The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-10-22
washington time G D. m. St. PauD.
RIVER BULLETIN.
wANTED-A CITY CHARTER.

Z The series of addresses delivered by the
REV. DR. Smith on local government.
apart from their intrinsic value, are of
much public worth for the effect they pos
sess in directing public attention to the
need which exists of intelligent charter
legislation.
There IS no warrant for arguing that the
failure of the people TO ratifyathe work OF
the former charter commission means that
the people do not want charter leslsla-
ton. They are not willing to accept
charter at the hands Of bcdy SUCH as
that commission, which they regarded as
a seIf-perpetuating body, assuming pow
er in great public undertaking which
none but the most thoroughly representa-
tive body should be entrusted with. Nor
was the personnel of the commission &C
ceptable. It's work was not: and in the
choice between the two evils Of continu ne
under the operation Of our present patch
work system and adopting that present
ed by the commission the people chose
the lesser evil.
There is a general agreement that the
most available means of securing an APP
proved charter is through the home rule
agency. A charter commission wisely
chosen can furnish the needed relief. The
first requirement to economical local gov
errment is the Iessening as nearly as pos
r,ic of ha "
panses of so-caIled county government.
The territorial limits of the city and coun-
t. are so nearly coterminous that the
maintenance of dual system Of govern
ment tuned up to the highest capacity Of
expenditures, as is the present, can be
regarded as little less than a criminal
fraud on the taxpayer.
With a thoroughly representative char
ter commission in existence it will not
be difficult to secure popular sustainment
of their work The weak spot in the
generally acknowledged to be the prevail
ing systems of municipal government.
They are generally costly and corrupt.
They produce the minimum of result at
the maximum of expense, and under our
political system of party contests set
premium on public wrong doing.
Only those who have remained blind
to the advancement which has been
made, notably abroad, in the science of
local government insist on the perpetual
ton Of the existing models. Better by
far that we should continue under the
present befuddled and antiquated system
than that a new charter should be adopt
ed that did not embrace most of the now
accepted improvements. These include the
the concentration of power, as well as the
lessening of the off1ceholding class, and
their selection on some other basis than
that of superior activity in ward politics.
The G l o e believes that the people
of st. Paul are prepared to accept a
charter which will invest it's executive
head with all appointing power, and which
will confine the operations of the council
to strictly local legislative work. The
present double-headed council system Is
an obstruction and humbug. Asingle
local legislative body, representing in rea-
sonable proportion the needs Of localities
and of the city at large, can transact the
public business more intelligently and
with more dispatch than it is now dis
charged in this city.
Whether the recognized departments are
administered by individuals or by boards,
the power Of appointment in every case,
we think, should be given to the mayor,
thus fastening the responsibility for
rong-doing effectively on the appoint
ing power.
No body of electors but the very 1g-
norant are willing now to hear national
or state issues fought out in a munich
pal contest. AS has been pointed out 1t
seems the very height of absurdity that
the Philippine question should enter into
a contest for the election of mayor and
board Of aldermen. 1t is a mere means
of humbugging the electorate dear to the
heart of the professional office-seeking
class, because it bears no relation what
ever to their conduct in Office and offers a