The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1897-01-20
DISPOSED OF.
The New Charter Goes to Next City
Council.

Referred by the Vote of Both Boards Last
Night Special Meeting-Public Senti-
Not Adopting 1t,
There was another Meeting of the city
council last evening to discuss the pro-
posed city charter. Tho upshot of it was
that the charter was referred to the
next city government.
IN BOARD OF MAYOR AND ALDER.
The Mayor called the board to order
at 7.40 at which time every member
was in his chair. Alderman Mcdonald
read an invitation from Chief Eldredge.
for the mem bers of the city government
| to ne present at the banquet of the State
| F!remen's Association, Whieh was accept
ed.
| Ihere was then pause after which
Alderman Thompson rose in his place
and in slow and measured tones endorsed
the new charter. He deemed the new
charter a step in the direction of good
government. 1t places in the Mayor 8
hands all of the authority needed to
The only objection that can be urged
is based on political grounds. There
Is one section TO which objection has
been made, however, which are worth
considering. This refers to the school
board. 1t might be as we'll to change that
making 1.-THE school committee section as
it now Is. Accordingly he moved that
the charter should be adopted.
Alderman Mcdonald moved to amend
by referring the matter to the next city
1 government
! Alderman leighton wanted to know
what we have been coming here night
after night for If it Is to be referred to
the next city government. He thong hit
there were rather more things to be cor :
rected than were pointed out by Alder
man Thompson. He enumerated he
things that he should like to see
changed.
| Aldermen Ilsley and Pagan said that
| they had heard no call from the citizens
| for this change in charter. OF all those
who had appeared only one had any
desire to accept the charter.
Alderman Kehoe wanted to let the
lower board have chance to talk about
| the charter before voting. The vote
was taken on Alderman MoDonald's
motion. Messrs Ilsley, Howell, Pagan
and Mcdonald voted to postpone to next
year.
Messrs. kehoe, Thompson and Leigh
ton voted against 1t.
Alderman Kehoe moved that the legis-
lature be instructed to provide amend
ments to the charter whereby overseers
of the poor should be chosen from wards.
1t was voted down. He also moved that
the legislature be instructed to secure
change in the charter making the date
of this city election the first Monday of
December. This was passed. Mr.. Kehoe
tod 1,nv, DO a.
for minority representation on the board
of assessors.
Several of the aldermen discovered
that all of this talk was out of order, in
asmuch as Alderman kehoe did not put
his motion in writing, and they COM
menced to sit on Alderman Kehoe. AL
He refused to be sat on, however,
and the discussion was growing warm
when Alderman Ilsley asked for a recess
and it was taken.
The aldermen having referred the char
ter to the next city government accepted
the invitation of tie council for joint
convention.
IN COMMON COUNCIL AND JOINT
CONVENTION.
The entire board was present when
President Dow called to order. After
accepting an invitation to attend
banquet to be rendered delegates of the
State Firemen's Association, January
20, the board took a recess pending the
action of the aldermen on the new city
charter.
After waiting long time and hear
ing nothing from the upper board, the
council resumed it's session and sent
message to the aldermen requesting a
joint committee to informally consider
the matter.
This invitation was accepted by tho
aldermen, although word had come in
formally from their room that they had
finally disposed of the matter by referr-
ing the whole matter to the next city
government.
When the joint convention assembled
Councilman Merrill inquired the status
the convention that motion to adost
the charter had been killed and mott ON
carried to refer the whole matter to the
next city government. Some of the
oouncilmeu couldn't see the propriety of
talking over matter that the aldermen
had disposed of, but His Honor explained
| that this convention was entirely in
| formal and there was nothing to pre-
| vent the gentlemen from talking as long
as they wanted to and this they pro
ceeded to do.
Alderman Kehoe had hoped the matter
would have been settled differently and
some changes made, though he declared
he was opposed to the new charter as a
whole.
Alderman Illslsy said he was opposed
to the new charter in most OF its Sec
lions and as a whole and the people of
the ward he represented were too. He
had no apologies to make for his oppo-
sition because he believed it best Tor the
city to defeat it.
| Councilman Mayberry thought 1t was
due the commission to act on each sec
ton and fully express the opiu1ons of
the m embsrs. He urged his views in q
strong speech in which he expressed
himself az heartily in favor of some Of
the reforms of the new draft. He re-
GREETED extremely that 1T was being re-
fsrred to the next city government. He
wanted decisive action now.
Councilman Stone spoke briefly and
stated it was his deliberate unbiased
opinion that the people in vast majority
were opposed to the new charter and
that he agreed with them and repre-
sented them.
Councilman York supported MIR. Nj y-