The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-01-31
THE CHARTER SIGNED
Four Members of the Commits
sion Voted Against It
AND TWO REFUSED TO SIGN.
The Sunday Closing Alternative Was
Street Railroads Maintained.


ealner jury than the one which framed IL
CHANGED 70 be in the final moments Of its
passage This later jury OF the general
public. too. viii have thirty days in which
10 consider its verdict, for the publication
by law is fixed for that period. Probably
many VIII feel as did the members of the
commission who have striyen SO hard. ac-
cording TO their lights, 20 frame code q
municipal laws that would meet the aspira-
tfons or local patriotism. They VIII find
improvements on the old charter that VIII
meet with their ready approval; they will
find. also. innovations. but no very radical
ones, that viii demand serious considera-
ton. They viii find. in fact. as did the
members Of tbs charter commission them
selves, laws that have their full support,
and laws that they may waver about or
that they cannot support at all But they
viii have 70 vote yes or no on the whole
charter. as had the members OF the commits
sion at its closing sessions yesterday.
Four Against It.
When the charter came up for adoption
at the close OF the afternoon session. four
Of the members found that after all the
compromises made, they must conscien-
tioGsly vote against IL. These were Ham,
lin. Joslln, Tremper and Chairman Pres
ton. Those who voted for it were An
drews, Bausnan, Crane, De Wolfe. Fem
wick. Koehler. Middleton. Stein and Win
the charter did not approve Of every part
OF IL. but they Were unwilling, as Winsor
very succinctly said. that the people should
be deprived Of al benefit OF their labors.
and those who view the matter in one light
will congratulate the city that its law
makers were not ruled by any political
faction. or even swayed by the ordinary
custom "a legislative bodies Of You vote
for my measure, and viii vote for yours"
Each individual member fought for what
he believed, from his education. ability
and environment, 10 be what the whole
people desired.
Two Refuse to Sign.
When the foruality Of signing the char
ter took place. at the evening session spe-
cially called for that purpose, ii was be-
neved, Of course that all the members
would sign IL as the best result OF their
combined efforts. There were two who de-
cHned to do so. Joslin and Hamlin, two Of
the four who had voted against its adop-
ton.
The morning session was occupied IN
reading over the bulky document and max
Ing such minor corrections as did not i'm
pinge upon any Of the principles that had
already been SO thoroughly debated. AT
the afternoon session the charter was
voted for article by article, each article be-
ing put for the yeas and nays without any
chance Of debate or amendment. except by
a two-thirds vote suspending the rules.
Chairman Preston carried out this rule
with fair rigidity; had he done otherwise.
the debating would not have ended in time
to submit the charter TO the voters at the
next general election.
The Last Acts.
Andrews moved that the report Of the re-
vision committee be adopted, and as there
seemed 10 be some reluctance TO vote on
this, after Winsor had seconded II, he de-
clared that he had no hesitation in saying
that the adoption of the committees re-
port meant the adoption OF the charter. To
the relief of many Chairman Preston ruled
that the charter must be voted on article
by article. Tremper asked II there would
also be vote OF the whole charter and
was answered in the affirmative. Articles
l., II and III. on general rules and LA
h;lities." boundaries, wards and pre-
cincts." ana distribution OF government
passed unanimously and without single
question Article ", however, which has
TO do with street railroad franchises, was
peeked at for long time, and had to De
compromised. Joslin commenced on the
civil service rules, and sad that In this
and other respects the charter paralyzed
itself. but IN this respect they would never
get efficient commissioners at the Vlary
OF 500 a year, and therefore the law would
be a dead letter. These remarks applied
TO article XVI, and he repeated them when
that came I'd, Dlt without effect i11 A&et
moved 70 insert IN section %. OF the art.-
Gle under consideration. which contained
some Of the provisions OF the Old charter,
as 20 street railroads, after the words CIV
ing power 10 the council TO cancer any
franchise the words OF the old charter,
with due regard 10 the rights or tne par
ties and the interests OF the public VIII
sor said these had been purposely left cut.
and when Il was argued that franchise
was a contract and therefore could not be
arnrIled at will, WinsOr answered that a
franchise was license merely 10 conroi
certain public interests, and reVokAoie as
any other license for cause Bansmah
ss{a he should vote against suspension
~ TIRE rules to consider the amendment, and
+ha1 against he bill Joslin failed 20 have
he rules suspended. and when the article
.tself was voted upon there were seven
AYES for 4 and six nays; II was theretors
80. ny ore vote. a majority or ire MEM
be~r ~ he commission being necessary 70
IT'S adoption
rofer on he vote was recousidere1 and
a-,,er4r,ents were made. Bausnan getting
added in other phraseology what Joshn
failed IN go that article Xxx reads max
ar,- breach OF ftS franchise by corpora
-, sbo,,ls reryntt the city council 70 re-
,,a.I f+s franchise az once. Meaningless
,..,ysae ., were what Winsor styled those
he ERECTED 70 from Josl.n. but any law
vs- viii see that those or DIT. baus'hah
have about the same import, ana ~ some
,,e,-le are thought important. men tue
arbitration clause OF the same aFecis. -
~,,5,<-- street railroads 20 aro.trate ther
49, a e-7rr,lfses before a comm .ssion aFs-
.t-..S Nv, the mayor, or lose their char
t. u-as reconsldsref. Tbs was really lhs
Ia,..a nat led 20 the first defeat or the
<Eu go 3. asa not pass until compro-
It. ,-as Effected that The city counch, N
,~,,,l,- any new franchises, should lnseft
"a ,be-, provisions for arhitTa ton- A.at
- -. - more was left 20 the dfscret'on
:. =. - >9c.,@-Fi sr each Delicate matters. i
hainr nearly may instead o. ss'-lA''
III. legislative Department
.-..-la v '.tAe legislative department
also missed adoption b. the Same Fo'e %
- f.,- ana sig against. II did not come
=. -. .s,ss article met such opposition.
- an a reconsideration later X pasSed
-s.Euv enough without Amendment isNt
- c~v-.sl1fon against y the nFsf time
- ,v.,-,, mat side of he house that De-
tss,-,. 80 MAYOR should have q property
.,af,e~-.t7r and ehev were determined 10
vote hack into che article the word iFee-
holder" hut felt they we're ToWeTieS@ :"
40 SO These two articles were the only
ores that failed % passage the first time.
80, all the rest were by no means passed
unanimously
The Alternative Proro~i lions
TIA tvo alternative propositions. 20 oe
voted on at the election apart from IRE
-ss-fs- were the occasion OF many brief.
crisp speeches. The hrst reciEes the pow
as % ths couucII 70 acquire water works
s,s wxatfng plants. TIE sane as u the
~ charter. and IN addition TIRE power 70
sraufre street railroads II was well ar
So .>sat this wEs not substitute, and
ga while many people might - IN favor