The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-10-30
TERM OF TUE MAYOR
CHARTER COMMISSION DISCUSSES
THE ADvIsABILITY OF MAX.
ING 1T FOUR YEARS.
SOME THINK 1T is TOO LONG

SOME THINK 1T is TOO LONG.
CITIZENS ARE INVITED TO EX-
PRESS OPINIONS IN WRITING
BEGINNING AT THE BEGINNING.
The Commission Makes Some
Amendments ON the Present
Charters First Chapter.
The charter commission held it's
fourth meeting at the council cham
Der last evening, with eleven of the
fifteen members present. J. J. Parker
made his first appearance. the other
ten present being President Horn and
Messrs. Clark, McNair. Alness, Muir
ray, Lusk, Lindeke, Innis, Kreiger and
Lightner. The absentees were Messrs.
Clough, O'Brien, Butler and Dean.
The secretary read the first thirty
eight consecutive sections of the pres
ent compilation of the charter, and an
informal discussion, covering nearly
all the subjects mentioned in the Sec
lions, resulted. subcommittee were
appointed to redraft and eliminate a
lot Of verbiage from the sections read
and ordered to report at the next
meeting of the commission. This hav
ing been done, a discussion arose as to
the proposition to make the term of
the mayor four instead Of two years,
and the terms of the members OF the
council for the same period. Mr.. Lusk,
who made the suggestion, said that
the commission should be a unit on the
question Of making the mayors term
four years, but Mr.. Lightner and Mr..
Kreiger shattered the unit business by
opposing the plan. This will be dis
cussed further at the meeting of the
commission next Friday night, and the
public who are interested in the ques-
ton are invited to address the COM
mission in writing on the subject.
AS soon as the members were called
to order and the minutes of the last
meeting approved, Mr.. McNair moved
that the secretary proceed and read
the several chapters Of the present
charter, and, if any changes were
thought necessary by the commission,
the matter could be discussed at the
time. Mr. Clark seconded the motion,
and Secretary Innis commenced on the
first section of the first chapter Of the
charter. The chapter relates to the
limits of the city and the wards and
boundaries. Paragraph B, section 2,
which relates to the non-aSSeSSment
liability Of the midway district on the
old Indebtedness of the city, was con-
sidered trif1e vague, and a committee
consisting of Messrs. Innis, Murray
and Clark was appointed to redraft the
entire section and report at the next
meeting of the commission.
Paragraph G of section 2, which pro-
hibited the sale Of any liquors in Mer-
Ram Park, was the subject of more
discussion. Mr.. Kreiger suggested that
it would be better to have licensed
saloons in the territory than to have
blind pigs. Mr. Innis did not agree
with this, and stated that the residents
would prefer prohibition any time to
licensed saloons. This seemed to be
the opinion of the commission, and no
change was made.
Section A. relating to the time and
date Of the city elections and the cleo
ton of aldermen from each ward,
brought out a lengthy and wide dis
cussion. Mr.. Murray favored change
being made so that term of aldermen
be four years, one-half of the aldermen
could at the next election be elected
for two and the other half for four
years. He also thought the mayor
should be elected for four years.
Mr.. Lusk thought the proposition of
Mr.. Murray a good one. Mr.. Lindeke
inquired how the two and four-year
aldermen should be chosen. Mr.. Muir
ray said the odd-numbered wards
could elect for two years and the even
wards for four years. His plan of
having one-half the aldermen hold over
was for the benefit Of the city, as old
members knew more about the city
business than new ones. Other cities
had adopted this plan, and it had
worked well.
Mr.. Lightner was of the opinion that
a short term was best, as the law max
ers were kept in closer touch with the
public by frequent elections.
Mr.. Parker agreed with Mr.. Murray
that the citys interest would be better
taken care of with men in the council
that had experience and not an entlre
new body every two years.
MIR. Lightner said the powers of the
council under the present charter, were
limited to a scope narrower than in any
other city.
Mr.. McNair and Mr.. Parker were
both in favor of allowing the mayor
to make all appointments without the
convenience of the council
Mr.. Parker favored making one man
responsible and paying him good sal
ary. Mr.. McNair wanted the mayor
elected for four years and given full
power, and then hold him responsible.
He favored four-year terms for the
mayor and no reelection. This, ne
claimed would give men appointments
on the various boards for ability and
not political pull.
By a vote of the commission, chapter
L of the present charter was wa cut on
at the end of section 3. This makes
the first chapter of the proposed new
charter relate solely to city and ward
boundaries.
Section of chapter 1, and the next
eleven consecutive sections, were re-
ferred to a committee, consisting of
Messrs. Lightner, Lusk and Parker,
with instructions to redraft and include
all other sections relating to the same
subjects. The sections referred to this
committee relate to:
The official year; time and date Of the
city elections; aldermanic elections and
time of service; elective officers of the
CITY: removal of elective or appointed
officers; vacancies in offices; special
elections; term of officers; city clerk
and assistant and salaries of the same.
Chapter 8, commencing with consec.--
tive section No Is in the present char
ter compilation, was then read by the