The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-05-31
HOME RULE IN ST. LOUIS.
The City Charter Was Made by Its Own
Citizens.

Albert Shaw in the June Century.
IL the analogy OF our national and state
examinations Is TO be followed at all Ii rnu-
nicipai government. it ought 70 be followed
50 intelllgently and logically as to retain
the merits along with the complications
and Inconvenience. This Is what the ST.
Louis system, more than any other In the
country. has succeeded In doing The one
great achievement for which St Louis Is
20 be praised 10 the completeness with
which IL has won its liberty. and stands for
the principle OF municipal home rule. 1t
Is entitled 20 be called free city" Even
rs charter was not made FOR Il ana con-
ferrei upon fl by the legislature. or by any
state agency. but was made by a local
body OF citizens elected for that purpose.
ard was then adopted by the voters Of St
Louis a; a special election.
This was In 1875. The state OF Missouri
had been holding a constitutional ccnven-
tior. and the convention had found itself
face TO face with the problem how TO deal
with the government OF Missourts chief mI-
nicipaiify. Much confusion had arisen
from the illogical and overlapping dual
government OF the county OF ST. Louis ana
the city q ST. Louis. The county debt was
a large and growing cne, while the city
debt was In the same process Of e1,rava-
g2at Increase, A raugA-ant-rcsey method
fer ire limitation OF local Indebtedness
was fixed upon By the convention. 1t was
ordained In the state constitution that such
local debts should not become greater IN
thu aggregate than 5 Per cent OF TIE as
sssssa valuation CT local property. IS re-
Cards St leca.s. Il was provsded that the
city ard county Eoverg7N is might II
they chose. screc 20 hold a special eiec-
tioa n order t. CD 3 se thirteen men. who
should - empowered - u draw % a
scheme for the entire separation % TIE city
srIf- "a ~ q.
for the reeoassitutcf city. This proErar.,se
WAS carried out The scheme q separation
greatly increased the municipal area. and
nNsd the Sousds now existing. County
buildings, With ether county property in
side the limits az the city. wsre all tra.s-
feTres 70 the municipality, and ii return
The c9ty assumed The entire county debt
The pepalar house % tire rnun.clszi as
sernhay, kscwn as ,ae house os delegates
WIS made - eo,sist % twenty gar mem,
oe-s. ore from csca wSrt. siectss fer Two
ycarA all retiring together. Tsa unae-
chamber et the assembly. known sS re
ccanel. WAS 70 consist es thirteen use-a-
hers, elected FOR fauF-year terms o. a gen
era city ticket The president Of the s.sv.r,-
ell Was 20 bo specifically elected q .hat -
sAiioa. ~ tie remaining twelve nssaher~
SIT we're - retire every two wears. T-aN
rssun.ciuA! e'ect.oas were oras-za - -
held - Arr-i. snd we're tkes ksrs aas-fr-s
from state AMI national elections. wA4es
occur n Sovsrsesr. Tue MAYOR uas - -
elected saT term % fogr years sss $500
general sfscsrs. - - elected a. ssr<s ss-
feur-yssE tern.s. were as soiiees. Goa
troiier. sGcsiaF, TREASURER. register. col
lectsr. recoEcer % deeds. Inspector az
weights ard measures. shsrlr. es->r.-
presxss=t az hoard Of assessors. ana p~as,.
eeas % ire board Of puA.se .rnprcweu,~n-s
-
e r Cxiae. i:=ae sS1 cement. Airing
tea doSk