El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1911-05-13
CITY HOME RULE IN
81. LOUIS Has
STRONG HOLD
Many Difficulties Had to Be
Overcome But All Were
Conquered.

ST Louis. No, May 13-In times past
the government of the typical American
city was so controlled and regulated by
the state legislature and special legis-
lation affecting adversely interests of
the individual city was so often enacted
that many states Incorporated provis-
ions in their constitutions prohibiting
the legislature from passing any law
with reference to one city that did not
apply to all cities alike. This provis-
ion helped along the good government
advocates in their effort for the i'm
provement of municipal conditions
But 1t remained for ST. Louis to
demonstrate to the world the fact that
when a city is given the right to rule
its own affairs without let or him
drance from any power higher up, 1t Is
bound to make some Improvement in
its internal affairs. In 1875 Missouri
had a constitutional convention. The
delegates from ST. Louis were sent to
that convention with instructions to
insist upon provision which would
allow their city to build its own char
ter, and which would force the legisla-
ture to keep it's hands off ST. Louis
affairs.
Partially Successful.
The attempt was at least partially
successful, for the convention knew
that without the support of st. Louis
the constitution might not be ratified
by the people. The completed instru-
ment provided that cities with more
than 100. 900 population might make
their own charters in conformity with
the constitution and laws OF the state.
and that the charter should be drafted
by a committee of freeholders duly
chosen The constitution also laid
down some other guiding principles,
such as the provision that there should
be a mayor and two-chamber council,
at least one branch of which should be
elected at large.
But In the main ST Louis had be-
come master OF its own destiny. A
board of freeholders was elected with
authority to frame a charter for SUBJ
mission to the people. This charter
was drafted, submitted and adopted.
The restrictions imposed by the consti
tuition somewhat restricted full free
dom Of action. but the new charter
was such an improvement that home
rule became a fixed principle of mu-
nicipaI government In 1880 California
followed suit with a home rule consti-
tuition provision applicable to cities of
100000. The charters under this pro-
vision were to be approved by the leg
islature but it could not amend them,
perfunctory duty. So well did the home
rule provision work that in 1887 1t
was extended to cities of 10000 popula-
ton, and in 1890 still further extended
to embrace towns OF $500. There were
some provisions in the California con-
stitution which were found to mitigate
against the absolute independence of
the cities controlling their local affairs.
and the constitution was twice amend
ed-in 1892 and 1Ss6-in a way that
took away from the legislature the last
vestige of right to interfere with a
city government in the conduct of its
local affairs.
The. example of California was fol-
lowed in 1889 by the state of Washing
ton, which gave home rule to cities of
20. 600 population and upward In 1896
Minnesota followed suit. giving a fair
dc gree of home rule to all cities with
in its borders. Colorado joined the
procession in 1902 Oregon in 1906,
Oklahoma in 1907. and Michigan in
1908. In every state where the home
rule doctrine OF city charter making
has been applied there has been a gen.
eral tendency toward charters more |