The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-01-18
II Provides for Abolition Of
Common Council.
Legislative Powers to Be Vested IN
Single Board.
Olher Important Changes From the Pres
ent System Contemplated.

The subcommittee on the draft of q
new char,er for the city of Providence
made its first report today to the whole
commission and this evening preliminary
report will be made TO the Common Coun-
ell. - The draft is not yet completed and
today there was but one point considered
by the commissioners. That was the Sec
tion relative to the legislative depart
ment Of tie municipal government. IL
provides for but one branch, q Board OF
Aldermen.
This is the first official suggestion that
the Common Council be abolished since
1891, when Mayor Charles Sydney Smith
advocated 1t.
OF course the trainers of the new char
ter contemplate a larger Board of Alder
men than there 10 at present. The num-
ber of mem Ders, however, is still open to
debate, although 1t is .the unanimous
opinion Of the comm issioners that here
after Providence should have but single
legislative branch. A body Of 20 men,
bers has been suggested, two from each
ward, although no such suggestion Is
official, especially as the charter may pro-
vide for q readjustment of ward lines,
particularly SO far as the Sixth ward IL
concerend as the first district OF that ward
is the largest voting precinct In the en-
tire State For instance last year there were
in this district 1920 qualified voters, while
in the other district of the same WARD
there were but S46.
Among other things the charter pro-
vides for biennial elections, the control
of the school system by Board of Edu-
cation of not more than II members In
stead of by q committee of 80 and the
appointment by the Mayor :of the heads
Of sll departments, as a substitute for the
present system by which they. are elected
by the people.
IT is very probable also there will be q
recommendation to relieve the Mayor of
the duties of presiding officer in the
Board of Aldermen and that his successor
In that capacity will be the president of
the Board. Such change is right in line
with the modern ideas that are rapidly
being adopted by American cities. 1t 10
argued that the veto should be the Mayors
sole means for expression of opinion
and that the executive approval or veto
| of measure should not be forestalled by
the possib ble necessity Of his having TO
vote on 1t in case of tie.
So far as may be judged from the frag-
ments of in formation relative to the. char
ter which are available the three main
objects which the commission hope to
attain are:
First, greater safe guards for local
Autonomy by giving the city more free
DON to act in its own affairs without
danger OF interference by the General
Assembly; second. greater executive
authority; snd third, the more definite
division of the Legislative and the execu-
| tive or administrative functions.
In u,aking their draft, the suo-commit-
tee have used as a model the bill for n
charter proposed for the cities of New
York state outside OF New York city
and Brooklyn. IL Is also similar to the
charter adopted for the larger cities Of
| Indiana.
| The commissioners have no hope Of
going TO the General Assembly until the
January session Of 1898.