Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1912-01-19
ORDINANCE INTRODUCED TO
TAKE OFF THE LID.
NOW FOR NEW CHARTER
Seven Citizens to be Named to Give
Grants Pass New Instru-
ment.

viii the Grants Pass Sunday clos
ing ordinance be repealed or will it
not be repealed? That is the ques-
tion now before the council. At the
meeting of that body last night an
ordinance was introduced which
reads that ordinance number 212, the
Sunday closing law, be repealed; also
that ordinance SIS, which amends
the former ordinance, in that it ex-
empts picture shows, also be re-
pealed. In other words the instru-
ment introduced last night seeks to
wipe all Sunday closing laws from the
city's books.
The ordinance was not introduced
by any one of the counciImen. II was
prepared outside and handed to the
auditor and clerk to read. 1t was
read once in full, then by title total
two readings. Under the law it goes
over to the next regular meeting
which is February l. when it will be
put on final passage. Then it will
die or be made law, which, If made
a law, means that the lid is off.
Propose New Charter.
At the meeting of the city council
last evening steps were taken to
again put before the people for ac-
ceptance or rejection a new charter
for the city of Grants Pass.
The matter was initiated by Dr. F.
D. Stricken, president of the council,
and presiding in the absence of May
or r. G. Smith An informal discus
sion went around the table and it
was then decided to put the matter
forward in the form OF formal reso-
luton. The resolution was brief,
stating that the present charter of
Il
fit to be used as a governing instru-
ment.
The resolution, when read by
Judge Johnston as clerk of the
council was referred Immediately to
the judiciary committee, approved by
those two councilmen, handed
back to the acting mayor. A motion
was made that the resolution be ad-
opted; it was seconded, and when put
to a vote 1t carried with no nays
audible.
The method of procedure now will
be as was the case with the two pro-
posed instruments which went to de-
feat at the last election, that is the
mayor will name seven citizens
to draw up proposed charter. Ask
ed il he would name the committee
of citizens at once, President Stricken
replied that he would leave that duty
for Mayor Smith, that that was an
important matter, one that he did
not want to take from the mayors
hands. DR.. Stricken stated in aGdi-
tion, however, that If Mayor Smith
has not returned in a week from last
night that he would name the seven
men. He said that the seven should
be representative of all walks Of life,
that there should be no cause for
charges of not sufficient representa-
ton.
The petition of the signers for a
municipal light plant was received
and refs red back to the petitioners
to be put in legal form. It will then
come before the council a second
time.
Asked by representative Of The
Courier IL 1t was contemplated tc
also draw up a commission form oi
government instrument to be sub
mitted with the other DR.. Stricken
said that he supposed not
81 am somewhat inclined to favor
u. the plan adopted at Oregon City. Tha'
town now has a business manager
The council acts in an advisory ca
pacity and legalizes what the bus
mess manager does, hence there II
money saved in many ways and re