The record-union., 1896-08-16
SHALL THE CHARTER BE
AMENDED

A trial of barely three years of the
new charter has revealed serious de-
fects in it which demand correction.
Experience has no rival as teacher.
We have found out what at first glance
we might be inclined to say the Board of
Freeholders should have foreseen. But
it is to be remembered that these citi-
zens had to frame an instrument that
would reasonably command the support
Of the people as they then understood
the theory and practice of municipal
government.
One Of the freeholders has called our
attention to the fact that on one of the
grayest defects in the charter the board
stood evenly divided, and finally agreed
upon q compromise satisfactory to
neither party. So. in other matters, the
freeholders would have given us bet
ter instrument If they had entertained
the slightest belief that in the light the
people then had it would have been
adopted. What would have been con-
demned as mere theoretical dreaming
and altogether visionary then, expert
ence has taught us should have been
advanced and adopted.
Now that we have had the lesson, the
question is, ''Will we profit by it?"
With the action Of the new Freeholder
Board of Greater New York and the
Freeholder Board Of San Francisco
ado1+yoo apd e,,br,i+tiror +ta ,ya,-,- ot,or
ter matters which our Board of Free
holders did not dare to propose, we may
entertain the hope that under a second
trial the people will adopt the needed
amendments. In several important
matters there are inconsistencies in the
charter that ought to be removed. One
Of these came very near wrecking the
election of Tuesday. The apparent alb
two elections being made necessary to
determine a single question. The hands
of both the executive and the legisla
tive departments are tied by cumber-
some and hindering provisions, and
some of the charter requirements are
of a nature that will always leave Of
ficials In doubt as to what is their duty.
In short, 1t is conceded on all sides
that we need to amend the charter in
the interests of economy, and to reduce
friction and better promote the inter
ests of all the people of the city. Now,
II this is true, and we do not think II
will be soberly questioned. what is the
method of amendment, and is it posi-
bic to enter upon it now and get our
organic law into desirable shape at an
early date?
Section of Article II. of the Consti-
tuition points out the method of amend
ing First, amendments cannot be pro-
posed oftener than once in two years.
Second, the proposed amendments must
be advanced and submitted by the
BOARD of Trustees. Third, the proposed
amendments must be submitted at a
general or special election after forty
days notice after twenty days publica-
ton; that is to say, sixty days after the
first day of publication.
If now the necessary amendments
should be proposed by the City Trus-
tees within twenty-one days from this
date, they would be within time to be
submitted at the general election of No
vember 3D. 1t would not take the
Trustees more than two weeks to sug-
gest the needed amendments, for they
have really been in mind for two years,
so that there is time enough in which
to formulate and send them to the peo-
pie and have the result, If they are
adopted or any part of them, by three
fifths vote submitted to the Legislature
next winter If this is not done
then no amendment can be secured be-
fore the first quarter in 1899.
The Constitution permits alternative
propositions to be submitted in amend
ment, SO that q voter is not required tc
vote yes" or mo" upon an arbitrary
amendment, but two propositions or
the same subject may be voted upoI