Evening journal., 1912-05-28
OPEN PAMPHLET
FIGHT ON CHARTER

Opponents Of the proposed city
charter which is to be voted on at the
special election on Saturday are
working hard to defeat the measure
One circular in opposition to the
charter which appeared today urges
citizens to oppose the charter because
1T would tie up the city and put il
In the hands of a few men
Some abstracts from the circular
follow:
Under the new charter, Cpage 4
line 146). the few men who would
control the city could create any new
offices they pleased and pay whatever
salaries they pleased. The Council
could vote themselves as high sala-
ties as they pleased, (Section 1S)
THE charter tpsge 4. line 1921
gives a body of officials power t.
pave streets or to make any local int
provements and to charge the entire
expense to abutting property or such
property nearby as in their opinion is
benefited thereby.
THE streets could be paved and re-
paved after being injured by laying
pipes and the expense charged to
abutting owners. without appeal. (P
L, lines 7-S)
"The proposed charter places upon
owners of property the responsible
ity for accidents on footways, even
though they occur from the careless
ness os contractors, workmen, or 9th.
ers than the property owners, except
ing the city corporation. (Section
1851
THE proposed charter authorizes
the destruction Of our present most
efficient. worthy, and economical fire
department, and hands it over to q
board out of the reach of the peo-
pie (Section 63)
"A law has been passed giving
Council power to tax the persons OF
men. women and children. This is to
be enforced on men in June.
"Under the present charter the peo-
pie can protest against this by vote
at any city election.
The proposed charter would take
from the people the right TO pro-
test (Section 14S)
"The proposed charter provides for
Council of nine. each holding office
for four years, to be elected; and q
Board of Administration, consisting ct
five members, appointed by the Coun-
Gil for five years. with whom re-
sponsibility is supposedly placed
Since it takes two years TO change
a majority in the Council and after
that three years to change a majority
of the Board of Administration, graft,
malfeasance. waste and extrava-
gance would be by the charter i'm
pregnably fortified for five years al
the very outset.
This hold-over scheme is very
dangerous as it would give one CLIQUE
or ring power over the city almost
forever In this respect our present
Il charter is much better as the whole
Council is reelected every two years
THE proposed charter authorizes
i the granting of all franchises by pub
lie officials. regardless of the desires
OF the people, and without proper
reservation or provision for the city
4 TO execute its will.
The charter deprives the Mayor ci
all power to veto ordinances appro-
priating money, thus removing an
important check on the part of tn,
citizens representative in preventing
intrigue and fraud (Section 25
lines and 3; Section 30. lines :
and A. II authorizes officials to en-.
. ter into all manner Of expenditures in
public enterprises. without consent
or control on the part of citizens whe
loot the bills. (Section 5. b and eD
The proposed charter makes II
possible to appropriate moneys with.
out the usual thirty day notice
whereby without the check of tho
+ Mayors veto or even knowledge or
the part of the public moneys ma,
be taken and used"