The Sumpter miner. [volume] (Sumpter, Or.) 1899-1905, 1900-12-12
CITY CHARTERS
AND TAXATION.
Problems the Next Legislature
Must Solve.

In view Of the fact that movement is
on foot to revise Sumpter's charter, the
following, from state exchange, will be
read with interest:
There are three ways for city to Sc.
cure charter. The first is by the legsla.
ture. Each city has different charter,
changed each term Of the legislature. In
states under this system the greater part
Of a session of the legislature Is taken up
by fixing charters.
Constant alterations are being made,
and when the time consumed In attending
to these Is deducted from the length Of the
session, It will be seen that these ticklish
matters have used up great deal Of val.
liable time to no particular advantage.
Cities want many things, and this opens
way for contractors and politicians to
work schemes through the legislature for
their own ends.
One Of the greatest evils under this
system Is that the charter Is made by peo.
pie who do not know the conditions ex.
lStUIk W a NCItdHI Nhys lSkistututS
fixes the salaries, orders water works con.
structed, or something similar, creating
enormous obligations for city to shoul.
der, without inquirlng whether or not the
city Is able to pay. This Is the most de.
plorable system and Oregon classes up
with the worst. Portland is subjected to
this form and all its evil consequences.
The second method is to have charter
prepared by legislature and then submit.
ted to the people Of the city for adoption.
The third method is known as home
rule In cities, and Is In vogue In three
states. There Is a provision by which,
under certain laws, cities Of a certain size
can form their own charter. This is an
ideal method.
There are states where special acts for
cities are prohibited by the legislature, the
people alone having the power to say
what they shall do. Some states have
certain laws for cities, the cities being
classified, and general act covers all the
cities In particular class.
Before Portland can have home rule a
constitutional amendment Is necessary,
and commission would have to be ap.
pointed, or rather elected. The commits.
sion would draft the charter and make the
people thoroughly familiar with every de-.
tail of municipal government before the
charter was adopted. There are many OBJ.
stacles in the way Of attaining such a
state, and one Of the worst Is the amount
of time that would be required to elapse
before the constitutional amendment was
attended to.
As it is in Oregon, where charters are
subject to change entire or are amended in
particular points at every session, II Is i'm.
possible to attain. form OF government
favorable to the people. II provision is
thoroughly, because before its advantages
could be ascertained another session OF
the legislature arrives and new charter
is sprung. We have no settled policy for
government.
When the amendments are being made
at Salem next January, an important dis.
cussion will come up over street improve.
ments. Data is being gathered for the
purpose OF changing the provision Of the
existing charter on the topic. The impres.
sion prevailing is that there is room for
innovations.
CHANGES IN STATE LAWS.