The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1911-02-02
COURT SAYS PEOPLE.
CAN'T 70 TIE ON
CITY OWNERSHIP
State Tribunals Decision Is Far
Reaching, Meaning the Annulment
Of Every Charter Amendment
Which People Have Adopted.
Plans Already On Foot For General
Revision, Which Court Rules Il
Proper Procedure.

decision rendered Wednesday, en-
Joining the submission OF the Moore
municipal ownership plan to the peo-
pie, Aid. Thomas Gilman. chairman
OF the ways and means committee, OF
the common council. announced that
he will call caucus OF all the alder
men In q day or two. TO take steps
looking to q general charter revision.
He has already been In conference
with the corporation counsels office
on the proposition. The decision
knocks out all the charter amend
ments adopted BY the city thus far,
including the civil service bill. and
those now pending In the council, In
the opinion Of Corporation Counsel
Hally.
Aid. Gilman was OF the opinion
that the council could authorize the
election of a charter commission I'm
connection with the coming spring
election. Corporation Counsel Hally,
however, believes that the question
OF whether there should be gen.
eral revision must first be submitted
TO the people
Great gloom prevails In the city
hall because of the supreme courts
action. 1t means that the ground coy
cred by the amendments thus far
adopted. will have to be gone over
again. All that has been done by the
civil service commission thus far ha;
been In vain and the examination re-
Gently held for the selection of sec
rotary counted for nothing, under the
courts ruling.
The charter amendments now pend
ing before the council, which were to
ne submitted TO the electors In the
spring, are in the same boat These
include the proposition to raise the
bonding limit from two to three per-
lie projects depend, and numerous
other changes urgently needed.
Among the amendments approved
by the people last fall was one in
creasing the power of the park com
missioner, which OF course, now falls
by the wayside. Another clothed the
council and board of estimates with
authority to make an annual appro-
pristion for the art museum. A third
repealed the old noxious weed .ro-
vision. All these will have to be in
corI Grated In the new charter under
a general revision, IL the people are
still OF the same mind.
The charter commission would con-
5Ist Of 81 members, one elected from
each ward and three at large.
Word comes from Lansing that
Rep. Ogg, chairman of the legislative
committee on cities, has called a con-
terence, to discuss the situation in
which Detroit finds herself, for next
Wednesday evening. Corporation
Counsel Hally and the committee on
charter and city legislation, OF the
Detroit common council, will he In
vited to attend. There is possibil-
ity, IL Is said, that some remedial
legislation will be rushed through.
The Moore plan, so-called, was
drafted by Attorney George William
Moore, of this city, in collaboration
with other members of a special com
inittee appointed for this purpose by
tie self-appointed municipal owner
ship committee Of 100. which came
into existence after Mayor Breitmey
er had appointed his committee OF
fifty to settle the street car question
The municipal ownership committees
was composed of men who were utter
ly opposed to any settlement with
the ID. u. r., holding that tho city
should own and operate its own
street car system.
The plan provided for a commits
sion of five men, elected by the peo-
pie, to take full charge Of the street
car system. Their powers were very
extensive. A bond issue was proyid-
ed by the plan for the purpose OF
acquiring the present railway system,
and provision was also made for the
condemnation OF the property under
certain circumstances.
The council would not submit tie
plan to the people on the mere re-
quest of the municipal ownership
committee, so the committee set out
to circulate petitions for Its subniis-
sion, as provided by law. A total Of
1888 signatures was secured. over
1000 more than was necessary.
When the petition was approved by
the governor, the council finally set
Aug. Is, as the date of special cleo
ton for the submission OF the plan.
At this juncture, however, j. l.. Hud-
son, George H. Barbour and others
interviewed with a petition for an In
junction restraining the submission OF
the Elan. The Wayne circuit court
refused to grant an injunction AMI the
case was taken to the supreme court.
which now reverses the lower court.