The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-07-23
RIP VAN Wrinkles.

RIP VAN Wrinkles.
Mr. Ambrose Tighe expresses,
through an evening paper, his surprise
and pain that the framing Of new
charter should have been undertaken
or even considered without his advice
or consent. 1t was a strange oversight
by which Mr.. Tighe was not consulted
in this matter, and one that could not
have occurred had the Legislature, in
passing the home rule act, done its
full duty, and required the approval
of Mr. Tighe as condition precedent
to any action under it. That not hav-
ing been done, we on our part, are sur
prised that he should have so far dis
regarded his duty as censor of the pub
lie veal and relaxed his wonderful Wig
tlance as to have permitted the
trif1ing episode of the signing of
charter petition by more than $500 vot-
ers of st. Paul and its presentation to
the district court bench to escape his
notice. However, the thing has been
done, and there is no help for it now
except to assure Mr.. Tighe that his
feelings will be consulted by the courts
and the commission in every way pos
sible.
The argument that he advances is the
exceedingly stale and pointless one
that a new charter would have to be
construed by the courts, and it's compo-
Sition will be a matter of difficulty and
detail. This, of course. is an argu-
ment that makes against any change
either in statutes or Instruments of
government, and holds that all prog
ress is necessarily evil because if is
obliged to unsettle some adjustments
OF the past. 1t is made pointless, as
also is his truthful statement that the
Bell charter has many excellent feat
ures, by the fact that there is moth
ing to prevent the commission from
readopting the Bell charter as it stands.
If it sees fit, or combining the changes
that it makes to such particulars as
obviously and pressingly require action
In the public interest
Everybody expects and believes that
the major part, probably, of the pres
ent charter will be retained. Amend
ments will be made only to those por-
tions which have become a. positive
drag upon our progress. which
threaten great public interests. like
the school system. This cannot he
accomplished under the constitutional
provision forbidding special LEGISLATION
by any other means. AS to the consti-
tutionality of the law, there is not the
slightest doubt of that in the mind of
any ftrst-class lawyer; and, by a Singh
lar mischance, while the names of near-
ly all the foremost members of the bar
In this city are appended to the char
ter petition that of Mr.. Tighe is not
found there. Nor have the Judges of
the district court of Hennepin county
found any doubt of their duty in tba
premises, any more than will those Of
Ramsey county. 1t is rather amusing
to have a lawyer suggest, what even
layman would scarcely conceive
proper, that the court should invite
persons to appear before it and offer
arguments designed to show that it
ought not to perform a duty explicitly
Imposed upon 1t by the law. If such
DIRECTORS exist, they will have ample
opportunity to appear before the char
ter commission; and, if they are num-
erous enough and their arguments DO
tent enough, they can doubtless per-
suade 1T to reaffirm the terms of the
existing charter and adjourn without
further action
Another Rip Van Wrinkle Is found
in the person of an esteemed conten.
porary, which, following the brilliant
luminary in the office of the mayor,
at all times it's guiding star and lamp
of wisdom, does not agree with Mr..
Tighe that the charter ought to remain
untouched, but announces that, "as
there is no other way in which the
charter can be amended except through