The Detroit times., 1911-02-04
COUNCIL WILL ASK
LEGISLAT URE TO
BOOST BONO LIMIT
Orders Bill Prepared, and After
Formal Approval, Next Tuesday
Evening, Measure Will Be Taken
To Lansing by Aid. Lodge.
Question of General Charter Revision
Discussed at Length, But No
Action Il Taken.

The common council, In an informal
session, Saturday noon, which was at
tended by about 225 of the aldermen,
unanimously adopted a resolution re-
ouesting Aid. John Lodge, chairman Of
-fne committee on city and charter leg.
islation to prepare bill for submits
sion to the legislature, raising the
city's bonding limit from to 3 per
cent Aid. Lodge will have the meas
ure In shape for the councils approval
next Tuesday night; in fact. such a
bill already has been prepared. and
toe council, In all probability, will d.
rect that the bill be sent to Lansing
forthwith. Aid Lodge may be asked
TO present It In person, for as former
state representative he Is thoroughly
acquainted with the procedure in such
case.
This Is the first tangible result Of
the decision handed down by the su-
preme court last Wednesday In the
municipal ownership case. The gen.
eral opinion OF the aldermen was that
the bond question was the one which
demanded first attention, and the reso-
lution was adopted with but little dts
cussion after Corporation Counsel
Hally had pointed out. as explained In
The Times, Friday, that there were
10 legal difficulties in the way OF the
l'assage of a special act. raising the
b ,nding limit. And II the legislature
acts promptly, the measure can be
submitted to the people of Detroit at
tn, April election for final approval,
he said.
Aid. Gilman, chairman OF the coun-
ell ways and means committee, fought
lard to put through a resolution look.
Ing toward the submission to the peo-
ple In April OF the question Of q gen
eral charter revision. He presented
a written resolution declaring that II
was the sense of the meeting that this
be done.
II think the, people should be given
an opportunity to express an opinion
on this question at the earliest pos
sible moment" said Gilman. III they
decide, on April 8, that they do not
want general charter revision, then
we will still have time to apply to
the legislature for an amendment to
tho home rule bill that will permit rs
to amend our old charter"
Aid. Vernon, author of the late
lamented civil service bill, knocked
out by the supreme courts decision,
took a decided stand against the reso-
luton.
I'VE want to take plenty of time to
look this question over" he said
You've got to look farther than your
nose when II comes to a general
revision OF the charter. Under the
constitution. we would have to ACCEPT
or reject the charter that the charter
commission gave us. II might be a
perfectly good charter In all respects
but one, and that one defect might
kill II. | think 1t would be a much
better plan to proceed by the piece
meal method Of amending our old
charter II we can get the authority
from the legislature"
After more than a half hours de-
bate Aid Gilman withdrew his reso-
luton and the meeting broke up. 1t
Is quite probable that the fight will
be renewed In the common council
next Tuesday night. and that steps
will be taken then. either looking to-
ward a general charter revision or an
amendment to the home rule bill
along the lines suggested.
Asked by one Of the aldermen as
to how long II would take to revise
the charter, Corporation Counsel Hally
outlined the program Of procedure
/ lrihted In The Times. In Pontiac, ne
said, a charter commission has been
in session for Ave months and does
not expect to complete Its work for
ut least seven months. In Grand Rap
ids, charter commission has been ut
work for five months and Is not
through yet.