The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-02-11

CHARTER AMENDMENTS.

The amendments TO the city charter
to be submitted to the people at the
next election should have their atten-
ton. Some are Of a technical charac-
ter and 1t is safe TO say that they may
safely be voted for even without being
thoroughly understood. This Is par
ticularly the case with proposed amend
ment No. Z, relating to the mode Of pay
ment In installments for street improve
men.s. The proposed changes are Of
an administrative character only and
have been adopted as result OF ex-
perience with the present charter pro-
visions.
One feature of the proposed changes
which will have more than ordinary
interest In that relating to the licensing
OF saloons. at present the license is
$500 a year. but that is determined by
ordinance and may be changed at any
time. II is now proposed that the peo-
PIE shall fix the amount of the license,
and probably the only difference Of
opinion will be as TO the amount. One
amendment provides that the license
shall be 5000 and the other provides
that II shall be 81 900. 1t will be seen,
therefore. that no principle Is involved
and IL is simply question which is the
better plan.
Another amendment Is that which
permits the granting OF franchises. but
requires that they shall be subject to
the payment Of "A certain percentage OF
the gross receipts to the city OF Seattle.
Passage of this amendment will enable
the city council 10 arrange so that
transfer tickets shall be exacted from
all cross lines.
In order to prevent. apparently. mem
bsrs OF the city council seeking 10 OBJ
tain favor by unduly increasing sala-
Ties in view of an Impending election,
and probably also to prevent employees
eSCrting political influence. an amend
ment is proposed which forbids an i'm
crease Of salary NJ intervals Of less
than two years. and that mo Increase
OF such salary or compensation shall
b. made within period OF nine months
next preceding a regular city election"
1t is to be hoped that soon after the
next election. II not before. the pay
4
that the salaries of many officials may
b. raised without the pressure of cam
paign. There are men who are experts
In their business In the employment 81
the city getting no more than s55 70 S6s
a month
All the other amendments relate 70
the method Of making assessments fer
street ard ether improvements. with
one exception ana that makes change
In the constitution 81 the board Of pub
liz works by making the office Of chair
: man a charter office 70 the extent Of FIX
,ng his salary This has been done on
the theory that the city needs as com
petent services In the engineering d.
partment rs in the legal department.
sua that the compensation should -
equal This amendment involves M
question of principle. either. and calls
solely Ter an exercise * business iaas-
ment
Without attempting at th.s tltoe &C. 30
late details. the general principles u
thr proposed amendments relating 20
local improvements may safciy b. req
onitnents.d tn tAe people. There is 20
radical chang. bat st has h,en soaua
that the machinery prov jde,l ln the pas,
has been 80 cumbersome as 80 trapose
al unnecessary burden ana expense
Under the new flAsas II Is sensible. Pm
Si1esE tia; tbs property -awue. shall PEE
eeive NOTICE - What is Intended nes
merely formal publication. -, an
actual nouce. When thss has u...a
doae moeh s. lest e. the rrarerty-ouns~
& astead - hlosss't as "a The ease os
oiaer taxes Tae uasy szu}t wttA tn
present system IL tast II has Dec s.
exceedingly garasal - protect tie prop
erty-owncT ~ every stcp that i has ur-
deT;akea more than could b properly