The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-04-19
.FAV|)R|N1 Mu CHARTER
SCHOOL UNION STARTS THE BALL
ROLLING FOR RE-
FORM
MAYOR K1EFER APPROVES
The Features of Home Rule, Fran
chise Tax, Municipal Lighting
and Proper school FaciI-
tiles Urged.

One of the initial meetings in behalf of
the new city charter was held at the Me-
chanic Arts school last night, under the
auspices of the ST. Paul Public School
union. Literature had been distributed
literally throughout the neighborhood
and brought out large crowd, one-haIf
OF which We're women. The meeting dem
onStrated the fact that 1t is possible to
arouse the interest of the non-partisan
element that takes no interest In partisan
politcs,-and for that reason was consid-
cred a success.
Addresses were made by Mayor Kiefer
Attorney Carl Taylor, President j. w. l..
corning, of the school board; School Prin-
clpal j.; G. Bryant looked after all ar
rangements and introduced Mayor Kiefer.
who said in part:
came mere to express a wish of ap-
proval In the matter of the adoption of a
new city charter. 1t is the work of men
OF nigh standing. 1 have had little chance
10 review it, but am familiar with the
main points, which 1 believe furnish a
reason for a favorable vote from all good
citizens. The reason why we should have
the new charter is because it gives the
city home rule, which means our people
should make their own laws.
Our laws should not be made bv leais-
iators from the back counties. and the
new charter retains all of the good fea-
lures OF our present charter, and an
prove it because it means betterment in
many ways for our schools. This reason
alone is sufficient to secure the approval
OF our citizens. Another reason is be-
cause it means public library of which
our city may be proud. There is no wav
OF gainsaying the good to come from an
excellent public library. 1 see daily the
children going to the juvenile library. and
they are not the children of the rich.
another reason is that the new charter
forblds the granting of franchises for
more than twenty-five years and not less
than per cent gross earnings tax to
the city in the way of compensation. The
city should receive an income for fran
cniSeS 1t has the power to grant Some
cltles do so in this country, and European
countries are particularly well off in that
direction. The new charter allows the
city to do its own paving and other mu-
nlclpai work. whereby saving of SO 1-3
per cent may be saved to the tax PAYERS
Under the new charter provision is made
Tor municipal ownership of lighting
plants and municipal control of the street
Sprlnkllng work. From 30 per cent to so
per cent can be saved on lighting alone
me new charter reorganizes the board
OF public works and throws an addi-
tlonal- protection about the property own
er and taxpayer. The new charter will
give US clean streets without extra cost;
1t will take the police force out of poll
Tics and place it in the hands of a nom
partisan board. This, of itself. would be
a God-send. Under the new charter the
people may remodel or improve 1t at any
time by amendment. To secure the char
ter we must get four-sevenths of the
total vote, and please remember that if
you do not vote for the charter your vote
will be recorded against it,. n
Mr.. Bryant then introduced Attorney
Carl Taylor, who, as a lawyer, had some
part in the drafting of the new charter
In part Mr. Taylor said
Our present charter is an aggregation
OF state enactments in which the back
WOODS county representative has as much
II not more to say than a representative
from Ramsey county. AS to the features
OF the charter under consideration, nv
belief is the home rule matter is the
most important. Once on the home rule
basis we can amend the charter If need
be. The trouble in the schools was the
reason for the appointment of the char
ter commission. The proposed charter
includes all of the present laws provid-
ing revenue for the public schools A
sliding scale providing for a proportion
ate division of the taxes awarded to
schools has been arranged, based on the
daily average attendance. In this way
the school appropriation increases with
the increase in attendance at the schools.
We can spend only $4,000 a year now
for library purposes, under our present
charter The new one will provide for a
much larger amount. In the near future,
If the new charter is adopted, the city will
be given library by some pubiic-spirited
citizens which will cost 5000, 000 Such a
library is not only desirable, but would
be one of which the city could be proud
The provision concerning the granting
of franchises is a good one, the city
retaining entire local self government
Taxes are high, and some benefit will ac-
crue to property owners by its enactment
by a reduction Of them. It would have
the effect of arousing the people to that
point where they will pay some attention
to local politics, which would be worth
the vote of the people,
President Corning, of the school board,
approved of the home-rule feature of the
charter declaring it to be his firm con-
victton it was the most important feature
of the new instrument. He also spoke
of the relief to be gained for the schools
through its adoption.
AFTER the regular speakers We're through
a number of people in the audience asked
questions concerning matters on which
they were particularly interested, showing
that the public is becoming curious about
the terms and significance of the new
charter.
Carl Taylor, one of the original mem
bers of the charter commission, addressed
the members of the Jobbers' union yester-
day afternoon on the scope and principal
features of the recently completed char
ter. The attendance at the session was
large, and the various features of the
charter were discussed one by one. The
provisions affecting the commercial inter-
ests of the city received especial atten-
ton.