The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-11-06

elected. Some claimed that mayor
could be elected who would take the
Office for the honor, and not for the
salary. The city and the people did
not want any such men for mayor. II
there was any reason to elect judges
Of the municipal court for four years,
the same reasons would apply to the
office of mayor. The best interests Of
the people was to have the term Of
the mayor four years. 1t would re-
suit in better men being selected for
that Office, for, when the people knew
they would have to live under the
mayor for four years, the best men
only would be nominated. In his ac-
ton on the commission he would be
fer the best interests of the city, and
he would not go to the window in or
der to see how the wind was blowing.
A. H. Lindeke said he had been
studying the question some time and
had made up his mind that 1t would
be a good thing to have a mayor elect
ed for four years. The state constitu-
ton, however, provided that the law
could not be fixed so as to make the
encumbent ineligible for another con-
Secutive term. For this reason he
would have to vote against a four
years term. He did not want to see
a mayor holding office for eight years.
Mr.. Lightner thought the argument
of Mr.. Lusk was a strong one for only
a two years term for mayor. If a man
took the last year of a two-year term
to re-elect himself what would be the
chance for mayor elected for four
years? At the end of the first four
years, he would have all the boards Of
his own appointment, together with the
police force and other departments.
Mr.. O'Brien favored two years
term for mayor and was not in favor
of making any radical changes in the
charter. The evils suggested by Mr..
Lusk in a tWo-year term would be in
creased with a four-year term.
The members of the commission in
vited opinions in writing from citizens
relative to the question of extending
the terms Of the mayor and members or
the council. The only communication
received was from L. H. Farrell, who.
under date of Nov. 4. said that he did
not favor the proposition of giving the
mayor or members of the council terms
of four years. Mr.. Farrell said:
'It might be a good thing for the
perennial Office hunters and ward poll
ticianS, but the taxpayers would get
the worst of it in the end. l don't like
the idea of waiting for four years to
turn a rascal out. Two years is plenty
long enough I indorse Mr.. Krieger's
sentiments. He has the right idea of
what effect the long term would have.
With honest men in office two years
will be long enough to wait. Whatever
you do don't add one dollar more to
the mayors salary, because he does
not earn it. The trouble with our
mayors is they go fishing and hunting
too much and take in too many side
conventions and other junketing trips,
etc; in fact, the mayor ought to have
longer office hours, work more and for
less pay"
The communication was read and
filed.
On the roll call to amend the sec
ton so as to make the term of mayor
four years, the following was the vote:
For extending the term, Messrs. Alness,
Butler, Innis, Lusk, McNair and Muir
ray-6. Against-Messrs Clark, Clough,
Fetter Horn, Krieger, Llghtner, Lin
deke and O'Brien-S.
Mr. Murray moved as another
amendment that the members of each
branch of the council be elected for a
term of four instead of two years. No
one voted in favor of the motion, ex-
cept Mr.. Murray, and the matter was
dropped. The members of the COM
mission explained that, as the mayor
was to be elected for only two years, it
would be bad policy to have the alder
men and assemblymen hold longer
than the mayor.
Mr.. Lightner suggested that per-
haps the elective offices of the city
should include the corporation attor
ney, city engineer, building inspector
and city clerk. Without going into the
question the commission laid it over
until the chapters referring to these
offices were reached
ton six, which provided that no alder
man or assemblyman should hold any
other office of profit or trust during
the term for which he was elected
| 1t was cited that the members of the
council had a habit of having them
selves elected or appointed to fill other
positions after reaching the council.
In order to head off this practice, the
section was amended as published
herewith.
Mr.. Clark moved that the jurisdic-
ton of the committee which had re-
ported be extended so that it take
charge of redrafting that portion of
the charter up to chapter 5 of the pres
ent compilation. The motion was
adopted.
On motion of Mr. Murray, chapter 5
of the present charter, relating to the
treasury department, was referred to
a committee consisting of Messrs.
Clough, Clark and Alness.
Chapters and of the present char
ter relating to the board of public
works and local assessments were re-
ferred to Messrs. Horn, Murray and
McNair.
Chapter s, relating to the board of
health, was referred to a committee
consisting of Messrs. Lindeke, O'Brien
and Butler.
Mr.. Lightner suggested that each
committee be ready to report on a
part of its work at the next meeting.