The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1911-02-02
||HD OF LIQUOR
INTERESTS SEEN
IN COUNCIL
1ody Refuses To Hold Up Petition To
Amend Watson Ordinance Until
People of District Vote On
the Proposal.
Whisky Folk Fearful Of Effect snoh
Precedent Would Have-Refer-
endum To Take Place, However.

Notwithstanding the action OF the
common council, Tuesday night, In re-
fusine to defer action on the petition
Of Albert Meloche to have his proper
+ ~ on Grand River-ave., near Hudson,
:aken out of the restricted district.
the business men and other interest
cd citizens OF the Ninth precinct OF
the Twelfth ward are going shead
with their referendum vote on ne
proposition, next Monday. as scHc'ui-
ed.
Aid. Field, of the Sixth ward, hled
II notice of reconsideration, Wedn es-
T: day morning, at the request oil the
|<.tizens of the district This Will hofd
IMP final action on the report OF the
1c0mmfttee on liquor regulation, deny
! ing the petition of Meloche, until peA'
/ Tuesday, accomplishing the same re-
suit as was sought by AID. WATSON
4fn last nights meeting.
at looks to us as though the Soun'
4 eli were very thin-skinned, said the
y Rev. w. A. Atkinson, OF St. Matthias
(. Episcopal church, one OF the leaders
Tim the referendum movement WY
|Were they thin-skinned? FOR lne
4 ample reason that the liquor inter-
4 eats were strongly represented at Tue
I. session. Among others, their asor'
{ncy, Allan II. Cox, was present lns
/councirs attitude also reminded " VI
1.-THE u. s! senate. When the aia'I'
4 men are seeking election they iis
|4fress on the fact that they are me
+ seryants OF the people. When toeS
xet IN and feel their power they re-
1nemble dictators more than Servants.
we are going ahead Win .hls
refcrendum and establish preceneni
< that viii have lasting benent. oince
this agitation started, people IN "tei
F wards have discovered that they are
not protected by the Watson orai.
nance and other referendnms are sure
TO follow"
The vote on the proposition Mas
10 70 3, Aid. Owen and Vernon oeius
. The only members OF the conncii 70
ntand with Watson against. the eaop-
Zion OF the report at this time. 1e
1tanted the report left ON the tapie
until the people could vote on tue
4 4ueStion, expressing commence va.
|n4afnst allowing any more saloons IL
vaa expected. would stand as a pre-
redent and would forever put a ban
~ additional saloons in that neigh
orhcod The majority OF the ald2f'
-. aome of whom have been very
|>en for the referendum in the past,
voieased that they were unable TO
- what was TO be accomplished hy
referendum vote In this case.
a1d O'Brien. himself saloonkeep-
was one of those who talked
rniret the referendum. IL was his
Enfden speech. The alderman was
tronely in favor OF the restrictions
'&1ne maintained, but could see no
cccrsify for a vote of the people as
~ as the council was willing to
nm down the petition for an adci-
onal saloon.
II don't see what bearing this refer
nf1um could have on the council, he
@nfd. Eve have the question before
& now and we ought to dispose of
want to say that | am great
o1iever In the Watson ordinance. L
1Ink II Is one OF the best measures
ke council has ever adopted. In fact.
ming 40 much OF IL that ! am goi3g
try to put an amendment through
rnbracing the whole city in the re-
<rfcted district One of the reasons
: ara in this council again Is to re-
>nf some of the abuse and insinua-
<{ons that have been heaped on
1ooent saloonkeepers. ] want to .ell
.or we are all in favor of the Watson
xrd nance"
AID. HARPER, who wants To be
nunty auditor, thought IL was car
v<ux the referendum idea too far TO
rubmit such propositions. Aid. Wat.
on was ready with a reply.
There are a lot OF people in This
eouncil who have been shouting for
ke referendum" he said. Now whea
comes right down 70 Il, they get
old feet"