The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1900-08-02
kINNESVTkMO MUNICIPALITIES
GREAT OPPORTUNITIES FOn DIRECT
LEGISLATION-ELTW
POMEROY, A. n.

GREAT OPPORTUNITIES FOR DIRECT
LEGIsLATION-ELTWE
POMEROY, A. N.
The president Of the National Direct
Legislation league addressed a fair
sized audience at the Social Reform
union, at the Y. M. c. A. rooms last
Saturday evening.
His delivery was eloquent, and his
subject. Direct Legislation" was in
structive and fruitful Of much good for
the future.
Mr.. Pomeroy is president OF the Ma
tioal Direct Legislation league, and
editor Of the Direct Legislation Record.
published at Newark. N. J. He left
the East May / on a tour Of the West,
delivering lectures. So far he has Wis
tied Chicago, st. Louis, Kansas City,
Denver, Salt Lake, San Francisco,
Portland, Spokane. Butte. Fargo,
Grand Forks, st. Paul and Minneapolis.
In opening his subject on Direct Leg
islation," Mr.. Pomeroy proceeded SUBJ
stantially as follows:
New occasions teach new duties;
Time makes ancient good uncouth,
They must onward still, and upward,
Who would keep abreast of Truth"
Under the constitutional amendment
adopted by a vote of the people two or
three years ago, and the law passed to
carry that amendment into effect, St.
Paul adopted a new charter last May,
and In Minneapolis a charter commits
sion has been appointed, charter
drafted, sent to the mayor, and in
time, 1t will be voted on by the people
Of Minneapolis and probably accepted.
The Minneapolis proposed charter has a
limited direct legislative provision in
It. that the acquiring, sale or lease of
municipal utilities must DO submitted
to vote Of the people. The adoped
st. Paul charter has so little direct leg
islation that it is not visible.
The law under which these charters
were framed and submitted to the peo-
Upon the application Of flve (6) per
cent OF the legal voters Of any such city
or village, by written petition ad-
dressed to and filed with such board Of
fifteen 15) freeholders, such board
shall submit to the vote Of the people
any amendment to such charter indors-
ed by such application and petition"
Read this carefully. Note that It
does not say may submit" but it says
shall submit" The charter board,
which is appointed for four years, can
not prevent the submission Of an
amendment properly petitioned. Tho
people OF St. Paul and Minneapolis can
get municipal direct legislation within
six months. II there is an energetic ma
jority in each of the cities to do three
things.
First-Draft a short. suitable amend
ment for direct legislation.
Second-Get the petition for 1t signed
by at least five per cent of the voters in
each city and properly filed. AS here
are not over $4,000 voters in either
city, and about $4,000 who voted at the
last election. this would mean Il 900 to
$500 signatures.
Third-After the first and second
things are done, agitate on direct leg
islation. SO that the voters know what
they are voting on.
These three things are simple, easily
understood, easily DONE In no other
state in the union is the way for actual
direct legislation 80 open and so
easy. Are the reformers in the two
cities dead in earnest, or are they only
talking? Down in Delaware, where
the Single Takers have made a very
aggressive campaign. they have talked
SO much about landlords that the peo-
pie call the Single Tax orators wind
lords only! l hope there will spring
; up a generous rivalry between the ear
nest men and women Of both cities as
to which will get there first.
A PROPOSED AMENDMENT.
As suggestive of what is needed,
have drafted the following amendment.
This is only suggestive, and your local
men should lick it into shape to suit
your local needs.
Section l. No ordinance passed by
the council and signed by the mayor
shall go into effect for 30 days after
passage and signing by the mayor. ex-
cept such as are for the Immediate
preservation OF the public peace. health
or safety, and such shall be passed by a
three-Quarters vote of the members
elected to both bodies Of the council.
Section 2. II, during thirty (3O) days,
Q petition or petitions asking that any
ordinance or ordinances be referred to
q vote OF tho people, shall be signed by
not less than five hundred {6OOl voters
Of the city and fled with the city clerk.
said ordinance or ordinances shall be
held from operation until they are voted
ON by the people and majority Of those
voting vote for them.
Section q. The voting shall take
place ak the NEXT regular city election
not held within 30 days after the filing
OF the petition or petitions, unless the
petitioners request in their petition or
petitions that q special election be held,
and to make this request for q special
election valid. ct least one thousand
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