The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1911-02-02
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CAN'T 70 TIE ON
CITY OWNERSHIP
State Tribunals Decision Il Far
Reaching, Meaning the Annulment
Of Every Charter Amendment
Which People Have Adopted
Plans Already On Foot For General
Revision, Which Court Rules Is
Proper Procedure.

AS result OF the supreme courts
decision rendered Wednesday, en-
Joining the submission OF the Moore
municipal ownership plan to the peo-
pie. Aid. Thomas Gilman. chairman
of the ways and means committee, OF
the common council. announced that
he will call caucus or ali the alder
men In day or two, To take steps
looking 10 a general charter revision
He has already been IN conference
with the corporation counseis ONCE
ION the proposition. The decision
knocks out all the charter amend
ments adopted by the city thus far,
Including the civil service bill, and
the opinion OF Corporation Counsel
Hally.
Aid. Gilman was OF the opinion
that the council could authorize the
+ election of a charter commission In
connection with the coming spring
election. Corporation Counsel Hally,
however, believes that the question
Of whether there should be gen
eral revision must first be submitted
TO the people.
Great gloom prevails in the city
hall because of the supreme courts
action. II means that the ground Gov
cred by the amendments thus far
adopted, will have TO be gone over
again. All that has been done by the
civil service commission thus far has
been In vain and the examination re-
Gently held for the selection OF sec
Rotary counted for nothing, under the
courts ruling.
The charter amendments now pend
ing before the council, which were 10
he Submitted to the electors In the
spring, are In the same boat. These
include the proposition to raise the
BONDING limit from two TO three per-
cent, upon which many important pub
lie projects depend, and numerous
other changes urgently needed.
Among the amendments approved
by the people last fall was one in
creasing the power of the park com
missioner, which Of course, now falls
BY the wayside. Another clothed the
<ouncil and board of estimates with
+ authority to make an annual appro-
K irritation for the art museum. A third
. Repealed the old noxious weed FRO
vision. All these will have to be in
eorI Grated in the new charter under
q general revision, if the people are
6til! OF the same mind.
!. The charter commission would con-
c;st Of 21 members, one elected from
each ward and three az large. -
Word comes from Lansing :hat
Rep5 Ogg. chairman OF the legislative
colnmittee on cities, has called q con-
ference, to discuss the situation in
n nat. Ax1. hor ffxV-- avf
"Wednesday evening Corporation
3 Counsel Hally and the committee on
<harter and city legislation. OF the
Detroit common council, will he In
vited to attend. There Is a POSSIBLE
+jty. Il Is said, that some remedial
'eeislation will be rushed through.
The Moore. plan, so-cal1ed, was
drafted by Attorney George William
+ Moore, OF this city, in collaboration
With other members OF special com
rnittee appointed for this purpose by
/. the self-appointed municipal owner
: ohip committee OF 100. which came
{ into existence after Mayor Breitmey
IL had appointed his committee of
nifty TO settle the street car question.
The municipal ownership committee
WAS composed OF men who were utter
[)y opposed to any settlement with
The ID. II. R., holding that tho city
should own and operate Its owpt
street car system.
The plan provided for a commits
\ 6ion OF Eve men, elected by the pep
E pie, TO take full charge OF the street
car system. Their powers were very
extensive. A bond issue was proNid.
. I'd by the plan for the purpose OF
#ncquiring the present railway system,
and provision was also made for the
c0ndemnation OF the property under
certain circumstances.
The council would not submit tie
plan TO the people on the mere re
quest OF the municipal ownership
comnittee, so the committee sc, oUt
+ TO circulate petitions for its subnIis-
siofi. as provided by law. A total OF
1919 signatures was secured. over
1000 more than was necessary
When the petition was approved by
the governor, the council finally set
Ang. Is. as the date OF a special cleo
Ton for the submission of the plan.
AT this juncture, however, J. J.. Hud.
non. George II. Barbour and others
}n<ervened with petition for an in
f ]unetion restraining the submission of
s. the elan. The Wayne circuit court
$ r<fnsed to grant an Injunction AMI the
Ease was taken TO the supreme court,
Which now reverses the lower court.