The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-02-05
MAY KILL THE BOARD
RECENT CONSTITUTIONAL AMEND
MENT MENACES THE ST. PAUL
SCHOOL INSPECTORS
CAN NOT BE DIsFRANcHIsED
Women May Vote In "AII" school
Matters Under the 1898 Amend
ment, and the BELL Charter
Conflicting with This, May Come
Within the Purview of Its Re-
pealfng Clause.

The adoption at the last general election of
the constitutional amendment giving women
the right to elective franchise on all school
matters raises the important question of the
constitutionality of the st. Paul school board
Under the provisions OF the amendment
women were given the right to vote on al"
school matters. The constitution says that
the people shall elect their school officials
but under the constitutions, amendment pro-
vided for in the Sheehan bill, and also
adopted last fall, cities are authorized to
frame their own charters. Under the old
Bell charter. a condition exists which is
without parallel in municipal governments,
l. e., the appointive power is vested in the
mayor and still reposes in that official and
the question arises, does not the con-
stltutlonal amendment, giving women a right
10 vote on all school matters and for school
officials. make that part of the charter which
gives the mayor appointive power unconsti-
tutlonal. In the case of Catherine E. Putnam
appellant, vs.. the City of St. Paul in which
decision was recently handed down by the
supreme court, the court held that the proyi-
SONS OF the Bell charter which took away
from the governing board of the school dis
Crlct certain rights ard vested them in the
city council were not invalid upon the ground
mat the subject of the legislative act was
not expressed in its title. Counsel for ap-
pei!ant also freely admitted that he did not
claim that the act contained any provision
Wnlcn could not properly have been enacted
under proper title, but at that it is still
a question for the court to decide which of
the constitutional amendments holds good in
the case of the st. Paul school board. The
BEL cnarter passed the legislature before
special legislation was abolished, and in it
the mayor has full sway in school affairs
Except as raised in the case cited the uues-
tlon or constitutionality of the school board
mas never before been raised The amend
Hent, which gives cities the right to frame
tneir own charters, only confers legislative
power IN the charter commission provided
Ior in the amendment far as 1t does not
conn1ct with the constitution Even without
the later amendment giving women the right
10 vote on all school matters and upon which
the const1tutionality of the board has been
Falsed, the courts might decide against the
BOARD, as the constitution specifically states
mat the people shall elect school officials
and it would appear that the BELL charter
was unconstitutional, it permits the MAYOR
10 appoint the school board instead or hejn o
elected by the people
Ihe question is one which has been quite
generally discussed in certain circles since
the passage of the last constitutional amend
ment. When the next election comes around
some OF the women of St. Paul-not all
Will walk up to the polls to vote for the
scnool board. But unless there Is ruling bv
the attorney general to the contrary there
VIII pc no school board up for election They
VIII reIer TO the constitution which saws that
tney can vote, and someone else will match
Tue Ben charter against the constitution and
there you have it, The law don't saw that
women can vote on any other subjects and
!. II. tne mayor usurps the right of the women
IIose women nave husbands who do vote
Inls Is certainly matter which the W n r
y. reanlzatlon or some other secular orpani-
aatlon should interest itself deeply in. In
every otner large city in the state the school
cbart Is elected by the people, but the Bell
OF lhe people, and given it to whoever han
pens 10 De mayor Of ST. Paul