The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-11-03
What Other People Think
MIR. walker on the New Charter.

Mr., walker on the New Charter.
To the Editor of The Journal.
In yonr editorial reviewing the letter
which 1 sent to The Tribune, you called
attention to the fact that the San Fran
cisco charter is SO radically different from
the proposed charter now before our peo-
pie, for ratification that my objections
We're not valid, as they did not apply<to
this charter. I tried, at least to ex-
plain fully that this charter draft is
only a preliminary outline entirely out Of
accord with the reform idea which has
prevailed for the past many years in Min
sneapolis and is intended only as frame
work which is to be reformed into, the
F.. kind, of >. charter, which has. heretofore
peen offered for ratification and which
the people have failed to accept; that
TINS charter provides, thru the agency OF
the so-called sugar-coated Home Rule
and the unlimited ability to issue bonds
whereby this charter will, thru the agency
OF future amendments from this facility
Tor making amendments, develop it into
1ull-Hedged reform charter of the only
KIND that the reformers have had or.do
now have in mind; that out of this will
eventually come form of charter which
Will place the city in the hands of "a
political power that will control the CITY
IN the same general manner that it has
In San francisco and in all the cities of
this country where it has been applied
since the Philadelphia charter of 1885.
You ask how we are ever to reform
our charter if no agencies other than
those now existing are to be; provided(
To make our present charter an ub-
to-date instrument, as admitted by the
charter commission, and as presented
in this draft submitted for approval.
does not include any material changes
other than these two methods Of max
Ing radical changes in it, and if it is
up-to-date. excepting these provisions.
IL is certainly not a patchwork as
has been so repeatedly but unjustly urged
against 1t. And if no other material
changes are necessary to make it a COM
piete government. why not let it alone
IN place of providing agencies for max
ing II into such a concentrated govern
ment as the reformers have in mind?
In place of our present charter being
a patchwork it is a practically COM
plete form of city government that needs
no radical changes, especially on lines
| that have been SO persistently insisted
upon by our reformers. 1t has given
US. a better itNgovernment than found
! in any. Of the leading cities which have
been refofn1edS=on the plans that the
reformers have been insisting upon TO
take it's place. Z
And in addition to the former idea
OF concentration of power, this one pro
vides the method of unlimited indebted
| ness, for socialistic control of public
utilities, the addition of each one fof
which will be to more securely and for
ever fix the hold on the city government
which the political ring will have which
cannot be defeated, as it will give a
sufficient additional political strength to
give the ring perpetual control If these
provisions are not intended for this pur-
pose, then they are certainly not ESSEN
tial In reference to our present charter
as ,re-submitted now, as it is furnishing
and has furnished us a good city govern
+ ment, If not the best. and one under
which. we have prospered and lived in
fairly satisfactory manner. -
II. B. Walker.
Minneapolis. Nov. g. Ia.