The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1911-10-30
CITY OWNERSHIP ALDERMEN
REFUSE TO-bE SIOETRACKED
BY MAYORS SETTLEMENT
Will Insist That Charter Amend
ment Be Submitted To
Vote Without Delay.
HALLY HOLDS UP MEASURE
Corporation Counsel Must Get
Busy or Private Attorneys
Will Be Engaged.

II is beginning to become apparent
that Mayor Thompson's proposed
street railway franchise will not have
as smooth shedding in the council as
II was at first thought II would have.
Those of the 81 aldermen pledged 10
municipal ownership who are really
sincere. are determined not to let the
Thompson franchise sidetrack the
plans that have been under way for
months, and which were near fruition
when the mayors compromise scheme
was sprung" looking TO the submis-
sion 10 the people of the Gilman
bill, which provides for REAL mum.
cipal ownership.
The proposed Gilman amendment
10 the city charter, fathered by Aid.
Gilman. of the Eighteenth ward, has
been practically approved by the
council committee on city and charter
legislation. Nearly six weeks ago the
committee discussed the measure In
detail and agreed 10 certain changes,
which Corporation Counsel Hally was
TO put in legal form. Although the Sc
cret negotiations between the mayor
and Mr.. Hally on the one hand. and
other were then on and the settlement
plan had begun to assume definite
shape. there was no hint of such
thing in the committee meeting, and
there was every reason TO believe that
the Gilman amendment would be
ready for transmission TO the council
within two weeks at the outside.
So far as the aldermen have been
ah ~
been done toward whipping the bill
into shape. and the reason for this is
now apparent--Mr Hally has beeL de-
voting his attention to the Thompson
settlement plan
Put or With Excuses.
Time and again. aldermen have
called on Mr.. Hally TO inquire when
the municipal ownership bill would be
ready, but they have been put off with
excuses. III Hally is now hard at
work on the draft OF the Thompson
franchise in an effort TO have 1t ready
for submission to the council next
Tuesday night, just one week after
the announcements that an agreement
had been reached between the mayor
and the ID. L.. II. But while he is thus
engaged the municipal ownership adj
vocates in the council are also at
work There is a determined move
-#eHt- on foot among the leaders in
Guiding Aid. Gilman, TO take the
municipal ow nership measure out or
Mr.. Hally's hands, unless he gets busy
at one, and 10 employ private counsel
TO put IL into legal form. II is not q
very big job, for IL will be necessary
10 change only few words. This
done, the plan is 10 submit the prop
osition to a vote of the people at the
same time the Thompson plan is sub
mitted. IL not before. As matter OF
fact many OF the aldermen feel that
the municipal ownership amendment
is entitled to first consideration and
may insist on holding mp the Thomp-
son franchise until the people have
had a chance 10 vote on the main is
sue.
II am not prepared 10 discuss the
THOMPSON franchise yet because !
haven't seen a copy of it, but | still
feel that Detroit should have munich
pal ownership and that the people
should have a chance to vote on it at
the earliest possible moment" said
Aid. Gilman to The Times. Il am
satisfied that, If our bill had not been
held up the way IN has We would now
be preparing TO vote on 1t about next
week. think we should lose no fur-
Their time in submitting it,
The Gilman bill follows very close
" the lines of the Moore amendment
-4,F-tAe- submission Of which more
than 10000 voters petitioned. vote
was prevented at that time by the IN
tervention of certain large taxpayers.
The supreme court held that the Hn''
" home rule bill did not permit piece
meal amendments TO the city charter,
but since then the home rule bill has
been amended and there are now no
legal difficulties. in the way of vote
on municipal ownership.
A general meeting OF the municipal
ownership committee OF 100, TO which
the general public is invited, has been
arranged for 1880 o'clock, Monday
evening, in the council chamber
when the situation will be fully dis
cussed. John McNicar will preside.
The executive committee of the or
sanization has already adopted resolu-
tons. as previously announced. urg-
inc the council TO give the people an
opportunity TO vote on the Gilman
plan as soon as possible.
As already indicated in The Times,
the ID. IT, r. is anxious for settle
ment because II gives the company a