The Detroit times., 1911-01-11
|MM0K COUNCIL


/ssolved. That this body, the De
.Federation OF Labor IA meeting o M
q laid stone 4 Webster Company 70
Duct or have anything TO do with the
-. raisal OF the y. y. n property, IN.
Iesoived, That the Secretary or the
01/roit Federation OF Labor be instruct
- 20 transmit 20 the Mayor OF Detroit
1nI the City Council copy OF TINS pro-
Signed:
VIM X. BENSON.
f. s. MOORE,
ID. J. RoSEBERRY,
NJ p BRADY,
III. J.. MAGUIRE.
f Introduced by:
&. T.. DOWD,
JNo. ]. SCANNELL,
r. j. MURPHY,
THOS. ID. BARNELl-
JOHN NJ. COOK.
'#4 wM. IL. QUIGLEY,
j. SHIPMAN.
4 Board OF Organizers and BUSINESS
ADOPTED by Detroit Federation of
Labor. December rs. 1910.
JOHN J. SCANNELL.
Sec'y Pro TEN.
+ Accepted and placed on file.
FROM THE SAME.
10 the Honorable the Common Councl'
6entlemen--I beg to advise your Hon.
oroble Body that / have been informed
1het OF the total number OF election
bobths at his disposal but lb2 are In q
condftion that would warrant their use
nttthe ensuing election.
A rnasmuch as there are 155 voting pre-
cI1cts I'm the city; and, further, In view OF
tha circumstance that about 32 precincts
ro6uire two booths each. j would re-
nD&ctfully recommend that your Honor
nbIe Body provide funds for the construc-
HON OF not less than 40 new booths In
time 20 make them available at the com
ing election and to that end suggest the
reference hereof to the Committee on
Mays and Means
Respectfully yours,
|tt CHARLES A. NICHOLS,
City Clerk.
Accepted and recommendation concur
FROM THE SAME.
10 the Honorable the Common Council:
tGcnflemen-The United Engineers or
Detroit congratulate you on the accom-
DI6hments OF the vast year, and having
Kindly feeling for your social welfare
.@uIing the coming year We take pleasure
+ - inviting your Honorable Body to par
&1c.pate I'm our annual ball tonight after
ndI0urnment, at the Wayne Hotel Pa
Yours very truly.
President United Engineers.
Accepted and placed on file.
FROM THE SAME.
&X0the Honorable the Common Council:
1entlemen-I beg to call your atten-
&ldn to the urgeSt necessity Of increas-
.1n1 the number Of election districts In
TN city at the earliest possible date.
Xkere are now Gil districts which ex-
|De1d the $50 districts prescribed by The
.ChArter I'm the number OF registered
.xo/ers and the larger portion OF these
|nh1W an excess OF 500 while others
Dhow more than 1000 registrations.
8hkre IL continual criticism OF the To-
'EaI election system which Is directed
nopt particularly at the great delay In
securing returns and the errors that
|nr4 made in counting after the polls
|nr4 closed. To remedy conditions an
ol4Dorate counting system was devised
|4eteral years ago. known as the Cen
|1r1I Counting Board II failed as
|<e(nedy and has been abolished
Various schemes have been suggest
~; for Improving conditions but be-
|/5cfe that the one practicable solution
~ The problem Is In greatly increasing
~ number OF election districts and
oo1reepondingly reducing the limit OF
vo&istered voters TO each district. I'm
Mo& present conditions the task OF
&o1nting and tabalating and making
rho returns after an election or the
|4oAeral Primary Is stupendeous un-
1oftaking OF which the ordinary citi-
'Mo4 who has never had anything TO do
w1th this work. has no conception. The
mater the number OF votes cast
- y district, the more complicated the
<Kerk, The little election booths are
&otally Inadequate to the size OF the
1IIrfcts as they at present exist and
|4ho work In the election houses. after
|119 close OF the polls, In done as We all
rom satisfactory. The men are
|1romped for room and in the handling
~ - heavy vote In district are great
nv Handicapped by these conditions. BY
|xo1ucing the number OF votes In any
1l1trict to the lowest practicable limit
|ronditions are Immediately improved.
Win q registration limit OF 800 voters
70 complete reimbursement Of the condi-
80 H. an 81
|mu)red to count the ballots would be
Xo@uced In proportion and the POSSIBLE
I<X OF making errors proportionately
1uced. In fact with the small cleo
<Idn districts / believe we would get
21U)ck election returns and an accur-
40 count. Under existing conditions
. % not TO be wondered at that mis-
<mkes are made and that the returns
III not to be had for many hours ar
|1o4 the polls close. The men OF the
f 4cinct boards. as general thing.
=8r0 not 10 blame. They do their work
/EoIharkably well when IL IL considered
1htt they have to start work a. an
{1o4ly hour In the morning and stay on
:Ih1 Job until IL Is finished. no matter
>Q|E many hours II may take. Compell-
~ these men to count from 500 to 300
.Xc<es after the conclusion of an ordin-
<1rf days work Is too much. III they
nGTe no more than $50 to 800 votes to
|&oDnt they could do their work quick
80 accurately and the existing evils
<V(uld be entirely corrected.
have analysed conditions very
4n1efu1ly IN preparing for election and
ave reached the conclusion that the
s 11st good will result In reducing the
oOl registra lions in any district to
80 lowest possible practicable limit
mink that 500 should be the highest
hit of registration I'm any district to
c1omplish the desired result.
n connection with my recommends
IoD 1 beg TO inform you that IT was
ound necessary at the last election
u employ two extra clerks I'm upwards
30 OF the larger districts to assist I'm
be- work OF election. IL was also
oUnd necessary 10 join election houses
o4ether for the convenience Of the
#oIers I'm great many districts All
~ this OF course involves great addi-
Uonnl expense TO the election and IS
.1o< IT all satisfactory plan OF pro-
o1urc.
The election districts as at present
IV1ded are out OF all proportion and
1nboye stated 81 are in excess OF the
1<Iscribed limit OF the Charter With
~ next registration, this spring, sew
8<1I hundred names will be added TO
"a books and at the general registra-
Ioh for the presidential election there
<Wm probably be an Increase Of several
11usand votes in the city Action
I16uld be taken Immediately TO brine
nb6ut q charter amendment which Will
>mn1nit the correction OF the existing