The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1904-07-27
DIR. OHAGE PROTESTS
TO CHARTER MAKERS.
Continued From First Page


parent interest and when he had fin
lshed with his threat to resign unless
the matter was amended the body de-
Ciued to make the amendment and au-
lhoflzed j. c. Michael to draw up an
amendment such as was suggested by
Or. Ohage for submission to the COM
MISSION when it meets on the evening
of Aug. 3.
Besides this action the commission
passed three proposed amendments.
Inc shrst of these is substitute for the
one numbered eight and dealing with
the payment for lands acquired by con-
demnation proceedings for park pur-
poses The substitute provides that
such lands as are condemned for park
purposes shall be paid for in nine
months time. Under the present tax
limitations and regulations this would
practlcaliy be to make the payment for
the lands so condemned a charge on
the general fund Of the city.
Amendment No. I'll was the second
passed. This amendment is to author
lie the acquisition of building line
easements into the jurisdiction of the
city council, and the commission de-
cided that it was cumbersome and
clumsy and the amendment was drawn
to place the handling Of such matters
III the hands of the board Of public
works.
The third amendment adopted by
the commission was one to limit the
amount of any special assessment lev
led against any lot or ground to %
per cent of the assessed valuation of
that particular lot or. ground.
MIR. Michael Objects
Mr.. Michael objected to the amend
| ment and said zthatssthe present law
required that no assessment should be
q acS1ir 1Cf ar.fxy
where the benefits of. the improve
ment would not be equal to the tax.
He also pointed out that under the tax
Hm1ta tons sabutting property on some
great proposed public work which
would be vastly benefited by the i'm
provement would have to be taxed
more than 25 per cent as a matter of
equity.
He said that the passage of the pro-
posed amendment might forever pre-
vent the construction of needed i'm
provements.
The amendment, however, prevailed
Mr.. Sanborn also introduced another
| amendment which did not pass. It
was to base the right to construct
sidewalks. paving and other street i'm
provements on a petition of at least
one-third of the property owners in
each section.
Mr. Michael objected on the grounds
that the city accepted responsibility
| for the streets and was obliged to re-
Spond in damages when they were not
1 maintained, and consequently should
| have the right to maintain them. The
matter was laid over. st,s.si s=-a=issf
Discusses Free Text Books
A rather interesting discussion came
up in the early part of the session on
the subject of a proposed amendment
| to inaugurate a system of free text
books in the st. Paul schools.
Mr.. Ives precipitated the matter by
| making a motion to the effect that
| free text books should be furnished in
| the public schools and that the en-
| forcement of the regulation be placed
| in the hands of the board of educa--
| ton.
| 1t was urged in favor OF the pro-
| posed action that free text books form
| a necessary part of free education and
are a part of its basis Against the
| measure it was suggested that the IN
| discriminate use of school books might
cause contagion.
The commission, however, decided
| to turn the matter down, which was
| DONE
Mr.. Doran then moved that a COM
mittee be named, with Mr.. Ives as Its
| chairman. to look into the matter ana
report to the commission as 10 It's con-
clusions and recommendations.
An examination of the minutes OF
| the last meeting disclosed the fact that
| Mr.. Deran voted in favor of the IN
crease of the appropriation to the hrc
| department instead of against II, as
he was credited with doing IN a morn
| ing paper.