The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-01-31
A GOOD IDEA.

we approve heartily of the advice
given to the legislature by the Red
Wing Republican, that it should pay no
attention to bills whose purpose is to
change certain details in the charters
OF the large cities of the state AS the
Republican says, there is whole
brood of such measures incubating, or
already Matched, and a large share Of
the session will be taken up in their con-
S1deration if they are not sent to the
rear promptly. All of these bills are
attempts to eYade the constitutional
amendment prohibiting special ieglsla-
ton. The people, or a part of the peo-
pie, of st. Paul or Minneapolis or Du-
luth want to have an appointive office
made elective, or to change a salary
here and there, or to abolish a board
or two, or to get authority to collect
and spend moneys not now available.
Most of this legislation is of the kind
called lax grinding;;" but, even where
the object is meritorious, the scheme
is still to get around the provisions Of
NAAS NOAIOl4CuIlOIl
IT it We're necessary to do this in or
der to overcome the acknowledged
hardships that do arise from a change
Of conditions, where charters cannot
be changed to conform to them, it is
still unnecessary for the legislature to
spend time and effort in trying to do
what the people are perfectly compe-
tent to do for themselves. AS the Re-
publican points ort ample provision
has been made for every possible local
need, or will have been made as soon
as the legislature shall pass an act
providing for putting into effect the
home rule amendment to the constitu-
ton adopted last November AS soon
as a general Law is passed prescrib-
ing the forms and conditions under
which local charter commissions can
be created, and their work submitted
to the people, the whole duty of the
legislature in the premises will have
been performed. Every city in the
state, large or small will then have
three choices open to it, and in these
three choices can be found everything
that it ought to ask. 1t can retain the
charter which it now has without ad-
dition or amendment. If that has be-
come antiquated, it can adopt for it.
self the Howard charter act already
on the statute books, although the
present state of affairs in the city Of
Minneapolis will hardly encourage
many other communities to tie them
selves up tc "a acharter scheme which
represents essentially the Minneapolis
system
But the third course will still be open
to all, and this. covers every contin-
gency that could be made by a special
or alleged general Legislative act Ev-
cry Minnesota town. as soon as the act
relating to home 9rule has gone into
effect, can make a charter for itself
throwing away the old and incorporat-
ing in the new everything which ex-
perience has suggested or which it's
particular circumstances may require
for it as separate from the others. The
home rule amendment makes all local
government in any community depend
ent absolutely upon it's own desire, and
limited only by its own choice. Clear
1y, where all power has been put into
the hands of the people to carry out
their ideas and wishes, it is a waste Of
time and an imposition to ask further
legislative assistance. The Republican
puts the case in a nutshell when it
says:- 'Putvhome rule in motion, and
then tell the charter tinkers to go
about their own business and fix up
their city governments to suit them
selves f" ~ ea%'.456 iy -s>=l l.ta yst-gy.sts