The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-12-09
dunn bullets are to be barred in Clay
NO DoUBLE-HEADED COUNCIL

No DOUBLE-HEADED COUNCIL.
The published reports of the first ses-
sion of the charter commission seem to
indicate that it is not the purpose of the
commission TO confine it's operations to
a mere re, enactment Of the existing city
charter, so fittingly characterized by Mr..
Albrecht as a piece of patchwork. with
the addendum OF a provision regulating
school board finances. Notwithstanding
the expressed fears of Mr.. F. B. Doran,
shared III, so far as we know, by all
who, like him, are or have been actively
concerned in local politics on the Re-
publican side. there is. the e be-
Heves. less danger of refusal on the
part of the people to adopt the work Of
the commission conducted on the plan
of an entire new system than there
would be if the commission chose to
act within the narrow limits suggested
When the commission has actively en-
gagged in the consideration Of the various
provisions that may come under dis
cussion no doubt there will be no lack
of advice and suggestions from different
quarters. The G lob has no thought
of urging its views except in a very linn
tied way upon the consideration of the
commission. But there is one subject
which We believe should receive the Sc
rious consideration of the commission at
once. That is the wisdom and utility
or otherwise of the existing dual sys-
tenn of local legislation. The common
council was divided into two bodies some
years ago at the dictation of certain
doctrinaire gentlemen, and against the
settled conviction of most persons who
thought the simplification of the proc
esses Of local government was an es-
sentially needful principle which should
be adhered to in every direction.
We have had much experience Of the
two-headed council. That experience in
our case has been no better than it
has been elsewhere. 1t was adopted
with the belief that the one body would
be check on the other against the
adoption of hasty or dangerous measures.
AS a matter of fact, it has operated as
a hindrance to the adoption of the most
needful measures. Often, apparently for
no other reasons than spring from a spir-
It of rivalry between the bodies, they
have been found to be In agreement in
nothing The game of battledore and
shuttlecock which has been played be-
tween them on the subject of a local
electrical alarm system and with refer
ence to the proposal of DR.. Ohage re-
garding the disposal Of city garbage Of
fers the latest Illustration of the cor
rectness of the statement here made re-
garding the operation OF the dual sys-
tenn. 1t has been detriment from the
beginning, and during the existence of
other councils as we'll as the present
Moreover, the provisions Of the char
ter defining the relative powers and du-
ties Of the presiding officers of the two
bodies, considered in their separate and
joint characters, have given rise to
nothing but uncertainty and dissatisfac-
ton.
When the several wards of the city
and the city in its entirety are properly
represented in one body, as they were
under the system of ward aldermen and
aldermen at large some years ago, the
results have always given satisfaction.
The council, moreover, is as fully repre-
sentative in lts character under that plan
as under the present system If the
commission viii take pains to inform
itself it will find that public sentiment,
as we'll as the best interests Of the city,
urges the creation of a council consisting
Of but one body asz