The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1899-02-10

| is COnhdenGly DelloVeu, Will oiilaiAio00
any thing of this kind if it shall be ap'
proved by the people. The council is
made, as it should be, a purely leglsla
tive branch of the city government and
not, as now, the whole thing when 1t
wants to be. It's duties are clearly and
specifically stated, and if it shall carry
out the mandates of the charter it will
have all the work it should or can per-
form with creditable distinction.
The board of public works is made
the sole responsible head for all kinds OF
street repairs, and also for.all street I'M
proyements under direction of the
council. The council makes the tax
levy and beyond the amount In the
various funds set apart, expenditures
cannot be made, and the board of public
works is held to strict accountability for
such expenditures.
The mayor is made the chief execu-
tive of the city, as he should be, and is
not, as now, a part of the legislative
body He appoints the board OF public
works, and the charter so clearly de
fines the duties of that board that re
possibility cannot be shirked, and no
re ason for collision between that body
and the council will exist.
That feature of the charter bearing
upon special assessments is so fully and
clearly set forth, penalties for non-pay-
ments are so guarded and the process for
collection is so protected that the city
will be able in the future to make these
collections, where, in the past, much
money rightfully belonging to the city
has been lost or the amount of the claim
practically consumed in the costs of
collection.
To review the various salient features
of the new charter at this time would
be too arduous, and would consume too
much space. AS our entire population
will be much interested in the docu-
ment, it is entirely probable that the
council will order it printed in one or
more of the city papers, so that all may
haye an opportunity to read its provis-
ions and draw their own conclusions as
to it's merits
Certain it is that our city has grown
to such proportions as to demand
greater safeguards over the revenues
coming into it's treasury. We are con-
stantly getting deeper and deeper into
debt, and something must be done and
that very soon, to stop the constant out
flow of money in excess of receipts, and
to see to it that extravagances of all
kinds in the management of
municipal affairs are stopped
When Mayor Pau took his chair, now
nearly two years ago, his inaugural adj
dress set forth the need of retrench-
ment in public expenditures, and the
re duction of our floating Indebtedness.
1t was hoped that his advise and admo-
nit ions might result in a saving to the
treasury of the city. But the contrary
is the result. At the close of his term
it is believed that the floating indebted
ness will be greater by fifteen or twenty
thousand dollars that it was at the be-
ginning. and much of this continued in
crease is found to result from want of
charter safeguards and from failure in
the present charter to confine the ex
pendlture of funds to some particular
body that shall be liable for excessive
expenditures over receipts.
Now, good natured word to the
council. The Importance of this pro-
posed charter is of sufficient Importance
to seem to warrant its submission to
popular vote at special election, where
the calm judgment of the taxpayers
may govern their action without any
entangling issues that naturally come
into an election for city officers. More
than this, the charter, to carry, must
have four-sevenths of all votes cast If.
for instance. it is submitted at the gen
eral spring election, and there should
be total of 400 votes cast, the charter
proposition would have to have 800
votes in its favor with not ia vote against
it to be adopted. In such an election a