The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-02-21
each acting within it's own legitimate con-
stitutional sphere
THAT TAX LEVY DECISION.

THAT TAX LEVY DECISION.
However many embarrassments the de-
cision just handed down by the supreme
court in the special tax levy case may
remove, it is none the less an extraor-
binary judicial pronouncement Indeed
all the circumstances affecting it being
taken into account, it suggests the idea
of having been made to order by the new
supreme bench.
1t is no part of the duty Of any one in
terested in the proper administration OF
our schools to quarrel with the decision
If the good which it accomplishes Is Its
only result, and if the consequences which
Judge Collins foresees of throwing the
door open to the enactment Of all manner
Of legislation affecting cities which Would
have been held invalid under the former
ruling is not realized, the decision is, OF
course, to be regarded as a good thing In
itself. But it is at best doubtful whether
leaving aside it's happy effect upon our
school finances, it will not be productive
of infinitely much more harm than good.
One of its results, and apparently one
very much sought after In certain quar-
tiers, is an ending of the movement for a
new charter for st. Paul The half-heart-
ed and wholly perfunctory way in which
our charter commission has thus far gone
about It's work has long made it plain that
that body is quite willing to be relieved
of its duty Whether that body goes on
to the end and lays a charter before the
people in the spring election, or stops
where it is. the result Is at least accom-
plished by this decision that virtually
it takes from the people Of this city the
right which they had before possessed OF
adopting their own charter and of max
ing such amendments to that charter as a
majority of the voters might decide to be
desirable. For, with a stupid, self-seeking
or corrupt legislative delegation turned
loose on municipal legislation, as We have
seen the condition operate biennially fol
twelve or fifteen years past, and the re-
ouirement against special legislation con-
strued as literally as this decision out
lines, it must be said that there is pref
ty hopeless prospect before at least this
community in the matter of-secur1ng q
thoroughly desirable system Of organic
local law.
rba o+ter,n+ +o establish uniformity or
charter making In this state has thus fal
been wretched failure. It's fate is now
sealed. Until the people themselves rise
far above most Of those who are usually
put forward on charter commissions and
in other public characters as their rep
resentatives, at least in this community
we can safely dismiss from consideration
oil thought Of substantial municipal re.
form.
our schools which this decision will have
we have all reason for qualification We
will be saved through 1t the probable
closing of our schools for at least two
months of the present term. We may
also be saved the malignant, demagogit
policies which have been pursued by oul
local off1ceholders, and especially by oul
city comptroller. in the pursuit of the
cause of local retrenchment and reform
through a political ring. Not even he
we apprehend, will have the impudence
to continue now in the pursuit of courses
which have wantonly brought so much
distress to worthy citizens brought ir
contact with the local machine. as vel
as expense and disgrace to the commu-
nifty itself.