The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-06-24
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE SPLITS ON
THE ORDINANCE FOR NEW
CHARTER.
Mr.. REARDON HOLDING BACK,
WHILE THOMPSON DOESN'T SEEM
TO THINK THERE is A DE-
MAND FOR 1T.
OTHERS URGE THE MOVEMENT.
Citizens Didn't Take Any Interest
Now That u Petition Has About
Been Completed


of the assembly was held last evening
to consider the ordinance introduced in
the assembly by Mr.. DAILY requesting
the judges of the district court to ap-
point charter commission Of fifteen
resident freeholders, to draft and sub
nit to the people a new charter. The
committee thought there would be a
large meeting of citizens interested in
the new charter, but the impression
has been very general that the Repub-
lican machine, and particularly that
part which runs things in the city
hall, was opposed to the new charter.
first preached Mayor Doran was OPP
posed to the new charter plan, al
though he has since written a letter
''as an individual citizen" urging the
adoption of the DAILY ordinance The
disposition to delay the matter by the
council has not been lost sight of by
the general public, and this was I'M
doubtedly the reason there was not
larger attendance at the meeting last
evening. After two hours discussion
the motion to recommend the ordinance
Tor passage was defeated. Messrs
Thompson and ReardOn opposing this
action, while Messrs. DAILY and AL
brecht favored it. Messrs. Dix and
Kirke, the other members of the COM
m1ttee were not present
Present at the meeting when it was
called to order by Assemblyman
Thompson We're: Aid. Kaldunski, San
born, Bell, Allard, Donahower, StutZ-
man and Shepard; Assemblymen AL
brecht, DAILY, Reardon, Thompson and
Arosin; Corporation Attorney Mark
ham, Assistant Corporation Attorney
Phillips, City Engineer RundIett, M. j.
Prendergast, Louis Nash, Walter L.
Chaplin and w. w. Dunn.
Mr.. Thompson, as chairman, read the
ordinance and also the letter from the
mayor ''as an individual citizen" re-
questing that the council pass at once
the ordinance presented by Mr.. Daily.
Mr.. DAILY thought, owing to the
school finances, the matter should be
acted upon at once and the commission
requested appointed. He had suf-
fcient confidence in the judges of the
district court to think a good commits
sion would be named. There had been
talk for the past ten years about the
necessity of a new charter Now that
the city had chance to get one there
seemed to be desire to delay the mat
ter. He was of the opinion that, if the
new charter did nothing except to aboI-
ish the board of public works and other
boards and cut down salaries, it would
be worth having.
r. ~,
relief for the schools just as we'll at
the next legislature as it could by the
new charter.
Louis Nash said nothing was as far
reaching as the public school system
In one district of the city there were
$50 children who could not be accom-
modated with school sittings. This
was disgrace to the city, and if for
No other reason the new charter should
be pushed ahead. Free education and
industrial pauperism could not live
side by side, and children must be edu-
Gated. He urged immediate action on
the part of the council.
Assistant City Attorney Phillips
raised the point that the law under
which the commission was appointed
might not be broad enough to take in
the school question.
Mr.. Bell thought the charter would
not reach the school matter any quick
er than the legislature.
Mr.. Daily said it would take three
years to get relief for the schools from
the legislature, and under the charter
it would only take one year. The law
provided that the citizens could pc
titiOn the court to appoint the COM
mission and for this reason the coun-
Gil should act on it at once, if it in
tended to be in it.
W. w. Dunn, who represented the
Second ward in the last Legislature,
scented providing for an increase in the
tax levy for school purposes had not
PASSED for the reason that the dele
cation were, as he understood it, quiet
ly informed by those interested in
handling school funds that it was not
necessary. AS most of the members
were inclined to the same view with
this intimation, the matter was
dropped. Mr.. Dunn prophesied that
any charter which reduced salaries
and cut down expenses would not be
passed by the people, but that the only
kind that would pass would be one
that allowed increases in department
expenditures.
Assemblyman Reardon remarked
that he would not trust the judges any
more than any one else.
Continuing, Mr.. Dunn said if
the people should petition the
judges for a charter COM
mission there would be a scramble to
get on the commission such as was
never witnessed at any election. While
there was no compensation for the
members of the commission the various
interests would make a lively effort to
secure places on the board. He called
particular attention to the fact that
the act placed no limit on the bond
ed Indebtedness to provide for water
works extensions and other improve
mentS.
Mr.. Albrecht said the question was
whether the charter commission would
have power to affect the school prob
lem. The commission was given great
power as until another act was passed
the commission would have a life
tenure The committee should be gov
elned by the opinion that the law was
not unconstitutional. There was such
large demand for the passag sc of the
ordinance it should be adopted He
wanted provision in the ordinance to
the effect that there should be no COM
pensation for the commissioners and
that some amendment should be made
providing for secretary or for clerk
hire.
The corporation attorney was direct
ed to amend the ordinance to conform
to the views expressed by Mr.. Albrecht.
Mr.. Markham said the life tenure
objection was not serious one, as it
lay with the legislature to terminate
it. SO far as the Legislature was con-
cerned it could at any time wipe out
the present or any future charter and
require the city to operate under the
general laws. Mr.. Markham urged the
immediate action if there was to be
any taken. He had occupied middle