The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1907-09-07
VOTE FOR THE CHARTER.

HeaPoilS VIII have d CIldHCe on Tue
18th Of this month to pass upon the
merits of a proposed home rule char
ter. This is an exceedingly important
election and it is to be hoped that d
large vote will be cast. We fear that
voters are not alive to the Importance
Of securing the new charter. 1t is
conceded on all sides by those who
have given the subject the least bit
of attention that Minneapolis needs a
fundamental local law. 1t is to the
city what the constitution is to the
state. 1t prescribes the duties and the
powers of its officers and defines and
limits the legislative authority of the
city council. The present charter was
adopted in 1881 when Minneapolis was
a small city. AS the city grew the leg
islature amended the charter twenty
nine times in attempts to meet chang
ing conditions. In the latter years
the people of the state adopted con-
stitutional amendment which prohibits
special legislation and thus made it
impossible for the legislature to change
our charter. In 1896 another amend
ment was adopted by the people Of the
state to the state constitution making
amend their own charters under GER
tain conditions st. Paul and Duluth
have taken advantage of this enabling
act and have adopted new charters.
For some reason the voters of Min
neapolis have never taken sufficient in
terest in this important matter and the
required number Of votes to adopt a
new charter has never been secured.
The enabling act provides that the
voters Of cities Of a certain class, in
which class Minneapolis is. may bring
themselves under a new charter when
four sevenths of all persons voting at
any election vote in favor of the pro-
posed charter. Four attempts have al
ready been made to secure new char
ter. All these attempts were made at
general elections and those who failed
to vote upon the charter. although vot-
ing for candidates upon the ticket. in
effect voted against the charter. At
every election so far held at which a
charter proposition was submitted to
the people a large majority of the peo-
pie voting upon the question voted in
favor of change. but the number of
those who did not take a sufficient
interest in the matter, or who from
lack of knowledge refrained from yot-
ing. was sufficient in every instance to
prevent the securing of four sevenths
majority of all those voting. At the
last election over $4,000 votes were cast
on the charter question. of which 10000
were in favor. but inasmuch as there
were about 10000 votes cast in the
not secured. The purpose of the special
election is apparent At this election
only those sufficiently interested in the
question to vote upon it will go to the
polls, for the charter is the only aues-
ton to be voted upon. 1t will be DOS
sible to secure a fair expression of
those favoring and opposed. Those
who have no interest in or no opinion
upon the matter will not count this
time.
The proposed new charter is not a
radical change. 1t is for the most part
the old charter, but if adopted it will
put the city in position where it can
amend its own charter without appeal
| ing to the legislature for help, which
since the Constitutional amendment
prohibiting special legislation can dc
little or nothing. If the new charter
! is adopted it can be amended at any
election. general or special. by three
| f1fths majority Of those voting. and
amendments may be submitted and
framed by a charter commission APP
pointed by the district judges. These
/
time that five per cent. of the voters
demand the submission of any amend
ment. The chief benefit to be derived
from the adoption of the proposed char
ter will be the fact that it will enable
the people of the city to legislate TO,
themselves. The slight changes made
in the new charter over the charter now
existing are in themselves not very
important. The most important ones
are the prohibition placed upon the
city council of granting franchises TO,
more than twenty-five years, and pro-
viding for the submission to a popula,
vote on a petition of twenty per cent
of the voters of every proposed gran,
of franchise. and the further prohibit
F: ton upon the city council of vacatina
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