The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-12-23
MAYOR DELIVERS
HIS ULTIMATUM
SHOWS COUNCIL HIS STAND ON
CONTRACTS.
Says His Construction of Charter Is
That Contracts Shall Be Awarded by
Resolution, and Declares He Will Be
Governed, Regardless of Result, by
this Interpretation.

Much interest is being manifested
tween Mayor David P. Jones and the
Patterson Street Lighting company,
backed by the city council. If there is
any real fighting spirit in Mr.. Patterson
and his aldermen they will have the
battle of their lives, for the mayor has
retained Emanuel Cohen as his chief of
staff and is ready for the first on
slaught, whether it, be an attempt by
mandamus to compel him to sign the
lncandescent lighting contract, or some
other. proceeding. j.
That the mayor has not been carrying
chip on his shoulder is shown by the
language Of his communication to the
council last evening. After making it
plain that he CONSTITUTES the charter to
provide that all contracts, and particu-
larry those for street lighting, shall be
awarded by resolution, and expressing
contracts except that of the Patterson
company, he made the following signifi-
cant statement: 49,
The Mayors 'tDef.'' =
Tin regard to future expenditures of
public money, the proceedings will be
much simplifed if your honorable body
will authorize such expenditures by res
olution only and L respectfully suggest
that that course be adopted; but wheth-
er you continue the present custom or
accept my suggestion, your action will,
your understanding Of the charter and
your desire to comply with it's provis
ions.
In case, however, you find your
selves unable to coincide with my view
while I have the highest respect for
your judgment, [ shall be constrained
to follow out the mayor S duty, as I
read it in the charter. This will require
me to express, in such form as the char
Of all acts Of the council directing the
expenditure of public moneys.
IL shall regret greatly if any differ
ence Of opinion arises between us upon
the subject. My desire is to cooperate
with the council in furthering public in
terests, and I shall do so, so far as I
may, without infringing on the duties
which the charter imposes on the mayor
Of the city, ...
Mayor Cites Point.
The mayor bases his position on Sec
ton 5 chapter 4, of the city charter
which defines the powers and duties of
the city council. The section gives the
council authority to make and enforce
ordinances and paragraph II Of this
section includes the lighting Of the city
as one of the subjects on which the
council may ordain. Section II of the
| ers Of the council cannot well be exer
cised by ordinance then the council
may exercise any Of the powers by the
passage of resolutions. Nowhere, as fa1
as has been discovered by the mayor
is there any authority for awarding
| contracts by mere motion. ~ - 80
Since the organization of the mum
| clpallty the only method of awarding
contracts was by resolution or ordi
nance as provided and this method pre-
vailed until Joseph L. Kiichi, Dec. 81
! 1899, secured the passage Of the follow
ing notion:
"That the city clerk be and is here
by requested to embody all motions ant
resolutions referred to in the report O.
any standing or special committee, il
the committee report''
D.. Previous to the passage Of this mo
ton the form of a committee report il
awarding contracts was as follows:
Changes in Form.
"Your standing committee on ga
to whom was referred the bids for ga
lighting respectfully report and recon
mend that the contract be awarded t.
the Minneapolis Gaslight company an
that the resolutions herewith submitte
be passed by your honorable body.'
Then followed the formal resolution
which was sent to the mayor for hi
approval and was atterward publishe
in the official paper.
In order to save the expense of pub
fishing long string of resolutions, M
} KiichG presented the above mentione
} plan for curtailing the method or pro
cedure and the form Of the committe
reports became as follows:
'Your stan'ding committee on gas t
! whom was referred the bios for stree
, lighting respectfully report and recon
mend that the proper city officers b
, and are hereby authorized and directe
} to execute contracts with the followin
named FIRMS
c1 q,