The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1911-05-11

for constituting In lieu Of TO mean In
addition to'?" the Judge asked.
Legislators Short On Grammar. +
why. your honor. legislators don't
frame laws 10 conform 10 your hon
or's idea OF grammar or Mr.. Hally's,
but that Is clearly what the legisla'
ture neant."
Mr.. Baker based his unusual inter.
probation on 40 years intimate con
nection with charter and city legis'
lation.
why, I've slept with the city char
ter for 40 years" he said. Back In
1875, made a complete revision OF
II, and presented II to the Legislature
In the form OF a bill, but such strong
opposition developed that | withdrew
II from consideration. There Is not a
branch OF the city government
haven't been In contact with In litiga
ton In the past 40 years. | know all
about that charter"
Mr.. Baker reiterated the contention
made Tuesday, that the school and H.
brary budgets are Independent OF any
limitation 10 which the other city
budgets may be subjected. and the
police taxes. he claimed, are really
levied by the state and hence are al
most exempt from limitation.
And It is not for the corporation
say that they are illegal" he added.
Calls Special Acts Illegal.
A question arose during the argu-
ments as to the right OF the legis-
lature, under the new constitution.
TO pass special acts affecting citisa:
Attorney Baker contended that II had
no such right and declared that the
water board bin and the art increas-
ing the bonding limit OF the city of
Detroit from two to three per cent
are both Illegal Mr.. Hally took the
opposite view, arguing that the leg
islature had the right to pass a spe-
cial act where a general act would
not apply. II Bakers contention
were true, he said. all the bonds au-
thorized by the estimators and the
common council this year in excess
OF $212,0 900, the margin left under the
old two per cent limit, were illegal.
Il was under the impression that
the new constitution prohibited spe-
cial legislation" broke In Judge Muir
I'm
at is permitted within the limita-
ton have stated" replied Mr.. Hal
ly.
when I was In the Legislature"
said the court, the passage of
special acts was considered one OF
the greatest evils of the time, and,
40 nj oil ON IN
put a stop TO this evil have failed.
II the legislature can pass a law in
oreasing Detroit's bond limit what
Is to prevent the passage OF a bill
re-creating three-men board Of
workB7"
There would be nothing to pre-
vent that II. In the opinion of the ju-
dietary, local conditions were such
as to warrant such a change. and a
general act would not apply"
Then the effort to secure uniform
legislation in Michigan has failedf"
There never has been any idea ex-
cept In the minds Of few people,
that we were gaining uniformity by
adopting the homo rule bill. Home
rule means lack of uniformity. That
Is, each city Is left to govern itself
within certain limitations, which
constitute a sort of skeleton frame.
II doesn't interfere with the power
of any city to issue bonds, for In
stance, and the legislature still has
power to increase the bonding limit
IL the conditions warrant, as was
done In our case"
Mr.. Baker also contended that the
amendment to the home rule bill
permitting piecemeal legislation was
illegal
Under the constitution, he argued,
It was necessary for city to have a
general charter revision before 1t