The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1909-10-29
+ rom tuesdays Daily.

A few citizens accepted the invita-
ton of the charter commission to be
present at the open meeting last night
and express their views. Only five
members of the commission were pres
ent, but the suggestions offered were
taken down, and will be considered at
future meetings of the board. Most
of the citizens present did not have
any suggestions to make, saying that
they had merely come to listen.
Arthur Schaub was the first speaker.
He admitted that the city needs new
charter very badly, and that there
were many good things in the new
charter recently voted upon, but he
said that it contained some things
that he was bitterly opposed to. He
thought that the city treasurer, city
recorder and assessor should be elected
by the people, as they have more
duties to perform than the mayor and
aldermen. The election of an assessor
by the council has made trouble in
the past There ought to be a limit
placed on the salaries of the city Off
Gals. Another chapter ought to be
added, setting forth the duties of the
council. He believed in the initiative,
but would. have it applicable only at
general elections, and the same applied
to the referendum. Changes in the
state constitution are made only at
the general elections, and what was
done in Mankato was much less impor-
tant. He did not believe in the re-
CALL but did not think that it would
be used much. 1t would be hard to
remove inefficient or negligent officials,
| while it would be easier to remove
good officials who had done wise acts
that were unpopular for the time be-
| ing. At the time of the Broad street
paving it would probably have been
made use of, if it had been in the
charter, although the paving was
greatly needed, and no one now would
want to go back to the old mud
street That Broad street formerly was.
Good officials would be put to the
trouble of special elections by people
who had personal grievances. But the
main objection that Mr.. Schaub had
was to the plan of electing the alder
men at large. He did not think it
wise or right in principle, or that it
would give satisfaction. County COM
missioners were chosen by districts,
and he did not think that if elected
at large better ones would be Sc
cured. He believed in representative
government. He did not object to the
commission plan. He also thought it
terribly unjust to GUST the present
city officials, and if the commission
ers We're elected by wards the present
mayor and aldermen could be retained.
He hoped that when the commission
submitted new charter it would be
one that would be satisfactory to
all.
| C. Z. Keith asked now the commits
sion plan could be adopted and the
old ward system retained, but Mr..
Schaub did not see why there could
not be six commissioners, with one
from each ward
1
| Aug. Blissenbach, editor of The Manka-
to Posa, presented an idea fob 81 own
that he said he had not mentioned to
anybody yet. What was wanted was
a business administration, and the
eliminating of partisanship in city af-
fairs he considered the best feature
of the new charter. But it ought to
60 a little further and do like corpora
tions do. The city should elect a
board of directors, consisting of two
from each ward, who should meet and
elect the mayor and two commissioners
from their own number. The directors
could meet occasionally, like bank di-
rectors, and be the legislative body,
serving without compensation In this
way the best class of officials would
be gotten. The mayor could have
charge of the police, health, parks and
public buildings, and one commissioner
could have charge of the streets, ETC.,
and the other the finance.
Mr.. Schaub did not think that this
was very bad plan. The people
would be satisfied with any plan that
would give ward representation.
| George Atchison favored mayor and
three commissioners, each to be paid
500 month and give his whole time
to the city. The mayor should not
receive more than the aldermen, as the
honor of being mayor was worth some
thing He would have the recall only
at general elections. The welfare of
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