The Detroit times., 1911-02-03
PUBLIC OWNERSHIP
VIA LEGISLATURE
NOW THE PLAN
Lansing solOns Will Be Asked To
Pass Measure, Also To Restore
Civil Service and Raise the
Bonding Limit.
Propositions Will Not Become Effec.
tive Until Endorsed by Referendum
of Detroit Voters.

Quickly following the supreme
courts decision In the municipal own
ership case, plans are already on foot
among the members OF the common
council to secure for Detroit by the
legislation I'm Lansing what he ST.
preme court holds could not ne ac-
complished by amending the city's old
charter unless the people vote for a
general revision.
Bills have already BEN prepared
providing for the restoration OF civil
service and the raising of the bond
limit. Others are TO follow, including
bill to provide fer the municipal
ownership OF the street railways.
These will all be considered In q spe-
cial meeting of the council TO be held
Saturday noon, and II Is expected that
one of the aldermen. presumably John
Lodge, OF the First ward, who 10 re-
sponsible for the suggestion, Will be
delegated to take the bills to Lans-
ing In person early next week for
presentation To the house OF repre-
sentatiyes through a member or the
Detroit delegation. Aid. Lodge, as a
former member o. the legislature, Is
thoroughly familiar with the proceed
ure and liz the logical man to under
take such a commission, as he Ia
chairman OF the council committee on
charter and city legislation.
Corporation Counsel Hally says
there is nolh,rg a. the HallJ home
rule act 10 proven. the legislature
from making laws Tor cities If ZuO..
600 population or over, as long AZ the
laws do not conflict with local char
ter provisions. The only condition
imp,s, hat did not ootati lcr:aerly
IS that Tho referendum m LIT be ht'
tached to all such bills. In other
words, the bills in question after be-
ing passed by the Legislature, would
have To be submitted to the electors OF
Detroit for their approval, and there
is little cuestioa but that they would
carry by overwhelming majorities.
The bills. II Is planned, will take ef'
feet Sept. /. Submission to the efec-
torate could be made In the meantime.
According TO this program, munich
pal ownership in Detroit should be
authorized before the end OF the pres
ent year. II is practically foregone
conclusion, however, that before the
law could be put into effect. the De-
troit United Railway would be ready
with another lawsuit, involving the
constitutionality OF the act that would
tie up the whole proposition Tor
months.
The civil service bill, which Is now
ready for presentation TO the legis'
lature, having been drafted Thursday
morning, Ia practically the Vernon
civil service amendment all over
again. Not a provision OF the Vernon
amendment has been changed, 80 the
legislative measure, II passed, will
simply be a re-enactment of the orig.
inal bill approved by the voters oil
Detroit.
The draft of the bill raising the
city's bonding limit from to 3 per
cent follows almost precisely the
same lines as the charter amendment
submitted by Aid. Grindley in the
common council last Tuesday night.
Whether these bills can be rushed
through the legislature In time for
submission to the people at the com
ing spring election Is a question that
IA still In doubt. II Is possible that
special election would be necessary
for the submission of the measures.
In any event, results would be achiev-
ed much more promptly than by q
general charter revision.
II is not though. that the introduc-
ton Of these bills at this time will
interfere with any plans that may be-
under way or may be suggested later
to amend the home rule act so as to
permit the people OF Detroit to amend
their old charter without going to the
expense and trouble Of general char
ter revision.
Should general revision be decid-
ed on later, however, there will be no
dearth of candidates for charter COM
missioners. John McVicar, chairman
of the municipal ownership committee
of 100. which fathered the Moore plan,
is probably the first to announce his
candidacy for charter commissioners
at-large.
Mr.. McVicar, who has been in the
forefront Of the fight for municipal
ownership from the outset, Is not In
the least discouraged by the temper