The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-12-08
May Charter Amendments Be
Submitted Next Maroh9
MANY sEL,Ev1 THEY MAY NOT.
Charter Provides Amendments Must
Ne Presented to Council Ninety
Days Before Elcction-Time Limit
Expired Tuesday-Purpose OF MI
nority I'm Meeting Daiiy-A Mass
Meetins Next Saturday Night.

Three members Of the city council met In
the council chamber yesterday at noon, in
pursuance of the call for a special meet
ing issued by five members Tuesday night.
and Navin. They said 1t was merely re-
sumption OF the Tuesday night meeting,
recess having been taken In order to get a
quorum. Tho three lawmakers then took
another ''recess" until today at noon. Hill
made the motion Navin seconded 1t and
Crfchton declared 1t carried.
An interesting legal question was brought
to light By the action Of the minority mem
berA who are seeking to obtain meeting
Of the city's law-makfns body for the pur-
posc of considering the petitions for char
ter amendments covering the municipal
ownership OF the street car lines and the
Initiative and referendum. II Is claimed
by the minority councilmen that the mem
bers who failed to attend the meeting Tues
day night did so with the intention Of de-
feating the amendments under the charter.
which provides that they must be pre-
scented to the council within at least ninety
days of the election, the understanding be-
ing that the proposed amendments were
to be submitted at the general municipal
election to be held the first Tuesday fol-
lowing the first Monday in March next
year.
The three members present yesterday ad-
mitted that the purpose Of the minority
members in meeting from day to day was
to protect the interests of the petitioners.
claiming that the meetings from day to day
were really adjournments from the meet
ing OF Tuesday night. 1t was also stated
that II the council should refuse to SUBJ
NIT the amendments, an action to manda-
mus the body would be commenced in the
courts.
the Charter Provision.
With some lawyers and members Of the
city council the opinion rests that the
amendments proposed by the committee of
one hundred cannot now be submitted at
the March election. The charter provision
governing the matter which Is section
of article 90 reads:
whenever 20 per cent. of the qualified
voters of the city registered In the regis
tration lists used at the last general NUM-
cipal election shall present to the city
council proposition for an amendment to
the city charter, 1t shall be the duty of
the city council to submit the same to the
qualified voters of the city for their -atih-
cation or rejection at the next general mu-
nicipal election, which shall be at least 90
days after the presentation OF such petit
ton to the city council.
This language is construed by members
of the council and by well-known lawyers
to mean simply that the petitions must be
presented to the council ninety days prior
to the election. 1t is further held that as
there was no meeting OF the council Tues
day night. when the petitions came In, the
time has now elapsed when the petitions
may be considered.
DR.. Crichton yesterday stated the position
Of the minority members in these words:
Tine charter provides that the amend
ments to the charter that come from the
people must be presented to the council at
least ninety days prior to submission to the
people. The proposition Is to submit these
amendments at the general municipal cleo
ton in March. The council meeting was
called Tuesday night in order to have the
petitions presented and considered at that
time, SO as to come within the n.nety-day
provision Of the charter governing amend
ments.
"Now, we claim that we are meeting
from day to day in pursuance Of the call
for the special meeting Tuesday night. In
fact, this Is part of the Tuesday night
meeting. We have not adjourned; we have
simply taken a recess from day to day. We
shall meet tomorrow. and again Saturday
! night, until we obtain a quorum.
DIR. Cricht0n's Position.
This is merely for the purpose Of pro-
tecting the interests Of the petitioners.
The charter provides that 20 per cent. of
the voters registered at the last general
election may present amendments to the
charter, which shall be submitted to that
body am doing my duty as council
man in meeting to consider the matters
contained in those petitions.
Irrespective of the political questions
involved In this matter, this Is my posi-
ton. 1t is claimed however. that the
mere filing of the petitions with the city
clerk Tuesday constitutes a presentation
to the council. We are taking the safe
course, however"
DR.. Crichton stated that as to some of the
propositions contained In the proposed
amendments he was in favor while he was
opposed to others. II am in favor of num-
cipal ownership as a proposition If it is
feasible In. Seattle. / do not care to dis
cuss the initiative and referendum" This
statement of DR.. Crichton was made In
answer to the criticisms of his course for
acting with the Populist minority instead
of with the Republican majority.
1t was announced yesterday by the M
nority members that Saturday night mass
meeting OF citizens would be held in the
council chamber coincident with the meet
ing of the five minority members, at which
the amendments would be fully discussed.