The Sewer Socialists [1 & 2] 0874230314

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l-.:Ve~r. .l. f:i:,p I·.. rigti.et, Anseele, and Ferri. Photograp-i by ~rmission of the State Historical s ,. .. ."' :·•

SO~up, Rosa i~, Naokoji, o•Wisconsin.

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••••••· 1·11••1892 a consti t'utional amendment· took ·effect- which 'prohibited the state legislature from enacting special laws with respect to:designated_ matte'rs. • : Among these was city charter amendment. - The making of general laws pertaining to these matters was not affected, however. Classes of cities had been previously specified for purposes of general legislation, and since Milwaukee was the only city in its class, the amendment had little effect in changing Milwaukee's status. But• this was the first major step toward home rule for Wisconsin cities. . . . . . .. : . • . ' ., . .. ' During the ninetie·s ,'• ho~e ~-~ie 'gre~''irito ••~ major political issue. In 1902 the Milwaukee common council began promoting the idea with other. city councils in the state. In 1907 the legislature concede.d the authori.ty to cities of the fi;~t cl.as~, of which Milwaukee was the only o~e, to hold a convention for.;,the. purpose of drawing up a co~prehensive horne,:-rule charter to be s·ubmitted to the next legisiature. The Socialists saw this as a breakthrough in t_he rule of the boodlers and joined enthusiastically in the preparation·. for' a charter cor:ivention.19 • '

Victor; Berger said here was the ],on·g:..waited chance to estab;I.ish· home rule and rnajori ty rule, stop graft, and "meet the needs of a modern, great city". The movement received considerable support, including enqorsernents by many civic, commercial, and religious organizations but not the Chamber of Commerce. Nor Mayor Rose, who, as Historian Still wrote, ... viewed the whole scheme as -an attempt .of the Social Democrats to engraft their "doctrines upon the fundamental law"; and. when it appeared 1,.that the Republicans : and So_cial Democrats were going to control the conven. •,tion ,.. he declared the gathering ,_µpconstitutional--."a ,,vo];unt~ry gathering with no 1·eg;;1\·status", denied it the use of the city hall, and succ.eeded in getting the finance cornmi ttee of the council to refuse funds for its 9}.lpport. , ..But .th_e co~vention went ahead anrpow and d~ew up .a charter that embodied the home-rule pri.nc.iple. The charter was passed. by _the state. senate but killed in the assembly in i909. 20 F~r 18 years before the Soci~list~ came. in.to power, the old patty city fathers had issued bonds to pay for paving work. T~e city borrowed-mo_ney on twenty years, time tq pay fo1: pavements .that wo_re o~_t on an ,~v_erage of seven· years. Thr~e roilli