The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-12-23

Fourteen Of the fifteen members OF the
charter commission attended the session
OF the body last evening. Chester r.
Smith, who had not been present at any
of the four previous meetings. was
promptly on hand, as was also George
+. Clifford, recently appointed to sue
ceed f.: s. Durment, resigned. The alb
sent member was L.. L. May.
A petition was read, signed by A. r.
Kiefer and other members Of the police
department, requesting the commission
to "fnculcate" in the charter a provision
placing the police department In the
hands Of board of police commissioners.
Fhe request stated that police commits
sions in other cities had proven to be
the best method and excellent results had
been obtained. Mayor Kiefer added to
his signature to the petition:
4 fully approve the above" The mat
ter was referred to the subcommittee
having in charge the chapter on police
department
The report of the subcommittee on
almshouse, poor farm and city hospital
Which was submitted at the last meeting,
was adopted. In view of the fact that
the institutions are under the joint con-
troll of the city and county the commit
tee reported that the chapter remain as
at present in the charter.
The chapter providing for the fire de-
partment was submitted by the same
committee and was taken up by the COM
mission and discussed section by sec
ton. The only important change from
the present charter was that the terms
OF the commissioners are made five years,
instead Of three, as at present. The
mayor is also given the appointment OF
the commissioners without the assembly
having to concur in the same Mr..
O'Brien objected to this provision and IA
vored the assembly having to confirm the
appointments. He said he did not be-
lieve in hampering the executive officer,
but he did not believe in making the
mayor an autocrat. The president of the
United States had his appointments con-
f1rmed by the senate and so did the gov
errors of the states. There was no rea-
son why the mayor of ST. Paul should be
given more power, and it was not in line
with public policy, or In harmony with
the general principles Of the govern
ment.
Messrs. Albrecht and Doran opposed the
amendment of Mr.. O'Brien to change
the section and insisted that the mayor
should be given full power without be-
ing hampered by the assembly. The
amendment Of Mr.. O'Brien to have the
appointees confirmed by the assembly
was voted down, only Messrs: O'Brien
and Clifford voting for it.
Mr., Albrecht thought the term of the
commissioners was long enough now at
three years, and moved, that three be in
serted instead. Of five years. This amend
ment was also voted down, Messrs. Do
ran, O'Brien and Albrecht being the only
ones to favor the change. The question:
of amending the section relating to sal
aries, so as to give the board the power
to fix the wages Of all employees Of the
department, was urged by Mr.. Tighe.
Mr.. OBrien objected to any such plan,
saying the board might fix the salaries
of the high officials in the department at
the expense OF the rank and file.
This matter was referred back to the
subcommittee, as was also the question
Of consolidating the fire and police alarm
systems under one superintendent. Mr..
Clifford was placed on several committees,
to which Mr.. Durment had been assigned,
and the commission adjourned for two
weeks.