The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-10-29
GET THE PETITION SIGNED.

Il
Pubic sentiment Ia st. Paul has crys-
tallized with remarkable rapidity on the
subject of our present difficulties in munic-
ipal government There is now virtually
no opposition to the creation of a new
charter. The substantial question now
under consideration is the one as to how
the commission to draft that charter
shall be created. This is by no means
a difficult question.
Did the law under which the original
charter commission was appointed still
stand in its original force 1t might be
questionable whether it was necessary to
appoint a commission at all, as the old
commission might very properly be re-
garded as still in existence. From the
fact that that law has been repealed, and
that the appointment of the commission
originates with the repeating act, 1t would
be fair to assume that the former COM
mission is nonresident; but considering
the uncertainty which has attended all
opinion on the subject of our municipal
laws, it seems entirely advisable, in order
to avoid all question, that the members
of the old commission should resign their
functions.
We suppose there can be no question
whatever under the present law, as well
as under that which it repeats, that the
district court has the power, If it chooses,
to appoint a charter commission. AS
Judge Bum very properly remarks, such
appointment is not in the nature of
judicial act and, as there is an alterna-
tive method of appointment provided in
the law, the district judges may prefer
that that method be adopted 1t is, more
over, the more representative method. 1t
will involve no delay whatever to secure
the signatures of 10 per cent of our legal
voters to such application.
Steps should be taken at once to pre-
pare petition to the district court and
to circulate the same for signature.
There is no time to be lost. The district
judges will at once act upon the petition.
and the commission thus appointed will
have ample time in which to discharge
its duty. AS the work of the commission
must be done at the cost OF the time and
labor of its members without compensa-
ton. it is entirely proper that they should
not be forced to give too large a proper
ton Of their time to the work. Beginning
with the 1st of November a new char
ter can be made ready for adoption be-
fore any steps are necessary to- be taken
in preparation for the spring election.
The 1st of March ought to find the pro-
posed charter ready for submission to the
people If It's proposed provisions are
from time to time in the interval made
known, It will not be difficult to gauge
public opinion upon those provisions re-
garding which there may possibly be a
disagreement. We want the broadcast
charter possible, but We do not want
charter presented for popular acceptance
about the acceptability of which there
can be any substantial doubt
We can all afford to lay aside many
minor and Incidental questions which
come up and which, in the last event,
would have to be determined by the char
ter commission. The thing now to do is
to go ahead with the petition and have
the district court judges name the COM
mission at once after the members of the
old body have resigned.