The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1911-04-07
SEN. MILLER AGAIN
BLOCKS CHARTER
AMENDMENT
Stars Once More in Role of Savior OF
the People From Themselves
Blow To Municipal
Ownership.
Senator Murtha Acknowledges His
Mistake and Makes Vain Fight
To Right His Vote.
,rrom . STAR Correspondent

LANSING, Mich, April 7.-Senator
Guy Miller starred again yesterday In
his role OF savior OF the people from
themselves. He led the fight in the
senate to retain the amendment tackled
10 the home rule amendment Dill IN
committee of the whole Wednesday,
requiring such a large percentage OF
petitioners TO sign petition for CHAR
ter amendment that II amounts TO pro
hibition.
The section amended is No. 25, and
IL Is made TO read that initiatory petit
lions must be signed in the polling
booths, and must contain the sigma.
lures OF % per cent or the electors
/. registered.
Corporation Counsel Hally has been
here watching the bill, and he >point'
ed out 10 members OF the senate out
side of the session, that this would
really mean about so per cent OF the
number voting, as only about 26,OOO
OF the 10000 registered voters In De-
troit went TO the polls at all on the
last election day.
Senator Murtha. who had voted for
the atrocious amendment in commit
tee OF the whole, led the fight TO strike
Il cut, moving that the wording OF the
original act be restored, giving the
electors some kind OF show. hur-
tha admitted that he was just as
much opposed TO the recall as he ever
had been. and would not move TO re-
place the recall clause, which was
struck out, but that he thought that
the people sought TO be allowed 10
amend their charter IL they choose.
Senator Miller then got in his
work He said that he had generally
agreed with Senator Murtha, but that
he did not think he ought TO do so TO
the extent of making the senate a
tail TO Hally's political kite. He said
hat il was disgraceful 10 allow peo-
pie wishing to make some reform TO
set up a petition fund and send
professional canyasser out through
the back streets and pick up every
Tom, Dick and Harry, that mere
certification by the canvasser that the
persons signing were qualified voters.
was not sufffcient, because 1t was i'm
possible for the. city clerks force to
verify the names from the registra-
tion books.
Senator Murtha replied that Hally
had not picked out Democrat to put
In the corrective bill, but had left II
TO Senator George c.. Scott.
Senator Scott argued that the task
Of acquiring enough names under the
provisions OF the section which Sen.
ator Murtha objected to was no i'm
possibility, and that the system pro-
vided for was the only means OF plac-
ing proper restrictions on the initia-
tive. Senator Lee spoke in favor OF
Senator Murtha's motion. The vote
was
pposed-Senators Barnaby, Brad
ley, Foster. Fowle, Freeman, King
man, Kline, Miller. Moriarity, New
ton, Putney. f. d. Scott, G. G. Scott,
Smell. Taylor. Vanderwerp, Vaughan,
Watkins. Weter. and Wiggins.-20.
In favor-Senators Conley, James,
Lee, Leidlein, Mapes, Murtha, Walter
and WARDS.
The bill passed on third reading,
after II had been amended in places
TO conform with the several changes
made Wednesday. Not a dissenting
vote was registered against il.
The Ball house bill, creating the
office OF state fire marshal, passed the
senate on third reading. The commits
sioner OF insurance is made fire mar
shal ex.oficio, with power to appoint
a paid deputy and other assistants.
Other bills that went through on