The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-08-06
RIVER AT s A. NJ.
THE CHARTER COMMISSION.


All the labors of the C l o b in as
sisting the people to carry out their
will in securing the appointment of
charter commission are more than re-
paid in the satisfaction 1t derives from
the result, as shown in the list of COM
missioners selected by the judges Of
the district court. The bench has fully
justified the confidence placed in it,
and has discharged the great trust
committed to it with rare intelligence
and public spirit. The fifteen men
whom it has named to frame a new
charter constitute a commission that,
commands and will receive the entire
trust and confidence of the people. of
st. Paul. The commission is non-par-
tisan. being made up of Democrats
and Republicans in practically equal
numbers. 1t contains many of the
ablest lawyers in the city, men whose
assistance will be invaluable in pass
ing upon the constitutionality of pro-
posed provisions and in giving to their
work the precise legal form and effect
that the members intend. 1t is repre-
sentative Of all interests in the COM
munity. so that none will be without
a voice. 1t numbers in it's membership
men of large experience in charter
making, and men who have had such
practical part in constituting the pro-
visions of the present instrument of
government that they are familiar
alike with its strength and it's weak
ness. 1t has business men whose
views on business questions will be Of
weight and is largely recruited from
the committee on retrenchment that
did such good service in it's investiga
tions two years ago. While it Is prob
able that few persons, if the duty de-
Yolved upon them, would constitute a
charter commission with exactly the
same members, almost any man of in
telligence would put majority of
these names upon the list that he
should prepare. And this is the test
which proves it to be a work of ex
cellence.
Inc one characteristic which will
strike the public as pre-eminent in the
new commission is it's conservatism
The fearful souls who have seen or
pretended to see an overturning of es-
tabllshed order and a disregard of
precedent and experience in the new
charter work may smooth their wrink-
led visages and calm the plantations
OF thelr hearts. Such body of men as
this Will do nothing that is rash, moth
ing dangerous, nothing experimental
nothing that will startle the neon1a &c
an innovation. The only danger, in
fact, that will linger near them is the
possible tendency to be too moderate
too little inclined to substitute the mod
ern for the ancient. But moderation is
better than rashness; and, in a work of
magnitude like this. a work, more
over, where defects can be cured AT anv
time by amendment, it is we'll TO oh
serve the old motto, hasten SLOWLY &"
The people Of st. Paul may rest assured
. that the charter presented to them bv
such a commission as has been an
pointed, and by the important and con-
tinuing place of that body in our civic
life, will be as safe as we believe that
1t will be satisfactory The system OF
hcme rule is inaugurated auspiciously.
The people, to whose initiative we owe
II, with the assistance which the
u b was glad and is proud to have
rendered, that charter reform is a pres
ent reality instead of the sport and
mock of partisans who put self-seeking
and petty profit above the welfare of
our common life, may rejoice in a good
work well done. We congratulate them
upon the result, and the judges upon
the faithful and intelligent performance
of their duty. The first step has been
taken toward a municipal reform whose
necessity no candid man denies. All
that now remains is the appeal which
we make, with an earnestness that
knows neither personal nor party in