Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1904-01-27
RuMoRs ABOUT LlTieATlNe
THE CHARTER.

RUMORS ABOUT LITlGAI ING
THE CHARTER.
There have been rumors Of late
that litigation to defeat the Greater
Salem charter would be undertaken.
These statements have been made
from time to time, but with no appar-
ent authority. but they reappear per.
sistently
w. II. Holmes was originally men
toned as the attorney who would
bring the suit that would demolsh
the charter. But he assures the ed.
itor Of this paper that he knows
nothing Of the proposed litigation
and Is not engaged in the case.
Judge Lord, who was justice Of the
supreme court, governor and minis.
ter to Argentine, has been mentioned
as bringing the suit.
He tells The Journal editor such is
not the case; that there is nothing to
/ II. and he hopes the matter will not
be brought up
Tho people will be gratihed to
learn that such able jurlsts as w.
II. Holmes and w. p. Lord, repre-
senting opposite political parties are
not engaged in bringing on expensive
litigation that would hamper the de.
velopment Of the city
These gentlemen show an element
Of practical common sense In not
fomenting a lawsuit that would tie up
the city revenues and plunge the
community in debt and increase tax.
alton
The spirit OF the ablest and best
lawyers is not favorable TO conten. |
tlons that make against the expressed |
will Of the community, for II left to
vote Of Greater Salem the charter
would carry by a large majority.
Under these circumstances II is
creditable to the intelligence Of our
ablest lawyers that they hesitate
about involving the city in a contro.
versy that would accomplish nothing
but strife and dlscord.
The Journal has taken pains to
trace down ali rumors and finds them
without foundation, and there are rea.
sons 10 hope and believe no such
litigation will ever be attempted.
The movement TO secure the new
charter was started by the old Ciu.
zen's council and the Commercial
club, acting In unison
A commission OF Ave members OF
the council and five members OF the
Commercial club all representative
business men, was formed.
This commission held sessions over
a period OF several months. during
which they publicly invited citizens
TO appear before them.
This commission publicly asked all
who were interested to come before
them, and giving such notice re-
peatedly through the press and per.
sonally the charter commission
made It's report
This report was made drst TO the
city council and then to the Com.
mercial club, and each body made a
few minor amendments and adopted
The report Of the commission.
The charter thus completed WAS
then laid before the legislative dele
sation OF Marion county and they
FAILED public session at the city I
hall and heard the friends and the
opponents OF the measure
After a full hearing for several
hours the delegation OF three sena
ors and Ave representatives from q
his county unanimously adopted the
'harter and 1t went through tho leg. T.
stature without dissenting vote. O
Is not this pretty late IN the dav b
@ begin liugaiIon to defeat the char. s
er after a city election has been o
Held under Il and the verdict was IN "
a'or OF those who stood for the char i
err $50" b
The fact is that neither party in
no city election did anything TO b
ring the charter into question. II e.
vas ratification OF the will OF IN, a
'eople as expressed through their b
b
Even the most conservative oiu. d
ems OF North and South salem de. 81
Jared that as the charter was legal.
adopted, aud they did not question
no right OF the legislature. they
.oala not favor lltiwitlou over the n
harter, s