The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1909-05-20
DETROIT WINS IN
HOME RULE BATTLE
New Law, Which Becomes Effective
Aug. II, Confers Wide Powers.
On City.


after years OF struggling toward that
end, an assured thing From Aug. IL
ON, the citizens OF the municipality
may shape their own form OF govern
nent. alter and revise their charter,
and will have several new rights as a
city which Detroiters have often
asked.
Ninety days after the adjournment
of the legislature. the home rule bill
will go into effect. From the utter
anceS OF public officials when they
heard that the legislature had finally
psssed the bill, IL viii take until Au-
gust TO find out what Is to be done
with these new lights
AS people in the city hall look at il,
there will be no general revision Of
Detroit's charter at this time Sew
eral amendments are likely 10 be pre-
pared by the common council for sub.
mission to the people. Two things
which come 10 the fore as likely
amendments are proposals to submit
four-man board for It police commits
sf0ner and also 10 bring the water
board finances under the charges of
the council, board OF estimates. con-
|. troller and city treasurer, as is the
case with other city departments.
There are three way i'm which the
charter may be altered: The council
may submit To the people a PROPOSE
ton TO elect charter revision COM
mission and. II the people vote in the
affirmative, commissioners may then
be chosen and their work be voted on
later, thus causing three elections;
secondly. the charter revision conven.
ton may be calle, by petition OF %
I per cent OF the electors who voted for
mayor AT the last election: or. thirdly.
the council may adopt amendments by
two.thirds- vote ana submit them -
the people directly.
The council Hill do the work, "
states President Herman F. link. II
a commission were TO be elected, us
members would not be as familiar
with the needs of the city as we are,
We are close 10 the people who
elected Us and know what they want.
asserted Alderman Field. We can
make such changes IN the charter as
are needed
Aid. lfeineman is not disposed 10
make great haste 10 tinker up the
city,s basic law.
There Is no hurry about playing
with the new toy he puts II. the
great benefit in home rule is not III
being able to get what We want-lor
we could generally get mat Ill Lall'-
ing-but in being able to prevent get
ting what we did not want The legis-
latuie made changes ia our charter
that were not called for
-V Very wide Is the scope of this bill.
The city may alter it's plan OF govern
,nent entirely If the people SO desire
III. liant hn Il
mission plan OF government in which a
certain number Of commissioners run
all departments. or the federal plan
might he adopted. or two or three city
departments consolidated or divided.
All that il requires in the way OF
CITY government is that there be an
executive head who shall be called
the mayor. legislative body of some
kind. city clerk, boards OF assessors
and OF tax review. Beyond that vague
outline. the city may experiment as
fl pleases with its charter.
Corporation Counsel j. j NJ Hally
IS greatly pleased with tie outcome
of the fight for home rule. He IL was
who put the home rule provision IN
the constitution. and II is his bill.
amblified by the legislature, which has
been passed.
only one feature is omitted in this
bill" says Hally we have lost the
power OF condemning property inside
or outside the city except for few
| purposes We may still condemn fof
school purposes and for sewerage out
lets and water supply. ! hope that a
general law in regard to condemnation
of property by cities may pass the
next legislature"
Hally returned to tbe city Tuesday
| night, having spent large portion oil
his time in Lansing during the closing
days OF the session.
BY increasing the bonding limit OF
the city, the home rule bill gives q
chance TO issue a certain amount OF
bonds for purchase OF public utilities
the street railway system being the
most likely subject for purchase
A now bonding limit Of four per
cent, twice the present limit is set
This will increase the amount oil
bonds which the city may issue by
about 81 900 600 4 portion OF this
must be used for the eventual big I'M
movements convention hall. new
Belle Isle bridge, new library and gen
eral hospital. About S4.5O000O will
remain, however, which the city could
use as a partial payment on street rail
ways II the latter were To be acquir
ed.
With this amount paid at once on