The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1913-03-19
THE BUSINESS MEN WANT IT
Are Unanimous in Opinion That Time
For Change is Here-Prompt
Action Expected.
The petition was presented this
afternoon.

names attached that have ever been
on a petition in Bemidji, one asking
him to appoint a charter commission
which will submit commission form
OF government charter to the people
OF Bemidji will be presented to Judge
The petition is the result of quiet
campaign for this form of govern
ment which has been going on in Be-
midi for some time. When the first
charter commission was appointed
about two years ago, it was hoped
that it would return a commission
plan, but nothing was done in the
six months required by law and the
commission automatically passed
from existence.
Many Bemidji people have been in
terested in the commission plan for
some time and have been quietly
studying the charters OF cities in
which the scheme is in operation. The
general plan is the same everywhere,
the charters being changed to meet
local conditions. Once Judge Stanton
appoints his commission, it is expect
ed that action will be fast.
The movement for the commission
plan appears to be spreading. Man
kato was the first Minnesota city to
try it but Mankato had to compromise
with the old order OF things and its
charter is not considered model. St.
Cloud has the commission plan work.
ing. Duluth will vote for it's first
commissioners April l, Brainerd will
vote on the plan soon, and Fargo will
vote on the plan April 7.
Fifteen men must be named by
Judge Stanton on the charter COM
mission. They must submit a char
ter to the people within six months
unless granted additional time by the
court. The petition which was
submitted to Judge Stanton was
drawn up by F S. Arnold and circu-
lated by Mr.. Arnold, X X Roe and
Harold Dane. The text and signers
are as follows:
"Whereas each and all of the men,
hers of the board of freeholders ap-
pointed May 81, 1911, as charter
commission for the city Of Bemidji,
have neglected to file within thirty
days their acceptance of such ap-
pointment, contrary to the provisions
of section TAO of the Revised Laws of
1905; and
"WEhereas said members have neg
lected to file within thirty days their
oaths of Office, contrary to the pro-
visions of said section, etc. and
"Whereas said board has neglected
to return within six months Or any
other time to the chief magistrate of
said city a draft of proposed char
ter or charter amendment, contrary
to the provisions Of sections sc arti-
Gle of the state of Minnesota as
amended; and
"Whereas, by reason of the prem
Uses, fifteen vacancies now exist on
said board of freeholders and said
charter commission is dunctns officio;
and
"Whereas we deem it expedient and
for the best interests of said munich
pality that a charter commission or
board of freeholders should be ap-
pointed to consider and draft for the
city charter embodying, among 9th
er things, what is commonly known
as the commission form of govern
ment, and to submit such charter,
through statutory channels, to a
referendum of the voters at the polls;
"Now, therefore, we the undersign-
ed qualified electors of said city, con-
stituting ten percentum or more of
the number of voters as shown by
the returns of the last election held
therein, respectively petition and re-
quest that such charter commission
be appointed, for the purpose afore-
said, pursuant to the constitution of
Minnesota and the laws Of the state
in such cases made and provided"
7continasd % last pago],