The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-07-20
CHARTER COMMISSION CAN &C
coMPLlsH NOTHING, SAYS
AMBROSE TIGHE
RESIGNS BECAUSE HE
THINKS EFFORTS FUTILE
With Conditions Imposed Charter Rep
resents a Fiscal System Which He
Deems lntolerabie-No Remedy Can
Be Found Until Legislature Acts.

Ambrose Tighe, a member of the ST.
Paul charter commission since it's in
ception and one of the principal franz
ers of the instrument under which the
city Is now operating, yesterday ten
dered his resignation to the judges of
the district court. No one has been Sc
lected in his place, but it was rumor-
ed about the court house Yesterday
that Franklin Griggs, late first assist
ant corporation attorney, would be
named. OF those who assisted in franz
| ing the present charter, Mr.. Tighe was
perhaps the most active, and the ac-
companying letter of resignation is of
more than usual Importance:
Reasons for Resigninq.
Il take this course for several rea-
sons, some of which it would be I'M
profitable to specify, but one of which
Is of other than personal interest:
The duties of the position are quite
onerous, and in the past have reauir-
ed the expenditure of much time and
the exercise. of considerable pains
taking effort on the part of all the
commissions members. and promise
to require still, more time and effect
in the future. This is only to be ex-
pected, and any citizen who accepts
the appointment WILL as a matter Of
course, gladly give to the work the
energy and attention it demands, pro-
Vided an adequate return in the Shape
OF the public good, can thereby be Sc
cured.
But, in my judgment, it is not pos
sible, under existing legislation, for
the commission to accomplish much
of value in the direction of amending
the charter. There are many defects
and omissions in the instrument. This
is inevitable, both because of over
sights in it's original drafting, and be-
cause of changes in the local situation
since its adoption. These defects and
omissions obtain more or less in all
it's chapters, but appear especially
conspicuous to me in the chapters hav-
ing to do with the fiscal affairs of the
city, because it is to these 1 have
given chief attention.
More Money Needed.
"There are urgent demands from
many departments of the city for in
creased appropriations, and it is not
possible to question the propriety and
justice of most of them. The fire
board, for example, is confronted with
task which cannot be performed
when it tries to protect the city and
pay it's employees living wages on $215,-
900 a year. And in general the scheme
of fixing maximum of expenditures in
the face of varying conditions, is en-
tirely impracticable." -
But, even If it is admitted that I'M
der the vague and incomplete ~proyis-
ions of the enabling act on the subject
of amendments, any amendments can
be made with safety, 1t is certain that
increased appropriation can be had
only at the expense of increased taxa
ton. AS the law now stands, we of the
ton col VI
forced to pay in cash the debts in
cured by a. past generation for pub
lie improvements, and evidenced by
maturing bonds, and at the same time
have to pay in full in cash for the pub
lie improvements which We are max
ing and the benefit of which will be
enjoyed for a half century or longer
yet to come. We pay out of current
taxes for the school building construct
ed twenty years ago OF, more, and also
for new school buildings, which our
children's children will use: The re-
suit is that we have the alternatives
of a tax rate which would paralyze
our local industries and the forego-
ing of improvements which are essen
tial to our progress and development
as a city.
System Is Wrong.
s0This condition is intolerable, and
vet the charter commission is power
less to help it, because its hands are
tied by the provisions of the act OF
the legislature to which it owes It's
existence. This compelS system or
municipal finance which is at war with
all sound scientific principles, and is
impractical in the highest degree. Sub
iect always to the question as to oper-
atiye value of the sections having to
do with amendments, the commission
can, perhaps, make some feather
duster changes in the charter which
will. in an inefficient and temporary
way. count for good. But 1 do not
believe that it can accomplish any
thing which will permanently ana
wisely relieve the situation, and at the
same time not further increase the
tax burdens on real property until the
legislature radically amends the en-
ahling act think that the theory OF
local government, which the charter
represents, is intelligent and deslfaple'
and that it was fortunate the city TOOK
advantage of the law, as 1T did; put'
in nv opinion, the further appilca-
tion of the theory will have to be ar
rested. except to the extent suggest
ed. until after we get some remedial
legislation from the capitol. Until that
time I regard effort in the needed dl-
rection as quite futile in any. pfoad
sense" a.,
In the late attempts to amend the
charter for the benefit of number OF
the city departments, Mr.. T1ghe~ was
probably the most strenuous IN ms
argument against it. He admitted IN
accuracies. but feared tamperlng