St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1896-03-22
III DECIDED ON IN THE MAY ELEC-
TION 1T WILL BECOME OPER-
ALIVE IN 1898.
THE OLD AND NEW COMPARED.
UNDER THE HOWARD THE COUNCIL
WILL CONSIST OF A SINGLE
nODI.
WILL ABOLISH THE WATER HOARD
Aud hoard of Public WOrks-ImpOr-
tant Changes I'm Control of De-
partments.

The submission by the council of
the so-called Howard charter to the
vote of the people at the election IN
May viii give all registered voters an
opportunity to vote for or against
the reorganization of st. Paul under
the general municipal charter law Of
the state. If majority of the votes
cast upon that question shall be in
favor of such reorganization, the city
clerk will Immediately file with the
secretary of state a certificate of the
result of the election, and st. Paul
will thereupon become subject to the
provisions OF the general law. The
next city election would be held in
November, 1897. and the officers then
elected would take office in January,
1895 Meanwhile, the officers incum-
bent at the time of the adoption of
the new charter would exercise their
respective offices in SO far as they
are empowered so to do by the new
law. Such are. in substance, the pro-
visions OF that law regarding reor-
ganization.
In undertaking to state what would
be the mode of administering the city
government under the proposed char
ter 1t is desirable, at the outset, to
give brief comparative outline of the
general scheme of administration.
The division of the city into wards
would, upon reorganization, remain
the same as now, until otherwise pre-
scribed by the council. At present the
ward lines cannot be changed by the
city government. Under the Howard
charter the common council would
have the right to redivide the wards
after each federal and state census,
not oftener than once in five years.
At present st. Paul has eleven wards.
Under the proposed charter, the coun-
ell could make the number not less
than ten nor more than fifteen.
The city election is now held on the
first Tuesday of May in even num-
bered years, and the officers then
chosen are installed in Office on the
first Tuesday of June thereafter. The
change would bring the election to
November In odd numbered years, with
inauguration in January. The officers
now chosen at such elections are a
mayor, treasurer and comptroller; two
municipal judges lat alternate cleo
tions), and council of two chambers,
the assembly and the board Of alder
men. The assembly has nine men,
bers, elected from and by all voters
in the city. The board of aldermen
the eleven wards. Legislation is eff
fected by the separate concurrent ac-
ton of the two bodies.
Under the proposed charter the same
offices would be filled at the general
city election, except that a council Of
one chamber only would be chosen,
consisting of one alderman from each
of the several wards (ten to fifteen),
and eight aldermen at large.
The forms Of government of most
American cities recognize but vaguely
the distinction between executive, leg
islative and judicial functions. Espec-
Tally are the executive, or administra-
tive, and legislative powers of munic-
fpal government conferred with little
discrimination upon various officials.
Th1s is true of both the systems now
under discussion st. Paul's present
form OF government and the proposed
charter. No attempt will be made at
present to analyZe the two systems
with reference to these three proper
divisions Of governmental service.
The Howard charter would make no
change in the judicial department.
which consists mainly Of the municipal
court. having a limited civil and Grim
inal Jurisdiction.
The chief executive would continue
TO be the mayor, whose duties will be
discussed hereafter. The treasurer.
comptroller (under the new name of
controller), city clerk and attorney
would be similarly elected
At present all members of the police
department are appointed and removed
by the mayor. subject to the councils
approval. The Howard charter places
the tenure Of Office of policemen en-
tlreIy IN the mayors control, subject to
rules promulgated by him and an
proved by the council.
The park system and the school svs-
TEN would remain substantially nm
changed, both continuing under the adj
ministration Of appropriate boards, ap-
pointed by the mayor: but the acoui-
sltlon or parks would be transferred
wholly to the council.
The fire department is now directed
by board Of five members appointed
by the mayor upon consent Of the as
sembly. The Howard charter gives
controi OF this department to the coun-
Gil: through chief elected by it, the
chief appointing his subordinates: but
removals would be made by board
consisting OF the mayor, the chief and
the councils president.
The board of public works and the
water board would be abolished by the
change, and the control Of those de-
partments would be primarily in the
council, acting mainly through cjt,,
engineer and a superintendent OF wafer
works appointed by the council Rut
the determination of questions of dam
ages and expenses of local irnnrove-
ments and the like would be in the
hands Of special commissioners an
pointed by the council.
The inSDectiOn of huiIdipoe ma A.