The Detroit times., 1911-04-05
HOUSE RESP D S
To DEMAND FOR
REFORM
initiative, Referendum and Recall
To Be Submitted To the People
in Fall of l912-victory for
Popular Government.
Resolution To Submit Woman's Suf-
frage Fails Once More by
12 Votes.
tFrom a stan corre.pondentJ

(FrOm q stan Iorresponuehtl
LANSING, Mich. April 6.-With
comfortable margins on each propo-
sltion. the house yesterday afternoon
voted TO submit TO the people In 1917
constitutional amendments providing
for legislative initiative and reteren'
dunn, for the initiative added TO the
referendum on constitutional amend
monts, and the recall Of elective ON
cials. Although the percentages pro
vided for In each case are hlsn, tue
ract Of having gotten these measures
through one house OF the Legislature
Is regarded as victory by the irienos
Uf popular government. When the
measures had all been approved, KEEP.
Flowers had the resolution for wo-
man suffrage amendment taken from
the table, where IL was placed on re-
consideration after being defeated
several weeks ago. The amendment
failed by about the same vote that IL
did before, lacking ~ votes OF the
necessary 81.
There was less discussion on the
propositions than had been expected.
as they had been thoroughly threshed
out In the little knots OF men that
gather around the house chamber
when the house Is not In session.
An amendment was introduced 10
make the percentage required on leg
islative, initiative and referendum 4O
instead OF 20, but Rep. Woodwork,
who introduced the resolution, ex-
plained that IL would require lOO,OOO
slgners at even 20 per cent, and that
the percentage was much lower IN
other states, and the amendment
failed, "a TO 54.
The proposition for initiation or con
slitutional amendments by the people
provides for petition OF 20 per cent.
On the resolution for recall, lnere
was more discussion, although the
resolution as amended by the commit
tee provides for a 40 per cent petition.
Rep. John Perry, speaker protein OF
the house, sought TO make the per-
centage 81, declaring that anything
less than that was a minority rule,
and forced an official TO submit 20
third elective campaign, having
passed the ordeals OF the primary and
election. His amendment was de-
feated on q viva voce vote.
Rep. Flowers. of Detroit, announc
ed that he had supported the other
resolutions, but that the time had
come for the parting OF the ways. He
said that the recall would inject
dangerous and revolutionary princi
pie into government
Rep. Lord sought to amend by max
ing the petition for recall OF mem.
ber of the legislature valid, 40 In
stead of five days, after the COM
Of a
failed.
Rep. Verdier sought to exempt the
judiciary, saying that TO subject the
Judges to recall would practically
mean the decision by the people Oh
Interpretation of laws. and would
amount to mob rule. Rep. Yeo NOV
ed to substitute an amendment ex
empting judges OF the supreme court.
circuit courts, recorders and uperior
court Thi failed.
Rep. Heckert remarked that II the
recall could apply TO most OF the
members Of the present Legislature,
he would heartily favor it.
Rep. Dunn explained that with this
amendment In force, the people would
not be afraid OF the four.year terms
which are being agitated. His speech
evidently had more effect on the vote
than anything else that was said.
The amendment In the resolution
would provide that all elective Of
} flcers except members OF the legisla-
ture might be recalled after they hal
been In office six months, and legis-
lators after they had been in Office
FIVE days.
Rep. Flowers secured the addition
TO each of the resolutions OF amend
ments, prescribing the way in which
the amendments should be submitted,
and on amendments introduced b.
Rep. Ashley, the date when the ques-
tions will be submitted was fixed at