The Saint Paul globe., 1896-12-08
M'cARDY'S IDEAS
CITY COMPTROLLER TELLS WHAT
HE THINKS OF NEEDED CHAR
TER f.EEGISLATIoN.
COULD DO WITHOUT ANY.
CHARTER ARE WELL NIGH
PERFECT.
Tax Roll for Collection Through
County Treasurer.

''St. Paul would do very well if let
alone entirely for two years"
City Comptroller McCardy uttered
these words yesterday when asked to
express his opinion on the subject of
charter legislation at the coming ses-
sion of the legislature. There are few
men in the city of st. Paul as familiar
with the provisions of its charter as
Mr.. McCardy. Other men who have
made a special study of the problems
of municipal government may not cor
incide with Mr.. MeCardy's views on the
subject, but his views, it is conceded,
arc worthy of consideration, coming as
they do from one whose daily business
it has been for a period of nearly five
years, to consult the charter. He has
been brought face to face with the
practical results of the application of
those provisions and restrictions and
his opportunities for observing the
virtues and defects of the charter are
ample. When asked what charter leg
islation he considered the city of st.
Paul stands in need of at the hands of
the legislature about to convene, Comp
troller McCardy's general answer was
the one above quoted Continuing, the
comptroller said:
1.-THE subject of a new or amended
city charter is an extremely difficult
one to discuss in view of the many OBJ
stacles thrown in the way, in the shape
OF efforts to foster the pet scheme of
private interests. Some people have
tried to persuade themselves to believe
in a scheme Of municipal government,
known as the Howard charter. which
l conceive to be a piece of financial
nonsense AS for st. Paul / repeat let
the city alone for two years and II
will do very we'll. In city as well as
state and national affairs, we are hav-
ing too much legislation. The result
is that when the laws are enforced. the
event is in the nature of q discovery
and a surprise to the people.
Now as to cur existing Bell charter.
am firmly convinced that its provi-.
sions for the accounting. of the city's
funds, are we'll nigh perfect, and that
we have, take it altogether, one of the
hest charters in any American city.
Il believe thoroughly in the Sheehan
amendment or home rule bill which
gives to cities the right to make laws
for their own government. This has
been tried in st. Louis, San Francisco
and elsewhere with great success. I
believe 1t is good common sense. An
iron digger from st. Louis county, a
potato digger from Pine county, a cat
tie raiser from Faribault county, who
have been sent to the legislature TO
make laws may be able to make laws
satisfactory to themselves, but I don't
believe they can make good laws for
the government of cities, simply be-
cause they have not studied that sub
ject 50 -l~ss Is
when YOU ask. " for something
specific for the benefit of a. city for our
delegation to consider, as I have stated
before, there Is not a great deal. We
can get along very nicely If let alone.
But to be specific, I would place all
assessments for public improvements
on the tax roll for collection, through
the county treaSurer'S Office. There is
no citizen, who pays a sprinkling tax,
who will take any exception to that.
Then it would compel all assessments
to be made before the work is con-
ltracted for. This would likewise COM
pei all legal objections to be brought
out beforehand. It would also have the
advantage of placing the money in the
treasury and thereby secure lower bids.
There is another important matter
that needs reforming. That is the man
ner in which franchises are granted
in this city Of ours. When we look at
the way our streets are annually dug
up and rooted at will by various fran
schise holders, and then make a little
calculation a s to how much money they
pull out Of the people and the exceed
ingly small amount they put into the
puhHc tEeSuIy, IL Is CIiie IhdC lHe .city
not only stopped issuing franchises
without a consideration, but that 1t
fixed a time definitely, when present
franchises should expire. The city of
Toronto gets $1,000 a mile for each
mile of double track of its city rail-
way, and the people get seven rides
for quarter.
Another change might well be made
in the provisions regulating appointive
offices. 1 believe the best results in
municipal government would be OBJ
tained if the term of service of all
appointed officers expired with the ap-
pointing power 1t would be more
harmonious and more certainly fix
the responsibility
Referring to the city's bonded debt.
Comptroller McCardy said: 1--WE have
1913, 500 of bonds coming due during
the year 1898. 1 hope we will be able to