St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1896-04-12

ter suggested is their relative expense
The clerical work would cost about
the same. The present system allows
$4,000 in all for salaries of the board
These salaries, of course, would not be
paid under the Howard charter. In
place of them would be the expense
of the special commissioners, five for
each proposed Improvement The COM
pensation of these commissioners is
not fixed by the law, but suitable per-
sons could not be secured for less than
SO per diem to perform such transient
duties. A political council would very
probably be even more liberal to per-
sons whom it could thus appoint to
comfortable service. The duties of
commissioners would require them to
serve, on an average, in every case of
proposed improvement at least ten
days. There would be an expense of
Sz5o. Reassesments and appeals would
double that average figure Thus TWEEN
W propositions of local improvement
per annum would cost as much as the
salaries now paid to the board; and it
mas been stated by competent authori-
ty that the number of cases consider
ed annually exceeds twenty. There
could hardly be a saving along this
line effected by the proposed change.
even laying out of the question the
other necessary duties performed by
the board of public works
But the fatal objection to the pro-
posed system of public works is the
opportunity for favoritism and corrup-
ton In its administration. 1t is well
enough to assign to the council the
duty of saying when and where public
improvements shall be made; that is a.
legislative function. But when there is
to that duty added the right to an
point and to pay the persons who
snail assess upon property owners the
burden of paying for the improvements
and the further right (as elsewhere pro-
Vided in the Howard charter to have
the work done not by contract, but by
day labor, under the direction of an
other creature of the council, the city
engineer; and the further right to in
itiate, suspend and confirm all proceed
1rgs-in such a condition opportuni-
ties would occur that Boss Tweed him
self would covet In such a system II
would not be necessary to resort to
CRIMINAL methods in order to promote
personal and partisan ends. The an
polntment of commissioners, say a..
hundred during each year, would give
many politician reward for past SER
vice or encouragement for future ef
forts in behalf of the appointing alder
men, while the carrying on Of great
improvements by the direct emplov-
ment of day labor, under the control
OF the council, would give to aldermen
a mighty hold upon the worst class of
Voters-not honest laborers, but ward
strikers, who can be reached by such
means. The service that would be rem
defed by such commissioners and such
laborers would inevitably be bad. and
the effect Of the system upon political
morality would be demoralizing.
If the proposed system should he
honestly and intelligently carried out
IL is possible that the results to indi
Vldual rights Of persons whose prop
erty would be affected would be about
the same as now. Yet the omission
OF the requirement to notify supposed
owners of property, by mail, in regard
to proposed assessments, might easiIv
result in hardship; while the Judgment
of special commissioners chosen for
each particular case would always be
a matter of great chance. Then. again.
the provision Of the Howard charter
making business lots 90 feet in width
and permitting the council to require
water connections to be made by the
owners with every such lot, would go
Ill with the actual dimensions of st.
Paul business lots. In all these re-
spects, the property owner would be
put to vigilance even greater than at
present to protect himself from DOS
Slble harm under even a competent
and honest administration by the coun-
Gil Of the department of public works.
Under an incompetent or dishonest ad-
ministration, the property owner and
the public would indeed fare ILL.,
1t is not intended here to offer a
defense of the existing system Of pub
lie improvements. 1t is believed that
a better system could be devised, espe-
cially by placing the responsibility for
administration upon the mayor, leav-
ing the legislative duties involved to
the council. But whatever evils, in
theory or in practice, are incident to
the present system, those same evils
exist in the proposed scheme; and, in
addition to them, it seems certain that
others, even greater and more serious,
would arise.