The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1908-07-03

electors of each cts and village shall
have power and authority 10 frame,
adopt and amend It's charter, and,
through its regularly constituted au-
thority, TO pass all laws and ordinances
relating 10 Its municipa. concerns sub
ject TO the constitution and general
laws OF this state.
Sec. %. Anv city or village may ac-
quire. own. establish and maintain
either within or without its corporate
limits parks. boulcvards. cemeteries,
hospitals. slmshouses and all works
which Involve the public health or
safety.
Sec. 2s. Subject 10 the provisions OF
this constitution. any city or village
may acquire. own and oserate, either
within or without ITS corporate limits,
public utilities for supplying water,
light. heat. power and transportation
70 the municipality and the inhabitants
thereof; and may also sell and deliver
water heat. power and light without
It's corporate limits to an amount not
to exceed twenty-five per cent Of that
furnished, by it within the corporate
limits; and may operate transportation
lines without the municipality within
such limits as may be prescribed by
law; Provided, That the right TO own
or operate transportation facilities shall
not extend TO any city or village of
less thar twenty-five thousand inhab-
stants
Sec. "a. When a city or village is au-
ihorized TO acquire or operate any pub
lie utility. II may issue mortgage bonds
therefor beyond the general limit OF
bonded Indebtedness prescribed by
law: Provided, That such morris gage
bonds Issued beyond the general limit
OF bonded Indebtedness prescribed by
law shall not impose any liability upon
na4-A Niix ll.acr ht,t chon hn
cured only upon the property and rev.
enues Of such public utility, including
franchise stating the terms upon
which, In case of foreclosure, the pur-
chaser may operate the same, which
fra nchisc shall in no case extend for a
longer period than twenty years from
the date OF the sale OF such utility and
franchise on foreclosure.
Sec. Is. No city or village shall have
power to abridge the right OF elective
franchise. TO loan Its credit, nor TO as
sess. levy or collect any tax or assess
ment for other than a public purpose.
Nor shall any city or village acquire
any public utility or grant any public
utility franchise which Is not subject
to revocat ton at the will OF the city or
village, unless such proposition shall
have first received the affirmative vote
OF three-fif1hs Of the electors Of such
ular or special municipal election; and
upon such proposition women taxpay-
srs having the qualifications OF male
electors shall be entitled to vote.
The foregoing provisions for the govern
ponas fs' ana ys sss n
ton. They supersede Sec. 49, Art ", and
Secs. 10 and IA, Art. XIV. so far as said Sec
lions relate 10 cities and villages
The provisions herein contained are de-
sign ID TO meet the modern conditions affect
Ing municipal affairs; to authorize through
appropriate legislation that which has here
tofore baen denominated Home Rule"
These provisions constitute a marked ad-
vance from the present constitutional provi-
sions relating to cities aud villages by doing
away with the principle OF classification and
with special charters, granted and subject
10 amendment only by the state legislature.
The purpose is TO invest the legislature with
power 10 enact into law such broad general
principles relative to organization and ad-
mnistration as are may be common 70 al
| cities and all villages each city being left
TO frame, adopt and amend those charter pro-
| visions which have reference TO their local
! concerns. The most prominent reasons Of
| fered for this change are that each munich
! pality is the best judge Of its local needs and
the best able to provide for its local necesri-
! ties; that inasmuch as special charters and
| their amendments are now Of local origin
! the state Legislature will become much more
! ef1cient and It's terms much shorter if the
! labor or passing upon the great mass of de.
! tail incident 10 municipal Affairs is taker
/ from that body and given into the hands Of
/ the people primarily interCcted
Under these provisions cities and villages
as under the present constitution, will re-
| main subject TO tho constitution and all the
| general laws Of the state
! The transfer of the powers OF Legislation
| from the state legislature to the people Of
/ the municipalities or their representative!
/ necessitated the imposition OF certain check,
and prohibitions designed to secure conserva
! tive action on the part Of those to bpcoul,
responsible for the future conduct of sucl
enGirs. so far as these checks and pro
hiblticns have formerly been in the hands OF
the common councils, relating to franchises
and the acquiring of public utilities they ar,
now made subject to the vote OF three-fft
OF the electors OF the municipalities TIL,
| p2ySr to limit the rate OF taxation and re
sui2t TIE power OF borrowing money an
contracting debts is left to the legislature
| as in the present constitution, where it ma,
| be subject to such changes as may be mad,
necessary by changing conditions. The RICH
conferred TO establish certain essential in
situations involving public health and safet,
and to acquire the public utilities named. i,
| conceived to be in line with the general priv
lieges or home rule ard one placing within
| the hands of municipalities under the re-
strctions named, certain powers for potent,a
! competition with such corporations as from
| the very nature of the service required O
! them are monopolies
The power granted municipalities to .eI
! ana deliver water, heat, power and ligh
| without their corporate limits to a limited
: extent, Is designed to prevent the duplication
! allow the extension of the benefits of sucf
! Improvement TO territory not sufficiently pop
| ulous to warrant the establishment OF sucl
! utilities as either public or private enter
| prise; while the limitations are such as Il
! prevent the municipality going into sucl
work as purely commercial venture
General Provisions
Sec. 26. The legislature may by gen.
eral law provide for the laying out
construction. Improvement and mainte.
nance of highways, bridges and cul.
verts by counties, DISTRICTS anC
townships; and may authorize counties
! OK DISTRICTS 10 take charge and
! control OF any highways within thei,
limits for such purposes. The legisla.
tire may also by general law prescribe
| the powers and duties OF boards of su
| perry. jors in relation to highways
! bridges and culverts; may provide fol
county and district road commissioners
to be appointed or elected with such
! powers and duties as may be prescribed
! by law; and may change and abolish the
| powers aud duties of township com.
| missioners and overseers Of highways
| The legislature may provide by law FOL
submitting the question of adopting 9
county or district road system to the
! electors OF the counties or proposed
| districts, and such road syVtem shall
not go into operation I'm any county on
district until approved by majority
| of the electors thereof voting on sucf
| question. The tax raised for road pllr-