The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-07-27
HAVE WORK AHEAD
CHARTER TINKERERS FIND THEIR
POSITIONS WILL BE NO
SINECURES.
FIX TIME FOR ELECTIONS.
QUESTIONS OF METHODS OF Gov
ERNMENT DISCUSSED, BUT NOT
ACTED UPON.
SOUTH DAKOTA EDITORS HERE
Bather DrOwned-MiII City
News.

The charter commission, which will
construct new provisions for the gov
erning of the city of Minneapolis, en-
tered upon its arduouS duties last even
ing, and by the time the meeting adj
Journed every commissioner present
was wide awake to the fact that there
was considerable labor in store. Near
ly the entire evening was spent in dis
cuSsion of proposed deviations from the
present charter. Of these, action was
taken in regard to one, while in the
second the matter was laid upon the
table until the next meeting after
long discussion.
At this time the commission hardly
knows where it is at. There are seven
teen different propositions for discus
sion, and many new ones may arise
later, either through the suggestion Of
some commissioner or parties taking
interest in municipal matters. The
matter of committees has not as yet
been touched upon, although. 1T is GER
tain that several will in the future have
to be appointed to make investigations
and submit resolutions. The commits
sion does not at this time know what
its committee duties will be-
The meeting last evening was well
attended, only Commissioners Daven-
port and Childs being absent. Com
missioner Cohen, as chairman of the
committee on rules and regulations,
submitted four rules which will govern
the deliberations OF the commission.
Rule 1 provides that the regular meet
ings of the commission shall be held
cial meetings may be called by the
president or secretary upon the re-
quest Of two members. Rule pro-
Vldes for the order of business, while
rule recognizes Roberts rules of or
der as authority for the transaction of
business.
Rule ", as adopted, is one of con-
siderable Importance and is as follows:
The proposed charter shall first be
adopted Professionally, and afterwards
as a whole. No part shall be deemed
adopted Professionally unless it shall
have been first reduced to writing and
shall have been twice read at length
in different meetings in the form in
which it is SO adopted, and NO part
shall be deemed finally adopted until
the charter as whole comes before
the commission and is adopted by a
majority of all its members"
Inc commission unanimously sgni-
fled its intention o consi Ter sugges ito IS
from the public. Commissioner Downs
however. appeared to favor that ques-
lions be discussed irrespective of pub
Tic opinion at this time He, however,
voted with the rest upon the question.
Both Commissioners Atwater and
Haynes urged that the commission
should listen to the public. Mr.. Haynes
stated that although many of the COM
missioners at this time had decided
views upon many matters, it was policy
to listen to what the public wants, as
there were many men outside the COM
mission that had given the question
OF municipal government serious
thought and would be able to render
valuable suggestions. The sense OF
the commission was that a discussion
be invited on such questions as might
arise.
The commission then received it's
first suggestion from outside parties.
This came from Frank D. Larrabee
who accompanied MS suggestions by
presenting each of the commissioners
with copy of Functions of Govern
ment," written by himself. Mr.. LARA
bees suggestions were along single tax
lines; that the method of taxation
should be to lay the brunt upon land
irrespective of improvements
The commission then entered upon a
discussion of the first proposition to be
considered. This is as follows: Shall
the new charter provide for municipal
elections separate from general cleo
tons, and if so, shall such municipal
elections be held in the fall or in the
spring, and how frequently? Nearly
every commissioner present expressed
himself upon the question before T.
vote was taken. The commission was
unanimous in the matter of holding
separate elections, but there was con-
siderable dissension in the matter of
the time The motion to hold the cleo
ton in the fall Of the odd numbered
years was carried as follows:
Ayes-Commissioners Steee Haw.ey Pills
bury, Walker, Cohen, Hernlund Downs.
observation-disclosures Winston, Gjer;sen,
Hynes. Atwater.
The second proposition was then talk
en- up. This is: Shall the government
Of the city be (broadly speaking) by
council or by federal government
What powers shall be vested in the
council and what powers in the mayor i:
Mr.. Pillsbury expressed himself in ia
vor Of a system where the officials, who
appropriate money have as little OBJ
portunity as possible to expend it,
A discussion between Mr.. PiIlsbury
and Mr.. Winston arose over the state
ment by Mr.. Pillsbury that the mayor
in Minneapolis is mainly a fgurehead.
and that matters may be passed over
his veto. Mr. Winston was of tho
opinion that the veto power of the
mayor Of Minneapolis was greater than
Mr.: Pillsbury gave it credit for.
| Commissioner Gjertsen believed in as
simple form of government as DOS
sible, but that the officials elected to
serve the people should be given an
honest salary. He considered it crime
to simply elect a man to an office for
the purpose of serving the people. as he
believed 1T was the cause of corruption
He called attention to the present sal
aries of mayor and aldermen. and
asserted that that of the aldermen
was not enough.
Commissioner Haynes opposed the
plan of board of public works. on the
ground that it was extravaganza and
too secretive.
The following motion was made:
THAT the legislative body should con-
sist solely of the council, and the ex-
ecutive of the mayor and departments
under him." The motion was imme-
diately laid upon the table, and the
meeting adjourned.