The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1905-01-24
ASTORIA CHARTER.


A copy of the charter that was in
troduced in the session of the last
legislature in 1908, and vetoed by Gov
ernor Chamberlain at the request of
the Burns Smith contingent Of the
democrat party is in this Office. II con-
tains exactly the same provision in
corporated into the Tuttle charter, pro-
viding that the city elections shall be
held in June of each year instead of
December, and continuing all the Off
GERS elected in Office until the general
election in June. What objections
could anyone have to this amendment?
1t saves the city at least $400 annually
in holding elections; it cuts out one
election every year and requires only
one election in two years. This would
save the necessity Of voters register
ing every year, as all voters can reg
lister for both city and county elections
at one time. This saves an additional
expense of 5000. This in substance is
the charter vetoed by Governor Cham
berlain and is incorporated in the
amendments to the Tuttle charter. All
other amendments proposed by the
common council remain unchanged
The only possible objection that can
be raised to the new charter is that
it snortens the term of A. NJ. Smith
six months, while it lengthens the
terms of all the other officers six
months. There are not 20 democrats
in Astoria who are opposed to the
change. Nine-tenths of the people of
Astoria are in favor of it. In fact,
the only two persons objecting to it
are A. M. Smith, democratic city at
torney, and Jack Burns, democratic
member Of the council, and VINO aspires
for the democratic nomination for sher-
iff, supported by the official organ Of
the Swilltown Board of Trade. The
Budget, recognized as the organ of the
democratic party, is not opposed to
the amendment. No man who is in
terested in an economic administration
OF city affairs is opposed to it. The
chamber Of commerce has a member
ship Of 120 members representing all
the large tax payers Of Astoria, and
they are in favor of the amendment.
The common council, or rather the five
democrats who constitute the majority
of the council are simply representing
the democratic Office holders and no
one else. They have forfeited all rights
TO represent the people of Astoria,
when they allow political opinions to
overshadow an economic administra-
tion in their efforts to legislate Demo-
Gratis into office. When politics are
held paramount to the business of the
city, it is time amendments are put
to the charter to put stop to political
jobbery and chicanery.
There is not an amendment proposed
In the Tuttle charter but what is in
the interest of economy and the good
government Of the city Of Astoria. The
democrats refused to declare vacancy
in the police commission when they
had the authority to do so, and even re-
fused to listen to overtures by the re-
publicans appointing one democrat and
one republican leaving the commission
as at present. City Attorney Smith
admits that they made mistake in not
doing this, and all tnat the Tuttle char
ter proposes is to do what the demo-
Gratis refused to do and which it was
their duty to do. The legislature Of
Oregon is republican and the Astoria
charter is made a party measure and
viii pass both houses and If vetoed by