The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1903-02-27

iioyernor Chamberlain, In vst0ing IN
Astoria charter bill. says that be wa
prompted TO do 30 becau2e Of piessuI
brought TO bear by City Attorne
Smith and other Astorians. He ha
returned the bill without his approya
and says In part In explaining his VI
to:
have not heretofore felt called
upon TO interpose a veto upon any
measure OF strictly local interest,
and am induced TO depart from my
usual policy on account OF the fol-
lowing considerations: The city
attorney Of Astoria has called upon
me In person. representing, as he
claims out OF OF the members
Of the council OF Astoria, and pre-
sents TO me the petition OF numer-
GUS citizens. irrespective Of party,
requesting that a veto be interpos-
ed TO the proposed amendment. BY
him ] am advised that the council
Of the city had under consideration
the question Of amending the pres
ent charter, and IL was determined
10 amend sections 2s.49,5o.74,10s and
154, ana bill embodying these am
endmeats was prepared under the
direction Of the council. 1t was
introduced in the house and passed.
When II reached the senate, the bill
as introduced. was further amended
by proposing amendments TO Gee
tons s, II, 10. II. is. 20, a, "A and
12s. This latter amendment was
concurred in by the house.
II is claimed that these latter
amendments were never under con-
sideration either by the members Of
the council or the people Of Astor-
In. and numerous protests against
the charter as II finally passed have
been fled with me by gentlemen Of
unquestioned standing and reputa-
ton IN the city Of Astoria,
whilst only . two of the members
Of the council and the mayor and
one or two other citizens have In
sisted that the act should become
a law.
Under these circumstances, 1t
seems to me that the charter should
not receive executive approval.
In addition to this. an examina-
ton OF the act discloses that It at
tempts to amend two very import
ant sections Of the act Of incorpora-
tion, viz: Sections 8 and 129. but
neither of these sections is mention
ed in the title of the act. The ques-
ton as to the vaiidity Of the amend
ment OF these two sections would
give rise to much litigation, for the
reason that the proposed amend
ment TO section affects the tenure
OF office Of all the elective officers.
and operates to legislate out of offi-
ce at least six members OF the coun-
Gil.
The taxpayers and people within
the limits of incorporated towns
ought to have the largest voice in
legislation affecting their vital in
terests. II 1t had been the desire
Of the people Of Astoria to make
any further amendments to their
charter than those which We're dis
cussed by the city council, such fur
ther amendments should have been
embodied In the bill as It was orig
inally introduced in the house OF rep
resentatives, No great harm can
be done by deferring action upon
the charter until the next session
of the legislature. In the mean
time, the citizens there will have
an opportunity to discuss the mat
ter and present at the next session
an amendment to the charter which
viii at least have tn eapproval of
the majority of the city council and
those whose duty 1t is to enforce
the laws within the corporate linn
its.