The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1903-04-02
THE PROPOSED CHARTER
Its Features Discussed by an Old and Conserva-
tive Resident who Gives Many Reasons
Why it Should Meet Universal Approval
EDITOR HERALD

On Tuesday next there will be helC
in this city an election which to m.
mind involves the most important is
sue ever presented to the citizens, tax
payers and voters for determination a
the polls-that of accepting or reject
ing "a new charter---the Fundamental
governing law Of the city. Those wht
are familiar with the present charter
appreciate fully how inadequate it il
to meet requirements. 1t is as full o.
Inconsistencies and possibilities as
skinner is of holes. Its worst feat
ure is the fact that it is absolutely
| iphexible--- cannot be changed nol
| amended by any power on earth. 1t
| is a special act of the state legislature,
enacted before the constitutional
amendment prohibiting special legis-
lation was adopted, and under that
amendment to the constitution any
change in the charter is impossible, as
it would be special legislation. Under
the ''hOme-rule law" permitting cit
les to frame their own charters, Sank
Centre, by a commission of fifteen cit
liens appointed by judges Baxter and
Searle, completed a charter a year
ago, which was given the widest pub
licity possible by being printed entire
in both city newspapers, and at that
time fully discussed. This new chart
er. if adopted, may be amended or
changed at any time by vote of the
people at any city election, and
amendments must be submitted to
the people upon the petition of five
per cent of the voters, or about TWEEN
ty-t1ve perSonS---a very simple provision
and easily complied with in case any
change or amendment seems desirable.
In other words the city will have a
flexible charter which can be made tC
keep pace with changing conditions
consequent upon the growth and de-
velopment of the city. The present
charter has long since shown itself
wholly inadequate for the purposes fol-
which it was designed.
To point out few Of the inconsis
; : les Of the present charter, which
! arr DuF samples OF many other equally
; glaring ones: In one place it provides
! that majority vote shall determine
| the issuing of bonds for certain pur
! poses, and elsewhere it provides that
D.! it shall require twO-thirdS vote to d.
! exactly the same thing; one clause
provides that the mayor shall appoint
| a street commissioner, whereas an
other clause provides that the city
council shall elect that officer; there il
a provision that the mayor shall ap
point the city clerk and chief of police
subject to confirmation of the council
and yet under the charter the mayor
may appoint such officers and keel
them in Office during his entire tern
without such confirmation. and as ;
matter Of fact it has been done in Cast
of both officers. There is provision
in the old charter practically impoSsi
bic OF application, which provides tina
one mill tax shall be levied upon the
taxable property of the city for every
thousand dollars of bonded indebted
ness, which at present would ado
| twenty-five mills to the tax rate, max
ing it considerably more than five pei
cent. These are but specimens of the
! incongruitieS and weaknesses Of the
old charter and as above stated, can
not be corrected.
A brief history OF the new charter
The city council, in compliance with
an urgent demand OF citizens, anC
with full knowledge Of the defects ir
| the old charter, decided that a new
one was urgently needed. 1t employed
/ MesSrs. Miner, Barto and Kelsey tC
! draft a charter which would meet the
| requirements of the law and the ne
! cessities of the city. The district
court was then requested to appoint a
commission Of fifteen as provided by
! law to present charter to the people
for it's vote it requiring four-sevenths
of the votes cast to adopt it. The fol
lowing were appointed: NJ. f. Wood
! bury, W. O. p. HilSdale, w. d. Town
! send, Lucas Kells, W. Frank Perry, j
f. Cooper, Chas. Fl. Bennett, Chas f
HendryX, DR.. E. J. Lewis, V. a. Whip
pie, Edward Smith and W. S. Dean
These are representative citizen!
and as to their interests distributed
throughout all lines of business. The
three attorneys who drafted the char
ter were retained as advisers of che
commission, and some OF them were
! present at every meeting Of the com
! mission. The commissioners met il
! open session, inviting the presence
and cooperation of every citizen wh'
! desired to be present, and as matter
of fact on several occasions the invita-
ton was accepted, and such citizens
were given full opportunity to b.
| heard. Fully twenty meetings were
held lasting from two to five hour.
each, and at no meeting were less thar
| EIGHT MON hers nrocapt pro