The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1911-02-17
AsKLEGIsLATUR[
TO AMEND HOME
RULE LAW
Michigan Municipal Authorities WIN
Urge Provision for Changes n
Cities Charters without GEN
eral Revision.
Right To Hold Non-P Partisan Eleo-
tions and To Adopt the Initiative
Also Desired. M

tnree Important amendments 10 the
home rule law were recommended by
the League of Michigan Municipali-
ties and the Michigan mayors who
came here on the invitation OF Mayor
thompson. at the afternoon session
or the conference that began Thurs
day morning. The proposed amend
ments provide for the altering OF ex-
listing city charters without general
charter revision. for the holding OF
non-partisan municipal elections at
the option OF any city, and for the
adoption OF the initiative by any city
that cares to take advantage Of II.
Each OF the propositions was unani-
mously indorsed.
Corporation Counsel Hally, at the
request Of the league, will draft the
amendments as soon as possible and
they will be taken to Lansing by q
special committee appointed by Mayor
Walz. OF Ann Arbor, president of the
league.
The resolution proposed by Mayor
Thompson In the morning session,
which participated such a lively dis
cussion. was finally adopted In sub
stance, but In a greatly enlarged and
modified form, Is as follows:
Resolved. BY the League of
Michigan Municipalities In spe-
cial session assembled. that there
be prepared for presentation to
the state legislature an amend
ment to the home rule bill. or by
separate bill, or both, empower
ing the cities to amend their ex-
listing charters without holding
charter convention for the pur-
pose Of making general charter
!. revision. and further
Resolved, That the officers or
the league be and are hereby di-
rected to prepare and transmit TO
the governor and each house OF
the legislature copy Of said bill.
together with a prayer for the
passage OF the same and 10 ap-
pear before the legislature In sup
port OF said bill.
Resolved, Further, Thatthe var
ious mayors and officials Of the
cities be urged to appear in sup
port OF said bill and to urge its
passage In every way.
IL was on the suggestion OF w. u
Brown, city attorney Of Lapeer. whost
little brush with Mayor ThompscI
featured the morning session, that tht
league voted to submit the PROPOSE
ton In the form of a special bill al
well as in the form of an amendment
to the home rule bill. He argued thai
the law already provides for the
amendment Of city charters In tnis
manner, and did not see how 1t al
amendment was going to make 1t an,
more specific.
The other two amendments were
proposed by Robert w. Irwin. OF Crane
Rapids, chairman of the charter re
vision commission now at work IL
that city, although Mayor Thompson'f
recommendations covered substanti
ally the same ground. The various
other suggestions proposed by tns
mayor did not go to a vote.
A committee was appointed, how
ever. to take the munder considera'
ton. 1t is made up as follows:
Mayor C. II. Farrell, Kalamazoo
chairman; Mayor w. B. Thompson
Of Detroit; Mayor George E. Ellis, ol
Grand Rapids; Mayor George Stew
art, of Saginaw; Corporation Counsel
p. ]. NJ. Hally, of Detroit; Judge
Edward Cahill, of lansing; City Al
torney r. w. Irwin, of Grand Rapids;
City Attorney w. E. Brown, OF La
peer; Mayor ID. c. Sauer, of Jack
son: Mayor William l.. Walz, OF Ann
Arbor; by virtue OF his Office as pres
ident of the league, and f. X. Schreit
er, Jr., OF Detroit, secretary of the
league.
Attorneys A. C. Angel and Hinton
IE. Spalding, who represented the
petitioners in the municipal owner
ship mandamus case, did not avail
themselves OF the opportunity TO ad'
dress the league, in response to the
invitation extended at noon. Both
said they were engaged.
Mayor Towner, of Ypsilanti, slur'
ingly referred to Corporation Coun'
sci Hally as "the Great I Am" when
he rose to inquire how Hally propos
ed TO get around the constitutional
provision, which. he insisted, pre-
vents the legislature from amending
the home rule bill as proposed by
Mayor Thompson. Mr.. Hally ignor'
ed the slur and replied, with the ut
most courtesy, that there was moth
ing whatever in the constitution To
interfere with the passage OF such an
amendment. Mayor Farrell, Of Kala-
mazoo, defended Hally, declaring that
no man in Michigan had accomplish
ed more for clean municipal goyern'
ment than he.
The cities represent at the confer
ence were: Adrian, Albion. Ann Ar
bor. Bay City. Benton Harbor, Cold
water, Detroit, Flint. Grand Ledge
Grand Rapids, Hastings, Holland
Ironwood, Jackson. Kalamazoo. Ian
sing, Lapeer, Manistee, Manistique
Marine City, Monroe, Muskegon
Muskegon Heights, Owosso. Saginaw
st. Clair, Sturgis, Three Rivers. Ira
verse City and Ypsilanti-
A New York paper figures II on