Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1901-01-17
The City Charter.

EDITOR HERALD fully agree with
the article in your last issue by Tax
payer" that the connection of the CITY
to the town for town purposes impos-
es heavy burden upon the taxpayers
of the city and one that in justice
they should no longer bear. This is
an all sufficient reason why the city
should cut loose from the town, but
there are other reasons why we should
abandon our special charter.
We charge $500 saloon license in
the city. understand that we have
seven saloons. The licenses bring
into the city treasury SO, 500. We
charge $500 license because under
law of the state of the year 1885 Civ
ing the voters of cities the right at a
special election to fix the license for
saloons at 5000, $3.50 or 5000, we vot-
ed some years ago that the license in
Lancaster should be $500. Our spec
ial charter was enacted in 1882, three
wears before the license law mentioned.
/
says in relation to saloon licenses in
Lancaster ''the amount charged for
such license shall in no case be less
than one hundred and fifty dollars
nor more than three hundred and fifty
dollars per annum." Section so of
the charter says, 'No general law of
this state, contravening the provisions
of this act, shall be considered or
construed as repeating, amending or
modifying the same unless such pur-
pose be expressly set forth in such
law" AS the general law of the state
giving cities the right to charge 5000
liquor license was passed three years
after our charter, it has always been
a serious question whether this city
can charge more than $3.50 license
Our common councils have charged
the full $500 in accordance with the
public wish, and as the saloons, in
order to get license, have voluntarily
paid the full amount | suppose they
can make no legal claim for a return
of any of the money. But suppose
next July they should each pay $3.50
of the license money voluntarily and
the other $3.50 under written protest
that the city had no legal right to ex-
act it. and should sue the city TO re-
cover back the money paid under pro-
test, then if it should be held that our
charter governs as to the amount to
be charged for license the city would
have to pay back to the seven saloons
81 $50. We are paying now to the
town over ~, 600 that the city gets no
, return for, and if we lose the amount
, of license money named the city will
be over So, 600 out of pocket for the
privilege of living under special
charter that makes a hybrid creature
part ci,y and part town.
The uncertainty as to the license
fee that now exists would be at once
removed if we would adopt the gem
eral charter and so would the ques-
tions of who are lawful inspectors Of
city elections, when should the polls
be opened and a good many other
questions that arise when our charter
is compared with the general laws.
The proceeding is simple To change
from our special charter to this gem
eral charter. If three-fourths Of the
common council vote for an ordinance
making the change and this is certi-
fled to the governor he will issue a
patent constituting Lancaster city
under the general charter The eX-
isting officers remain officers of the
new city until the annual election in
MAY, and all of the past resolutions
and ordinances remain in force. The
proposed ordinance cannot be voted
on until thirty days after its introduce
ton and the council must give notice
in one newspaper published in the
city the time when the ordinance
will be voted on The interests Of the
city require that one Of the aldermen
should at once introduce such an or
dinance. If the council should then
bc in doubt rs to whether our citizens
favor the change they could call, dur
ing the thirty days interval,a public
meeting in the city hall for the ex
preston Of opinions upon the pro-
posed change. CITIZEN.