The herald., 1897-01-19
The Charter Roughly Handled
by Its Enemies
LABOR VOTE WILL OPPOSE
There Was Some Bitter TAX ana
PERSONAL les
F.verybody Wanted to Talk at once.
Friends of the Measure were 100
Scanty for the Crowd.


true but some Of it was very intemper-
ate. The proposed new city charter feit
among its enemies last everling ana II
was so roughly handled that most OF It's
champions beat a retreat. and for time
a general row seemed imminent. Tne
meeting was called as general chafter
discus sion by the Silver Republican cluo'
but the speakers as we'll as their Woros
passed all bounds. Judge Phillips pre-
sided over the meeting and Fred Potts
was secretary. The hall was we'll filled,
though their were good many chalrs
that could have been advantageously
occupied by more friends of the charter
and members of the League for Better
City Government, TO more evenly pai-
ance the audience.
The first speaker of the evening was
ex-Mavor Henry T. Hazard, who put
himself on record as uphold,ing the pro-
posed charter and extollng the trainers
of it. He explained some of the most
desirable features of reform provided
by the new instrument, and said that
some of them he had hoped to see put In
force long ago. He considered the char
ter. in connection with the system OF
politics exemphfied in the campaign of
the League for Better City Government,
the postal primary plan, to be greatly
needed reform.
Judge A. J. Utley followed Mr.. HaZ-
ard. He took issue with the previous
speaker on nearly every point he nao ad-
vanced. For one thing he considered 1t
impracticable to elect councilmen Tor
each ward from the city at large. For
instance. said he, it would be possible
under that plan for one ward to have two
councilmen, one Republican ana one
Democrat If elected at large the party
having the majority in the city would
have the entire council, and II the ma
chinery of government is all in the hands
of one party it is sure to be operated 1oT
that party The speaker also obJected
to the four-year tenure of ofhce speclneo
in the new charter. If we eject paa
man. said he, two years is long enough
time to keep him in office. If he is good
man we can elect him again. Il object
also to the clause dema ndirg that cor
poratiors hereafter securing franchlses
from the city shall pay to the city an
nually 2 per cent of their earnings. L
think that companies operating under
franchise should be made to pay to the
city 40 per cent of their earnings. II we
adopt a rule to tax corporations per
cent we will never be able TO collect
greater amount than that"
some one in the audience asked, Does
the city get anything now? Don't you
think it would be better to take per
cent than nothing!
To this Judge Utley replied that he
thought the city ought to own and op-
crate the railroads. After some more
questions from various parts OF the
house Mr.. T. E. Gibbon was granted the
floor. Mr. Gibbon would have made an
excellent speech in favor of the new
charter if he had been given chance
but before he had scarcely touched his
subject he was overwhelmed with tor
rents of questions from all parts OF the
house So rapid and rambling We're
these questions that it became necessary
for the chair to repeatedly call the house
to order Order was maintained long
enough for Mr. Gibbon to reply to some
of Judge Utleys criticisms. He pointed
out the fact that the franchise tax clause
is better than anything in force now, be-
cause it not only insured some return
of earnings to the city, but also pro-
vided that at the expiration of the term
for which the franchise is granted has
expired the company's property would
revert to the city He believed that the
renting of public utilities Is right and
knows that every idea incorporated in
the charter amendments was evolved
from a practical standpoint. Politics,
said he. should not enter into the con-
trol of municipality. 1t is downright
dishonesty to use the spoils of munich
pal office to keep up the machinery of
party politics Of the state and nation.
Somebody over to the left wanted to
know if a street railway frapchise runs
for fifty years and pays per cent year
to the city, If that would not amount to
100 per cent, and if so who is to pay the
money.
AS a mathematical proposition this
was a staggerer, but it was also the sig
nal for the shooting of questions from
all parts of the hall. While dozen men
bobbed up to ask questions another doZ-
en- jumped into the arena to answer
them.
In Mr. Gibbons remarks he referred to
the opoStion to the charter fom those
who thought it placed too much power
in the hands of the mayor, and he said
that the judges now possess even greater
power, extending as it does over prop
erty and life.
Voice from the audience: But they
don't give out political appointments"
The reference to the judiciary was
taken up by J. G. Fulton, who expressed
his own well-known ideas is opposition
to the judiciary and the government. He
did this so warmly that some one cried
out anarchist and Mr.. Gibbon, with
much feeling said. This charter was
not made to suit those who are opposed
to ali law and ORDER
AS there seemed to be danger of re-
marks becoming too personal, the chair
admonished the gentlemen to be more
moderate
One man wanted to know if in case
the street railroads were compelled to
pay per cent tax the money would not
be taken out of the wages of employees.
n. i. Cpirar made Il speech in which he
said the labor unions had issued a cir
,-lff9r oo,trcir, fso g l Ur2t -
the labor voters to work against it. He
leAd .ie cirau--4 il..,l IL 'e.. -.4.. "a; udet.
q " Ful'o~ y suto''-o ''-ro,.-
Hinton and Boettcher made brief ad-
dress5e against the cnarter aid lney were
made the targets for volleys of ques-
tionS. Mr.. Hazard wound up the speak
of the charter left in the hall
SILVER REPUBLICAN CLUB
The members Of the Silver Republican,
club had d business meeting after the
audience was dismissed, collection re-
sulting in rake-up of Sl.35 having Just
been taken. The club members ORGANIZED
into ward caucuSeS. The action of the
meeting last Monday was ratified. II
was proposed to pass a resolution show
ing the sentiment of the club on the new,
charter, but the proposition failed with
out being put to vote. When some one
called attention to the small collection