The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-05-02


FOR A NEW CHARTER.
The Glob devotes a large portion
of it's space this morning to setting be-
fore the people of st. Paul their exact
situation with reference to changing
the present charter or substituting
therefor a new one. The question Of
charter changes has been agitated now
for more than four years without prac-
teal result Since the amendment to
the constitution forbidding special leg
islation was adopted, it has been inl-
possible to repeal, alter or amend any
portion of our organic act, except by
such legislative evasion as has been
attempted occasionally, but would
hardly stand the test of the courts. In
the meantime, it has been admitted by
everybody that the present charter, ad-
mirable as many of it's provisions are,
9 has been.outgrown. We have learned,
from Service under it, not only it's ex-
cellences, but it's defects. We have
found that the public interest requires
some alterations, and we have learned
that it is impossible to make these by
any of the ordinary agencies. In two
legislatures in succession the attempt
has been made to secure general char
ter legislation, and it has become a
demonstrated failure. Two years ago
the Howard charter act was forced
through, but it is so radically defective
that no city of the state has, or ever
will accept it. This year a tri-city char
ter was drafted, and served only the
purpose of proving once more that the
large cities of Minnesota are so diverse
in their customs and requirements that
.qtoe attempt to. fit. the same charter
agreement upon them all is absurd. We
/ are, therefore, shut in to two courses
of action. One is to live forever under
the present fundamental law, imper-
feet and unsuited as it is in essential
details, or to get new one, not for
all the cities in the state, but st.
Paul charter, framed by st. Paul citi-
zens for st. Paufs benefit. Fortunate
ly, the way to do this is at last open.
At the last election the so-called
Sheehan home rule amendment was
adopted, providing that the voters Of
any city might frame charters for
themselves within such general lines as
the legislature should prescribe. At the
recent session a law was passed giving
effect to this constitutional amendment,
and setting forth the method in which
to put the machinery in motion, and
the restrictions that any charter COM
mission must observe in doing it's work.
In our local columns will be found the
essential portion of the constitutional
provision, and the whole of the law Of
1897 as it appears in the official publ
cation of the same. This is accom-
panied with such comment and descrip-
tion as will make clear to every reader
just what the people of st. Paul can DO
and ought to do to obtain a modern
and satisfactory charter law. 1t is pro-
Vided that whenever the city council
whenever per cent Of the legal voters
of city shall petition for it, the judg-
es of the district court must appoint
a charter commission of fifteen free
holders who have been for five years
qualified voters. This commission will
then proceed to draft charter, and
within six months thereof Is to hand it
to the mayor. 1t will then be voted
upon at the next general election or
at a special election, if that is thought
necessary, and, if adopted by four-sev-
enths of the, electors voting, it there
upon supersedes all existing acts ard
becomes the legal charter of the city.
Steps have already been taken to
bring this matter before the city coun-
Gil at an early day, and it is hardly
doubtful that it will present the re-,
mission to the district court If it
should refuse to act, a petition signed
by 8 per cent Of the voters could be
easily obtained, and it is far better
that the work should go forward reg
ularly at the request of the official rep
resentatives of the city. We present
the matter for the consideration of our
people at this date. because no time
should be lost in taking advantage Of
the opening Of the way to home rule
by this recent legislation. It will take,
xya NAV Assume thirty days to howe
such an ordinance passed. The district
judges will need some time to DELHI
crate upon the selection Of members OF
the commission. They are then to con-.
sumo six months in drafting an act