The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-12-07


an Important Point Which Passes
Unsettled.
The second meeting of the charter COM
mission was held last evening at the
council chamber, with ten of the fifteen
members present. President Flandrau
was absert. owing to illness. The other
absentees were Messrs. McNair, O'Brien,
Smith and Zimmerman. F. B Doran,
who presided, was elected vice president
of the commission. Carl Taylor secretary,
and William Mitchell, assistant secretary.
All of the officers will serve without COM
pensation.
The committee appointed at the last
meeting to consider the question of the
powers and limitations Of the commission,
particularly with reference to the school
finance question, made an oral report
through Its chairman, E. S. Durment.
The committee, Mr.. Durment said, was
unanimous In the opinion that the COM
mission could adopt a charter for the
public schools and other purposes. The
committee had decided that there was
either a way through or around the ques-
ton regarding the school finances, and 1t
was possible to appropriate money not
raised by taxation for the support of the
schools, if no other plan was feasible.
This dilemma having been disposed of
by adopting the report of the committee,
another serious question was raised by
Carl Taylor. Under the enabling act of
1899, Mr.. Taylor said. there was some
doubt to whether the present plan of
issuing tax levy certificates of indebt-
edness in anticipation of the levying Of
taxes could be maintained Under the en-
aiding act it was provided that no bonds
In the sum Of 100000 could be issued I'M
less vote Of the people had first sane
toned the same The matter, Mr. Tay-
lor said, had been called to his atten-
ton by gentleman who was familiar
with the question, and after reading of
the act he was of the opinion that the
present method of raising the money
might be interfered with if a new char
ter was adopted. The question, he
thought, was the most serious one to be
considered by the commission, and he
suggested that special committee be
appointed to look up and report at the
next meeting. His suggestion was not
acted upon, however, and the commission
adjourned without considering the point.
The question raised appears to hinge upon
the point as to whether the tax levy GER
tifcateS of Indebtedness are bonds or
not. Several of the members of the COM
mission expressed themselves after ad-
journment as being of the opinion that
the tax levy certificates of indebtedness
were nothing more or less than short time
bonds. The fact that the certificates were
issued in anticipation of the levying of
the taxes for any given year would make
them bonds under the law, was the opin-
ion of the lawyers on the commission.
O1DoI, h. &oJy
at the meeting of the commission to be
| held tomorrow evening.
The committee organization SUBJ
nlitted q report, which, after amend
|. ment, was adopted. The report provided
for committees to consider each Of the
nineteen chapters relating to the city gov
| ernmcnt and report to the. commission.
| The chapters related to the following SUBJ
| jects: --f.-
City and ward boundaries, election of
| city offcers-their powers and duties,
council and its powers and duties, treas
| ury department and finance, board OF
public works, local improvements, assess
ments and streets; health department,
municipal court and justices of the peace,
| building, public parks, public schools, po-
| lice. fire, workhouse, almshouse and
| city hospital salaries, fees and re
| ports of city officers; gas and gasoline
| lamps and inspectors, miscellaneous.
The committee recommended that COM
nittees of three each be appointed to
! consider the subjects, with the exception
! of schools. on which subject the commit
| tee should consist of five.
| Mr.. Brfdgnlan suggested that instead
| of the chair appointing the committees
| that three members of the commission
| be named who should make the appoint
/ nents. This was agreed to after consid-
| cradle discussion. and Messrs. Childs,
| Tighe and Bridgman named with the
| addition of Vice President Doran. Mr.
| Albrecht did not favor the work being
| done as outlined in the report of the
| committee. He was of the opinion that
| If the plan was carried out the result
would be the charter would be one pre-
| pared by twenty committees. He ia
| Yored plan of outlining skeleton char
| ter and then filling in the details. If
| this was not done the charter would be
| like the present one-a piece Of patch
| work
Mr.. Fetter favored the plan outlined
| by the committee. saying that every
| thing in the present charter would have
| to be considered and either adopted or
| rejected.
| Mr.. Childs was Of the opinion that it
1 was all a question of policy. If the
| present charter was to be redrafted the
| work would be light; if a new one was
!
| have plenty of work to do. Mr. Doran
cCntended that If there was too much re-
| vision of the charter it would be defeat
| ed at the polls The commission had
| been called for the express purpose of
making provision for the schools
The question Of the number of members
| to be appointed on each of the subcom-
mittees to consider chapters of the char
| ter was left to the committee which will
! name the committees.
The commission will meet for the pres
ent Friday evening of each week at 8
o'clock. and the order Of business will
| consist of the reading of the minutes, re-
| ports of committees, unfinished business
and new business. The officers are to
hold Office for one year, or until their
| successors are elected. The secretary
| was directed to investigate as to the
| proper man for stenographer and the eX-
! pense of such official and report at the
| next meeting. On motion of Mr.. May
| the secretary was directed to procure
| copies of the charters of other cities for
4 the information Of the commission.