The Detroit times., 1911-11-09
ahNAN AMENDMENT
tABlED FOR THIRTY DAYS
Cdncil To Take Up City Owner
ship Plan as Soon as
, Rules Permit.

The Gilman amendment TO the city
carter. providing for real municipal
Enership OF the street car lines was
ported out by the council committee
n city and charter legislation. In
uesday nights session OF the council,
nd, In accordance with the law, was
Aid on the table for 80 days A reso-
ntion, providing for its submission
o the people at the first special or
General election. was offered by Aid
iernor. and was laid on the table
long with the bill, and the commit
ee report. The resolution, which un-
luestionably will be adopted when
he 80 days have elapsed, Is as fol-
ows:
Resolved, That at the nrst special
n next general election TO be held in
he city OF Detroit according to tho
rovisions OF law. there shall be sub
hitted TO the qualified electors OF said
ity the aforesaid proposition Tor bin
amend the charter Df the city OF
Detroit: and further
Resolved. That the amendment to
ne charter OF the city OF Detroit here
roposod TO be In form, letter, sub
rance and figure as In the aforesaid
IN set forth AID be IL further
Resolved, That the ballots to he used
4 said election when voting upon said
deposition Cor bilD shall be in the
FLOWING form:
Sail the charter OF the city
hf Detroit he so amended Yes. {
is to provide for the NUM-
tpal ownership and opera
ton OF street railways? No.
n matter OF fact, two reports
weR submitted by the committee, a
majority and minority report. The
former Is signed by Aid John Lodge,
OF the First ward, chairman OF the
committee. who questions the right OF
thu people to adopt a municipal own
erlhip amendment without a general
charter revision and recommends that
"nrther consideration of the amend
mnnt be deferred until such time as
ytnr honorable body may be In posi-
tim to submit the questions 10 the
people In the manner provided by the
constitution and laws OF our state
The other report. which is called
tie minority" because 1t is not sign
ed by the chairman. was presented by
Aid. Vernon, Littlefeld Gilman and
Tossy, four Of the five members OF
the committee. Thus, Aid. Lodge is
alone in his contention that the
amendment cannot be legally submit
ted
The Gilman amendment. as report
cd out, very closely follows the Moore
municipal ownership plan, the sub
mission OF which was presented by
a decision OF the supreme court Only
one change was made in the draft as
approved by the committee last week
That was the addition OF paragraph,
known as Section 81, prepared by Cor
poration Counsel Hally, which pro-
vides that the common council and
The board OF estimates shall appro-
pirate for the preliminary expense OF
Investigation by said board (the board
" street railway commissioners such
portion OF 100000 as said board may
iemand; and the common council
nay adopt ordinances not in conflict
gerewith to carry out the provisions
Il this chapter
This section was added in response
b the demands OF the municipal own
rship advocates TO Offset the amend
rent incorporated on the suggestion
1 Aid. Vernon. whereby the board Is
reverted from issuing any bonds un-
4 the security franchise has been
oproved and until II shall appear
tat the security franchise Is one on
tich money can be raised. Under
te authority OF Sec. 81, the commits
Dners will be able to go ahead with
veir preliminary work while working
d the security franchise.
Mayor Thompson's franchise was
y, submitted TO the council, Tuesday
Ysht, as the bond question had not
ben ironed out. The mayor and Mr..
hily were in conference with the ID.
I r. Representatives until after
O'Clock, Tuesday afternoon. IL was
APPARENT, then. that there was no
rhnce o. getting the bond clause
Wiped into shape in time for the
conci meeting and the conference
ws adjourned until Thursday morn
I'M
favor Thompson will not say just
ho' he plans to hold the bondholders
10 definite promise TO give clear
it'll In the event OF the purchase OF
thelines by the city. He says he Is
condent, however. that the bond mat
ter will be settled satisfactorily TO
almSt everybody including the
nunfipal ownership men.
Tie only way the city can hold
the bndholders to any bargain Is TO
requie them tc give. bond Of, say
sJ,00tt60. for the faithful perform
ancebf the contract" said a man
close TO railway affairs, Tuesday
night "Of course, ii would be impos-
sible to get the bondholders to do
that, Iut there is no other way under
the SIN that the city can be sure OF
them
CiErmakers' union, No %, sent
letter to the council. Tuesday night,
Callin attention TO the resolutions
sdoptd by the union last Friday night.
containing the Thompson settlement
plan Is unfair
wv are surprised and shocked at
YOU fr. Mayor. and at Mr. Hally's out
burstln favor OF a franchise to the ID.
L. r.. says the protest las voters we
demah that an amendment he SUBJ
mitte< on municipal ownership TO the
voters before any other street car