The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-05-23

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tes loss going 20 etAeT Counties under TIE
tsarSfooS lax. we - "a have 4 3eEoS NJ -
aoa2t 81 E1skas wnsch rlaa Bears II kstnca-
seN msae upoa she tax payerS Tor the cur
rent school expense q LSS
an convinced thar TIRE retrcnch-nens n
scacas Affairs has not kept p2ee with the
practice IN other municipal AFFAIRS ner has
= appro@sss<sd IA any degree tbs retTeacss-
u2eEt which has ben found necessary IA
private Affairs I fssl thai should. FaEcn
- regret - DO 50 refeS 70 thS csTStssF-
STANCE taat cur board q EsSsucatler % I'VE
members has, for many years. been IN the
sse-saw attitude Of three 20 TIVE. or tive 10
tnFeS. afon various tSS3eSe pft5ECtnal *
wh2ca has been Ire sUesslon * lseeTal ~
CONSERVATIVE expenditure n Scascs admin
ls;ratien- II Is matter o. general report.
u not ot common know edge that many eg
the school osfscsrS and teachers have a.
ways aTrayca themselves against the con-
scrs21iNe party and have contributed 20
TIE s2cceSs cf The liberals ~ school eleS-
tons ~ strong organization and by
methods that have tn some particulars.
he~n little short Of ScanaaiCtss. I believe
thzs these teachers and ozs~erS have. con-
seioasiy or aIleonSciouSay, done this UNDER
sense 81 JuStt1cattcr. under the MIS-
taken impression thzs the conservatives
were enemies Of school efesr teTcy. 1t = 70
he hoped that oar school teachers and
degree to political methods Of interference
IN the elections OF ths people upon school
questions. II they DO 80. | fear The result.
sooner or later. viii be unfortunate. n9t
only Tor teachers, but for the schools
Even If the people decide upon = mistaken
policy they mast ee allowed 70 follow ],
until convinced OF their error. Educational
vision and appreciation can never I've cnl-
tivatsd by forceffl or doubtful methods.
net even from the best friends 81 the
schools. who are. always. OF course. the
school officers ana teachers. While e1G-
cation should Be the last % all the neces-
saries 10 he curtailed. school administTa-
ZION Should De studied IN connee,
should be administered in sympathy with
other requirements. The tax levSing
power for all these municipal purposes
would feel the responsibility and would
he held accountable by the public Tor the
aggregate result. II we DO not sind some
way OF administering our city. county ana
school AFFAIRS under a single municipal
management, 50 far At least as financial
matters are concerned, every city 81 the
first class IN the state wifi continue 20
groau under excessive burdens
] have pointed out these facts with this
freedom because a city administration Is
usually held accountable Ter OH co9aislens
under H. no matter how helpless the mt
nictpai authorities may be 10 curtain tue
principai items of expense or 10 reduce the
aggregate fax rate.
CITY AND COUNTY CONSOLIDATION.
! beg to urge upon your aonoraeie Body
solidation be formulated for submission 10
the next legislature.
ROAD AND BRIDGE FUND.
In addition 10 other misfortunes inflicted
upon the city by county asScssnentS an
annual road and bridge tax OF from S3eup
10 $4,000 is levied in the county. over -
per cent. Of this is paid by the city, ana
every dollar of IL expended on roads en-
tirely outside of the city.
THE NEW CITY CHARTER.
The provisions CT the charter. by which
ship of Departments are maintained are
worthy of the very highest commentator.
TO those Of Us who are In close toucn with
ifs workings, IL seems - be well nisn per-
feet The elimination OF advisory OF ex-
ccutIve boards has left power ana respeh-
sihilay with the heads or department,
where they are at once an inspiration ana
check for each other. In cur troubles We
often resort to criticism OF our organic
law. beg to urge that any proposed
amendments 20 the general plan o. our
Charter lie very carefully considered before
they are accerdea any encoufaSement-
CHARTER AMENDMENTS.
| beg to urge upon your Honorable Body
the pTopriety for formulating ana submit
ting To the people at the next city eieSsls
charter amendments upon the ioiiowfas
subjects.
j. An amendment of the plan for issu-
ance OF bonds In payment Tor iocai lnn-
sions of house bill s6S. prepared by our
present corporation counsel and submitted
to the last legislature. but which failed OF
passage because i could MOI DC Fedeilee
before the close OF the session
2 An amendment in the methoa OF pay
ing for the extension of sewer ana wafer
mains, substantially, IN aec9faanvs MIN I'm
ferraa To- prepared by members OF your
Honorable Body and heads OF departments.
but which failed OF passage Tor tle rsas sN,l.
that. its place on the calendar was ''''
3 Inat an amendment be submitted
comforting upon your Honorable Bods
more substantial and better aelIhsa
nowers for acquiring grounds within or
without the city for cemetery ptlPosts'
or for park and cemetery purposes com
bined. / am satisfied ihat TINS pian wo osis
enable us TO acquire and improve not ohis
much needed grounds Tor cemttettss, oIa
that by setting apart q portion OF eau Ii
tract acquired Tor park purposes anu 81 81
enough revenue could be derived from the
cemetery lots TO pay Tor anu 70 Sohsiu-
cradle extent. improve the entlIs 49, ~, ~
purchased. BY a plan OF TINS hinu the
city can secure park and cemetery tracts
without a dollars cost 10 the city AZ iafSe;
That an amendment be submitted
which will authorize your Honorable BODY
to require that trees be planted by owners
OF AUDITING property ia residence stIeets
that have been graded and thAt where
the owners are unknown or nesisc s, 20
comply. the city may order the work cone
at the expense of the property ana ooflect
the cost thereof by adding II 10 the gen
eral taxes against the property.
& That an effort be made 10 frame an
amendment upon the subject OF sidewalk
renair thar will enable your Honorable
Body 10 order sidewalks repaired where
owners OF property neglect 10 make the
same. after proper notice, and charge the
cost thereof against the abutting properly
by adding Ii 90 the general taxes.
8. That an amendment DC suDihttea
authorizing your Honorable Body TO pre-
vide In times Of emergency. Tor the CIV
ing Of relief employment upon such Germs
and conditions as VIII prevent suffering
on the part of those who are absolutely
destitute but are able 10 work, in lines or
labor that Will not conflict with existing
employmeuts, and Yet so adjusted as 10
give The city n return In value for the
money expended. and such wages that the
ernnloyn1snt will not be attractive TO any
who are not forced by actual stress to
accept IL.
:. That an amendment be. submitted
provfd.ng for the removal OF buikheads
al the expense OF abuttfng properly SUB
stantiay as pfovidea IA fogse @ TO- ~
which failed of passage as elsewhere
stated.
STATE LEGISLATION.
feel that some brief mention should be
made of the various municipal measures
submitted 20 the recent state legislature
by the officers OF the city.
The session of the legislature had so Tar
advanced before the passage OF bllls
whelrning quantity Of legislation Vas sub
nitted that only a small fraction OF the
measures presented could receive anal
CONSIDERATION. Rt AAt1 AhAoFtA ftH'S
worthy measures had failed 10 pass.
The following are the municipal meas
ures submitted by citizens Of Seattle:
House Bills Nos 30 81 and 81. relating
to assessments and TeaEsesanenfs. the
statute OF limitations and liens In conncc-
ton with taxes and grade assessments,
were prepared b John ". Pratt. Esd,
me present special counsel OF the city for
collection OF street grade assessments.
and introduced b. Hon George u. hittln-
ger These bills passed the house. but
we're not reached in the senate,
House Bill No. ali. known as the Cen
eraf Powers Bill Tor enlarging and con-
.lrr..ll.lr Inc r.nNer4 Of tltleE III the CON