The record-union., 1899-12-11
CHARTER REFORM.

There is very general and very graf
flying expression favorable to amend
ing the city charter. and as a matter
of course this sentiment gives birth to
great many ideas and suggestions,
many of which are impracticable, some
impossible under the Constitution. One
of these suggestions is a return to the
old system of three Trustees represent
ing the heads of three departments.
The objection to that, however, is quite
as strong as to the present system.
The old method made the Trustees
legislators, executives and judges-that
is it Is violative Of the first and funda-
mental principle Of good government in
republic. That principle demands the
separation and independence of the
Executive, Judicial and Legislative De-
partments. It is so in the nation; it
is so In the State; it should prevail in
the municipality. There must be thor
ough comprehension of this important
and fundamental truth, and general
agreement in it before Sacramento can
take single effective step in advance
in the matter Of reforming her organic
law.
A very little thought will convince
any impartial mind that the separa-
ton system is the true democratic one
the safest, best and most economic pos
sible. We have tried it in nation and
States for more than a hundred years
and even the bare suggestion that we
should depart from it in either would
bring forth a storm Of protest from the
people. Let US suppose for a single
moment that Congress or Legislatures
were invested with executive and judi
cial powers as we'll as legislative, what
would be the result? What would be-
come Of the Office of the President or
Governor, or the jurisdiction of the
courts? No representative body hav-
ing the law making power should be
entrusted at the same time with the
executive power also.
A correspondent has suggested in
these columns that In the selection of
the legislative body in a city like this,
all the people should be consulted.
There is strength in the thought. Wards
would be better If considered mere DO
htical divisions for the convenience of
municipal action They should not con-
stitute Independent provinces" so to
speak. or have power independent of
the whole people of the city But for
the PURPOSES of securing ao,,aJi+,, of
and distribution of representation and
to prevent the concentration of power
in one or more thickly settled dis
tricts, 1t Is the part of wisdom and
has been so found in other cities. to re-
quire that the Aldermen or Trustees
to compose the legislative body should
be selected from wards after a certain
definite residence therein But their
election should be by the vote of the
people of the city at large.
Under such a system no property or
personal or community interest will be
at the mercy of representatives who do
not owe political allegiance to all the in
terests over which they exert legislative
power. These subjects are of first i'm
portance They are proper to be de-
bated among the people and since such
debate can bring forth only good They
should be consideEel broadly and calm
iy and in the light Of the experience of
older and larger communities. as we'll
as in the blaze of erason and the bit
terness Of our own mistakes.