The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-02-24
PRESENT CHARTER OPPOSED
is. r. Child Cites Objections to Its

= T. /. 4
To the Editor of The Journal:
There Is move on foot by some of the
friends of new city charter for the city to |
!request the present charter commission to
propose as a charter the old present |
city charter with only one change-that of
a separate city election. I
The reasons given for this move sub |
stantially these:
First-lt is impossible to adopt home
rule charter with any material change from
the old charter because of the aggregate OPP |
position raised by such changes.
Second-A charter commission cannot be
prevailed upon to undertake a task so labori- |
GUS as framing new charter, with the pres
ent prospect of its carrying. but to propose
the old charter would be a small amount of
work for .he commission.
Third-A condition is liable to arise at any
time In the city, rendering an amendment to |
the charter of, the highest Importance to the |
city The present charter cannot be amend |
ed, but the new charter could be.
Fourth-A separate city election alone
would place us in a much better condition
than at present, greatly stimulating interest
in city politics.
I believe these reasons for adopting the old
charter do not exist as stated, or at most only
in small degree, and that the facts wholly
fail to justify any such measures.
AS tc charter reform in this city, there is
and has been a healthy, honest progressive
public sentiment. 1t has not, to be sure, OBJ
tanned strength enough to overcome the nom
sensical requirement that all voters who fail
to vote shall be counted against the charter.
This may be seen by glance at the class of
| citizens who supported the last two charters,
as shown by the Interviews in TIL o T.
| q a of last election day. and comparison
| of the votes OF the different wards and voting
precincts of the city. Note also the unanim-
| ity of sentiment of the two charter commits
sions. 20
This sentiment has been all the time grow
| ing, and will continue to grow till there is
| a elimination in some decisive act Adopt
| the old charter and charter reform is put at
rest It will be a case of arrested develop
| ment to charter building, produced by the
! friends of the cause .r.
The present commission could more easily
frame a wholly new charter than they could
| make the old one working instrument under
! the home rule provision. for the work of
| framing new charter has been practically
all done by the present commission.
The present charter operated under certain
general laws which would not apply, but
would have to be provided for in the change
which would require very close attention and
! much consideration to make it a completed
| instrument under the home rule provision.
! I feel confident that the old charter cannot
4 be SO proposed that enemies would admit that
no changes had been made. The facility with
| which Misrepresentation prevail was clearly
| shown at the last election.
| TIL friends of this move to adopt the old
! charter as a home rule charter are max
| ing very violent prescriptions in assuming
| that we can never in the near future adopt an
up-to-date one, because OF the opposition
! raised by the several changes.
| Strike from the last charter the pension and
labor features, and some others not at all
Unnecessary, then leave official salaries at what
| they now are and who can say that such
charter would not get more votes than would
! the old one which all friends of charter re-
| form have for years tried to get rid OF. 1t
| was not opposition. but ignorance and apa-
! thy that killed each of the two charters al
| ready voted upon. The men who failed to
vote killed those charters. Will the PROPOSE
| lion to adopt the present charter create more
]intereste Will it get friends? If so, it
will be from the enemies OF true charter re-
form, I believe the adoption of the old char
| ter as a new one would put us back years
! in the work How, for instance. would you
amend the chapter on local improvements or
change by amendment from the council to the
mayor form of government, or when would
| YOU be able to place city officials and en-
ployes under civil service rules. and when
! would VOL provide the proper checks on the
city finances? -.. O., ...
! We shall some time be able to get new
city charter such as an intelligent commits
| sion will submit, without stultlfying their
! judgments as to what is desirable charter
| It may not be at the next election, or the
| next but it surely would come, as all wise
| legislation that has been thought out comes
| No one can now tell how soon conditions may
arise preparing the popular mind for a new
charter ST. Paul and Duluth each mad 10
I try a second time. San Francisco trlec the
third time and succeeded, yet our falnt-heart-
! ed reformers wish to cry quits upon second
trial &. -.
/ It would be no easier to get relief under a
new charter than at present, because an
1 amendment will then have to be passed at a
! general city election, instead OF general
state county and, city. But what would be
gained by the change Of election would be
| lost in the vote required. as it takes only
/ eour-seyenths or 81 per cent vote to adopt
charter, as against 9 three-ffths or 60 per
cent vote to amend.
I There is no crying demand that we have
home rule charter without an Improvement.
But, they say, no one Knows ~" SUI S %ln
question may arise that would make 1t aDso-
1utely necessary to have city legislation.
verv we'll let it arise We could get relief
in thirty days by the charter commission
submitting an honest charter and the council
calling a special charter election. just such
a condition as that would give us not an
! emasculated, mongrel whom no one would
own hit a. virile we'll bred charter, defend
ed bv every one interested in the movement.
am not even ready to concede that sep
arate city election is desirable under the pres
ent charter.
4 The ticket of city officials in any ward
would be a mayor, city treasurer city con-
|troller, member in the different city boards,
and one of the twenty six aldermen.
The chief interest would center uoon the
mayor or the question to be settled would
he who should run our rum shops, gambling
and bawdy- houses. When that alone is the
contest. it is not difficult to see who would
generally win The great questions of how
should the city's money be exDended. how
should the city be conducted, are determined
by twenty-six aldermen. one only OF whom
would be voted for at any election by any
| voter AS to the determination Of all these
imost important city questions, we could vote
for enc twenty-sxth only Of the determining
force Is it not a serious question whether
the buster class of people would take the
whole or a portion Of a day to vote at the
urinary another to register and another to
vote on election day? There would OF course,
! be no question but what special interest
would be represented there, put now apout
the public's interest?
An approximation to satisfactory state
ment of the sense Of the people upon any
subject cannot be enacted in amendments.
Hence the demand for constitutional conven-
tions tax code commissions. the penal and
other codes How much more difficult would
it be to accomplish anything with our present
i city charter by amendments!
ADOPT a charter providing for no civil SER
vice no contract chapter, no checks or coun-
) ter-cheeks on the expenditures of the city s
money-who would propose such CHARTER!
Certainly not the present commissioners, who
have already shown that they see the absurd
!, ity of such a purpose. IS. Il. Chllo.
J. .