The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-01-21
SEATTLE, TUESDAY. JAN. 81.
ON A BUSINESS BASIS.


The charter commission Is crystallizing
its amendments into something like good
business shape. The people VIII find no
fault with the apportionment OF salaries. A
salary OF 1880 year for tho mayor Is high
enough for the next few years. For cor
poration counsel. $4,000 is not too much. Al
though s2,o0o Ia little enough for man
qualified to keep intricate accounts extend
ing up TO 10000 "A year. It VIII probably net.
IN these times. be- thought TOO low TO tempt
fairly capable men, The salhsy OF treasurer
seems not 10 have been decAdea yet, This
important Office. Tor which 10000 bonds
are required. should carry with II a salary
sufficient TO insure the services OF men com
petent to handle accounts involving at least
hair a million dollars n year.
The transfer OF the duties OF superintend-
ent OF buildings TO the Office OF the city en-
eineor instead OF to the superintendent Of
streets is wise measure. At least one
man in the city engineers office should be
familiar with the principles governing the
erection and safety OF buildings. and even
the city engineer himself may reasonably
vepairing and cleaning OF streets have moth
ing to do with the work of building In
spector.
There still remains the important ques-
ton or the city council. The commission
has declared almost unanimously IN favor
OF having tho term OF one part OF the coua-
Gil overlap the other. so as 10 give the city
-
there hardly seems any consistency in tura-
ing out the present council o: eighteen and
beginning with an entirely new body. The
character % the followers should. also.
have some weight The four aldermen
elected for four years whose terms 10 rot
expire until 1898 are H. +. Compten. cs the
Seventh ward. II. i. elise. of the Eighth
a. Anderson. Of the Second. and n. w
rovejoy OF the Niu,h ward They are
good representative citizens, and as hey
will be in a minority N the next council they
could not thwart the policy OF the majority
% be elected IN March. while their ex-
per!ence would % valuable 20 their coli
leagues.
There IS. OF course. a legal dif1culty 70 be
both houses. they cannot provide for TIE
continuance In office Of the followers whose
Offices would thereby be abolished. But the
difficulty might - overcome BY abolish
ing the house Of dclegates-it there is 20 -
only one house-and amending the py0vl-
sions relating % the hoard ~ aldermen ~
changing its name to council ana aaTng
-, -.
finally determined upon. one thing seems
certain ana that Is that the councflrnen At
large should he elected every two wears,
with the four ard Eve alternately elected.
- that the people should Re ahle every two
years 20 control the complexion 81 tNat
body by slectinE working majority. Your
mombcrs AZ large would always insure a
substantial majority. although two wouls
seem ordinarily sufficient.
The power Of the commission. however.
90 postpone the operation OF part ~ TIE
Charters 20 sitting nenbers-is snf3-
elenuy doubtful % call tor extreme care 81
consideration CT the question. Ansrews'
objection that Il would oe taking the selec-
ton cut OF The hands 81 TIE reople IS net
a. strong as some others. because the four
aldermen are there ~ the voice q the res
pls who elected them for four years. TIE
real difficulty IS 80 - rcvrer.
Whne there IS much force ~ Joslln's ar
rumens in rsvor Of appointing a corpora
t'on counsel. Il Is doubtful Il the people
would care % surrender their voice in his
selection There is no more Important
Office IA the city government but 2 = the
people begin 20 realize It's Importance we
have faith that they VII select men who
are IN sood standing a, re bar For ire
shres terms uadsE the Esw eA@.ssF tas