter az compulsory arhttration~
/ S. vuoiIy urtrtcd. nor DO I believe q was
I c}aiafed shat even tn Switzerland or New
: Zealand have they set adopted ."compul-
/ sorry arhifration." II - certain thar no
+ street ~siIroad could be successfully man
( agcA II Sc ccsla not Discharge at VII a.,
3 intfficftni sn}ploye. or if some body ~ er-
/ hifrafcrs. ether than the owners 81 tha
/ properly, could TX the wages g sreti4
I pay Arbitration e. q miSncrner %ot a
( rnaa vho advocated u vrofsls desire f- o.
/ voluntarily sahulf - 'r N hls own h,,ss-
I ness. TIE ~ effective it must bind b,.k
/ sides. ard 30 would Pc as 1lstastogaI ~
| the pa -orsr ss 20 rae EMPLOYER Ags- ts..--
/ est {n stu,st railroads is t,,e e'trh+ 2 49,
60 Influence nav -Udgment u-ou ths ehsr-
/ te-
/ StXth-Ths provision veSale.-e tret The
! cosE 90 tocai Improvements SHAH ~rt ~
/ ceet 3 Uer cent. ~ che value 1T tA. s,,.t.
/ ting prspFrty wll ia rtauy caS,s r~ev,nt
improvement IRE present requirement Is
eve take pleasure Ia rccon1e7f;nr