The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1911-01-11
|OMMOh COUNCIL



.r1fe prejudice against the interest or
- people In such an undertaking as the
rQFaisal Of street railway properieS
Rssoived' That this body. the De-
|roH Federation OF Labor In meeting as
cmbled this 2sth day of December. does
&ereby protest against the employment, NJ
conduct or have anything to do with the
0pDraisal OF the ID. u. II. property.
Resolved. That the Secretary or the
Defroit Federation OF Labor be inSt,ue ,,
and the City Council copy Of this pro-
signed:
VIM. X. BENSON,
e. 8. MOORE,
pa ID. j. ROSEBERRY,
M. p. BRADY,
III. j. MAGUIRE,
Introduced by:
G. 4. DOWN,
h JNO. ]. ScANNELL,
sf Il. j. MURPHY,
IN THOS. ID. BARNELL,
JOHN M. COOK,
WIN. H. QUIGLEY,
NJ ]. SHIPMAN.
Board or Organizers and Business
Adopted by Detroit Federation OF
Q Labor, December %, 1910.
JOHN j. SCANNEL.L,
Sec'y Pro Tenn.
Accepted and placed on file.
IA FROM THE SAME
/ no the Honorable the Common Council:
Gentlemen--I beg to advise your Hon
oroble Body that l have been informed
BY the Commissioner OF Public Works
| that OF the total number OF election
booths at his disposal. but l62 are In
condition that would warrant their use
at the ensuing election.
masmuch as there are 1855 voting pre-
clncts IN the city: and. further In view of
the circumstance that about 81 precincts
require two booths each l would re-
able Body provide funds for the construc-
tton OF not less than 40 now booths in
time to make them available at the com
ing election and TO that end suggest the
reference hereof TO the Committee on
Ways and Means.
Respectfully yours.
CHARLES A. NICHOLS.
City Clerk
Accepted and Recommendation concur
FROM THE SAME
To the Honorable the Common Council:
Gentlemen-The United Engineers OF
Detroit congratulate you on the accom-
plishments or the vast year, and having
. kindly feeling for your social welfare
during the coming year we take pleasure
An inviting your Honorable Body TO par
tolpate in our annual ball tonight after
adjournment. at the Wayne Hotel Pa
Yours very truly.
va C.. A ELLIS,
~ President United Engineers.
Accepted and placed on file.
M&a FROM THE SAME.
TO the Honorable the Common Council:
Gentlemen-I beg to call your atten-
<tion 70 the urgeSt necessity OF increas-
ing sthe number OF election districts In
the city at the earliest possible date.
There are now 81 districts which eN-
\ coed the $50 districts prescribed by the
: Charter In the number OF registered
voters and the larger portion of these
show an excess OF 500 while others
ahow more than 1000 registrations.
There Is continual criticism OF the To-
cal election system which Is directed
most particularly at the great delay In
securing returns and the errors that
are made in counting after the polls
are closed. To remedy conditions an
elaborate counting system was devised
tral Counting Board IL failed as a
remedy and has been abolished.
Various schemes have been suggest
"a for Improving conditions but be-
lieve that the one practicable solution
OF the problem Is In greatly increasing
the number of election districts and
correspondingly reducing the limit OF
rogistered voters TO each district, I'm
der present conditions the task or
connting and tabulatfng and making
the returns after an election or the
dertaking Of which the ordinary citi-
ZEN. who has never had anything to do
With this work. has no conception. The
greater number OF votes that are cast
IN q district, the more complicated the
work. The little election booths are
totally Inadequate to the size of the
districts as they at present exist and
the work in the election houses, after
the close Of the polls. is done as we all
know, under conditions that are far
from satisfactory. The men are
cramped for room and in the handling
Of heavy vote In a district are great
~ handicapped by these conditions BY
roducing the number OF votes In any
district to the lowest practicable limit
condftfons are Immediately improved.
With a registration limit OF 400 voters
=, complete readjustment OF the condi-
tions would be effected. The time re-
Quired to count the ballots would be
y reduced In proportion and the possihil-
+ ~ of making errors proportionately
rGduced. In fact with the small cleo
tien districts I believe we would get
QVick election returns and an accur-
At count. Under existing conditions
& 1ttis not to be wondered at that mis-
tG.kes are made and that the returns
~ not to be had Tor many hours af-
+ III the polls close. The men of the
pIecinct boards. as a general thing.
4 ~ not to blame. They do their work
4 r4markably well when II Is considered
Z 0At they have to, start work at an
& o@rly hour In the morning and stay on
4 ~ Job until II Is finished. no matter
a H1w many hours II may take. Compell
4 1IIx these men TO count from 500 to 300
n v4tes after the conclusion OF an ordin-
a NY days work Is too much If they
III nave no more than $50 TO 500 votes to
4 count they could do their work quick
" AID accurately and the existing evils
.-WDuld be entirely corrected.
have analysed conditions very
c4efully In preparing for election and
4 nave reached the conclusion that the
best good will result In reducing the
& total registrations in any district TO
n fte lowest possible practicable limit.
h mink that 300 should be the highest
limit of registration in any district to
aGcomplish the desired result.
In connection with my recommended
ton I beg TO inform you that II was
fonnd necessary at the last election
/ ~ employ two extra clerks in upwards
Of 80 Of the larger districts to assist in
the work OF election. 1t was also
found necessary TO join election houses
toEether for the convenience of the
v4ters In great many districts. All
81 this of course involves great addi-
fIbnal expense to the election and Is
not at all a satisfactory plan of pro-
<1durc.
yrhe election districts az at present
0Nided are out of all proportion and
~ above stated 81 are I'm excess OF the
prescribed limit of the Charter With
TIE next registration this spring, sew
cal hundred names will be added to
#<Me books and at the general registra-
thu for the presidential election, there
</ll probably be an increase OF several
GAoueand votes In the city Action
1Mould be taken Immediately to bring
01out charter amendment which will
0Irmit the correction OF the existing
additions.