The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-02-03
IDEAS OF OUTSIDERS
CHARTER COMMISSION RECEIVED
HINTS FROM CITIZENS RELAT-
ING TO PUBLIC AFFAIRS
SHALL CITY OWN SALOONS?

One Citizen Recommends That IT
Take Charge of the Liquor Traffic
Emil Gefst Suggests That the
City Provide for Repaying Other
Than by Taxing Abutting Prop
erty on Frontage Basis.
Only seven members of the charter COM
mission attended the semi-weekly session
OF that body last evening There were no
reports ready from subcommittee, but
several propositions from citizens outside
Of the commission were presented, and
tie consideration Of thesa took up the
time of the commission Emil Geist call
ed attention to the present law regarding
the repaving Of streets, which, he inform
ed the commission, if persisted in, would
injure the city by making the sale Of
real sstate impess IDLE. AS IT is now, some
property in the city had paid three as
sessn1ents~ for repaving, owing to the
work being improperly done. Mr.. Geist
suggeStad the levying of Vehicle and
horse tax for those who used the streets,
something after the plan in operation in
European cities. He further called atten-
ton to the necessity of having all assess
ments paid at the county auditors Office
at the same time the taxes were, as un-
der the pra.ear system owners were la
BILE to lose their property for the hon
payment of assessments for local i'm
provements of which they had no notice
The communication was referred to the
subcommittee on assessments. Mr.. AL
coid h
decided by the courts as to whether prop
erty owners would have to pay more than
one assessment for paving. If the courts
should decide but one payment was to
be paid, then the city would have to make
provision for raising the money for repay
ing by neral taxation. Based on what
was done las. year. this would mean an
increase in thu rate Of taxation OF about
four mills With this Possibility, some
thing should be put in the charter to pro
vide for the city levying a general tax
for such improvements.
W. I. Brown. Of 1895 Grand avenue. APP
peared before ihe commission ard .dyo-
Gated a provision being inserted in the
charter looking toward the city owning
and operating the saloons. Mr.. Brown
said he was interested in the liquor queS-
ton, and was convinced, after a long
study, that the only way community
could restrain the lawful use of liquor
was to have the city own and operate the
saloons. The evils of the liquor traffic
were Of vital Importance to the city, and
if the city would own and operate the sa-
looms, it would take the money; out of
the business, and also take the liquor ell
ement out of politics. The only reason
the liquor traffic was so large was owing
to the money made in it, Mr. Brown
queried if a petition asking the insertion
Of provision in the charter would bs
of any use to the commission. If it
would, he felt confident that such a Pc
tftion could be secured with hundreds Of
names on it. .a~ :5:
Vice President, Doran stated that the
legal minds of the commission would con-
slider the proposition advanced by Mr.
Brown and report at some future meet
Ing. The commission was inclined to the
opinion that as the state regulated the
sale of liquor, the commission had no
power to legislate on the. question: q
George j. Stewart, of $50 Ottawa street,
who has forwarded numerous communi-
cations to the, commission, handed I'm
another one last evening" Mr.. Stewart
advised the. commission to provide for
the adjustment of the assembly, board
Of aldermen, street commissioners and
board ofapublic works. In place of these
officials he recommended the election Of
eight or ten street commissioners at
S125 per month. These, with the mayor,
city engineer; chief of police. chief of
fire department, city electrician and
comptroller to form the tyrgovernment.
This plan, he said, would give a govern
ment by and for the people and the in
terests- of the community, and not the
corporations. "The wage slaves Of
Mr. Thomas Lowry" declares Mr..
Stewart In his communication, deserve
protection, and they should have it. Why
are they asked to work eighteen hours
at stretch without a chance to eat, or
dered to appear for duty every morn
ing and very often going home after be-
ing at the barn all day, without making
cent, may chance to- get a few hours.
Terrible condition in Christian coun-
try, while serving a corporation making
millions. This, with the public accom-
modations now given, is an indisputable
proof that city ownership Is not very
far distant"
=. The letter. of Mr.. Stewart was added to
the collection Mr.. Taylor, secretary of
the commission, has already on hand.
tax should be paid was discussed in
formally. but no action taken, Mr.. Smith
being Of the opinion that the cost of pay
ing for water mains should be inves-
tigated before the limit was fixed In the
new charter. There was some question
as to the length Of time 1t would take
to finish up the remaining chapters OF
the charter, and Mr.. Fetter advanced
the opinion that it would be better to
have the charter submitted to the people
at a special election to be held next sum-
mer than. at the coming city election.
The other members of the commission
present, however, thought the cost OF
special election would prevent any such
plan from being practical. The commits
sion adjourned to meet Tuesday evening.
Present at the session were Messrs Do
ran. Aibrecht, Clifford, McNair,' Taylor
Fetter and Smith.