The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1911-01-23

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requisite number OF signatures eau
be secured. and no fear 10 expressed
on this score. That the people Will
vote In favor OF the change 10 also
a foregone conclusion.
Mr.. Gates has gone over the qucs-
ton In q general way and was able
TO give The Times an outline OF tie
plan he expects to work out. The
commission would consist OF mayor,
who would be chairman OF the body,
ex-oficio. In come communities,
where the commission form of gcv-
eminent IL In force, the mayor 10 the
commissioner receiving the highest
number of votes In the election.
Whether this plan will be followed
by Mr.. Gates IL detail to be do
cided upon later. The commission
ers, acting together, would exercise
the local legislative power now vest.
ed In the common council and
would also perform the functions of
the board OF estimates and the board
of city assessors. The majority rule
would obtain on all questions, and In
case of a tie the mayor probably
would have the deciding vote.
Aside from these general functions,
charge OF q department. Just how
u divide up this responsibility 10 a
matter OF detail that requires careful
study. It Is Mr., Gates idea. speak.
Ing generally, that all public works,
for example, should be grouped In
one department, under one head. This
would take In the water works, the
lighting system and the present de-
partment of public works. Another
commissioner would have charge OF
all taxes. assessments. water rates,
etc. The other two commissioners
would take charge OF the police and
FIRE departments, respectively.
In all probability the plan VIII pro-
vide for the appointment OF police
justices, Justices of the peace and
constables. Thus. the only city Of
flcjals voted for would be the hve
commissioners and two judges OF the
recorders court, and the present an
noyance of cumbersome ballot
would be eliminated The plan,
naturally, would carry with II n
broad extension OF the civil service
system SO as to embrace all city en-
ployes.
Ample provision will be made to
protect the people against granting
or incompetency on the part OF tEe
commissioners. Whenever the people
became suspicious, or any OF the
commissioners showed disposition
to override the peoples will, a new
election could be called on the peti-
ton OF not to exceed 20 per cent OF
the voters, the exact percentage 70
be determined later. No charges
would be preferred. The commits
sioner, or mayor, as the case might
be, would have the privilege OF en-
tering the race again IL he cav NJ
and the people would be bound py
the result. This plan praaucaiiy
amounts to a recall, but II 10 regard
ed az an Improvement over the lat
ter
The proposed commission would
have two great advantages over the
present city government. IL would
do away with rivalry among wards
At present the aldermen and estma.
tors of each ward are concerned
chiefly in getting all they can Tor
their own constituents first ana are
not greatly concerned as 70 the
needs of other wards. The commis.
sioners, In theory at least, would
work together for the benent OF the
city at large and there would De no
occasion and no opportunity Tor as
elimination.
The adoption of such a plan would
make Detroit famous the world over.
II would be the first city OF us Glass
to try the experiment and thus wouiu
set the example for others.
There are three great objections
to our present form OF government,
said Mr.. Gates. ITO begin with, II Is
antiquated. II was created for SIT
uation that has long since passed
away. Substantially the same form
was In vogue In some OF the European
cities more than a thousand years
ago Another serious objection Is
the vast amount OF Incompetence
manifested In the administration OF
city affairs. Take many OF our alder
men, for instance. They are not
men who would be employed by mer-
camille establishments to take charge
of their business.
"The third great objection Is this:
As a result of the exploitation OF this
city by Republican legislature, In
an effort to keep the control OF the
city affairs in the hands OF the RepuD-
licans, the city government Is hydra
headed affair. We have number or
departments, all working at cross
purposes with one another, with little
or no cooperation and much duplica-
ton. Pavements are put down, only
to be ripped up few weeks later by
some other department. We have one
set OF clerks collecting city taxes In
the city hall and another set collect
ing water rates over there on Jeffer-
son-ave., when one set would do. We
hear many rumors of defalcations
among city employees. but they are
hashed up by the department heads
for fear the estimators will cut down
their appropriations and suggest that
they employ honest help.
''In our present plan there Is very
little individual responsibility. IN
der the commission form Of govern
ment, every commissioner Is responsi-
BILE for his own department and Is
accountable to the people for his
acts,
Mr.. Gates Is chairman Of commit
tee appointed by the league to look
into the question, but the actual draft
ing OF the amendment will be largely
IN his hands. The other members OF
the committee are: WILDER Brother
ton, Isaac N. Payne and Anthony
Pratt.