The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1901-01-25
SEVEN WARDS.
Charter Commission Votes for
This Change.
Also Unanimously FavOrs Electing the
City Attorney and Assessor by
Popular Vote.

The charter commission held brief
meeting Tuesday and transacted
considerable business. Chairman Cur
rier presided, and the others present
were Messrs. Schmitt, Ogle, Sever
ance, Farr, Young, Bashaw, Phillips,
Koehler, Martin and Halstead.
The judiciary committee presented
a report in which it recommended
that the city attorney and assessor be
elected by vote of the people, that the
mayor should have vote in case of a
tie, and that there be seven wards.
The recommendations were taken
up separately and discussed. The
commission voted unanimously in
favor of electing the city attorney
and assessor by popular vote.
The recommendation that the mayor
should have a vote in case OF tie was
laid over.
Prof. Koehler moved that there be
but six wards as at present, but this
was lost by vote of nine to two.
Mr.. Halstead, who Joined Prof.
Koehler in voting for the motion, ex-
planned his vote by saying that there
is great opposition to seven wards on
the part of the Democrats in the three
lower wards, and he feared that the
new charter would be endangered by
attaching so unpopular feature to it.
Judge Severance asked what the
reason was for the opposition.
Mr.. Halstead said that these was
fear that the Democratic party would
be more split up than it is ROW, and
that the number of Republican alder
men would be increased.
Judge Ogle said that he did not
think that the increasing of the num-
Der of wards would cut any figure in
politics. The Sixth ward is strong
Republican ward, but it has a Demo-
cratic alderman who is SO popular that
he will probably be reelected. This
would give the Democrats majority
with seven aldermen.
Judge Severance said that there is
not a single city officer whose election
was influenced by politics.
Mr.. Farr called attention to the
fact that the strongly Republican
Fourth ward is represented in the coun-
Gil by Democrat
Mayor Currier said that he did not
think that the political argument has
much weight He had been opposed at
first to seven wards, but was now In
favor of the change. He was strongly
opposed to an alderman at large, and
did not think that the mayor should
have any legislative duties to perform.
Judge Severance said that he was
in favor of the mayor having the de-
Gliding vote in case of a tie.
Judge Ogle moved that the city
be redistricted into seven wards, leav-
ing the Sixth ward as it is and max
ing six wards out of the other five.
This motion was carried unani-
mously.
Judge Ogle moved that there be one
alderman from each ward to serve
for two years, as at present.
Prof. Koehler favored greater num-
Der of aldermen, sayin g that it would
be more democratic and that there
would be less concentration of power.
He would have half of the aldermen
elected one year and half the next,
even if the number of aldermen was
not increased He was opposed to the
aldermen receiving any pay.
Mr.. Schmitt did not think that tn e
voters would adopt the new charter
unless compensation was provided for
the services of the aldermen. He was
in favor of electing three aldermen
one year and four the next, but seven
aldermen was all that the people could
stand.
A motion by Judge Ogle to postpone
action on this matter until the next
meeting was carried.
John Ables, the apple shouter, pre-
scented petition asking tina" bankers,
spielers and assaulters of the ozone"
be licensed, that merchants be required
to hire them in certain cases, and that
the police refrain from molesting
them. He asked that provision be
inserted in the charter to this effect.
Mr.. Phillips moved that the matter
be referred to special committee to
report to the board of trade.
Judge Ogle favored this disposition
of the matter. He said that it was an
important one, as it is question what
rights a man who "barks, spiels or
commits an ASSAULT on the ozone with
his vocabulary organs has, Some
times these sounds CRATE on the SEN
sibilities of passersby, and the charter
commission ought to be very careful
what action it took on the matter.
Mr.. Ables tried to get the floor to
take exception to some of the remarks
made by the last speaker, but a motion
to adjourn was carried, thus depriving
him of an opportunity to express his
ideas. There was a general hubbub,
several parties trying to talk at once,
and in the midst of it all, just before
the motion to adjourn was put, dog
that had been quietly sleeping under
the table awoke and came out into the
center of the circle and set up a vigor-
GUS barking as though in protest
against the move that was being. made
to confine barking" to licensed
parties. The matter was so ludicious