The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1911-02-17
T0ASKLEG|sLATURE
TO AMEND HOME
RULE LAW
Michigan Municipal Authorities viii
Urge Provision for Changes in
Cities Charters Without Gen.
eral Revision.
Right To Hold Nom Partisan Elec.
tions and To Adopt the Initiative
Also Desired.

Three important amendments 10 ch'
home rule law were recommended b.
the League OF Michigan Municipali
ties and the Michigan mayors wh'
came here on the invitation of Mayo
Thompson, at the afternoon session
of the cSnference that began Thurs
day morning. The proposed amend
ments provide for the altering OF ex
listing city charters without a genera
charter revision, for the holding o
non-partisan municipal elections u
the option of any city, and for tn
adoption OF the initiative by any cit
that cares TO take advantage OF II
Each OF the propositions was unani
mously Endorsed.
Corporation Counsel Hally, at tn,
request Of the league, will draft thu
amendments as soon AZ possible anl
they will be taken to Lansing by ;
special committee appointed by Mayo
Walz, of Ann Arbor, president OF thu
league
The resolution proposed by Mayo
Thompson in the morning session
which participated such q lively dis
cussion. was finally adopted In sub
stance, but In greatly enlarged anS
modified form, Is as follows:
Resolved, BY the League OF
Michigan Municipalities in spe-
cial session assembled, that there
be prepared for presentation to
the state legislature an amend
ment to the home rule bill, or by
separate bill, or both, empower
ing the cities to amend their ex-
listing charters without holding
charter convention for the pur-
pose Of making general charter
revision, and further
Resolved, That the officers OF
the league be and are hereby d.
rected to prepare and transmit TO
the governor and each house or
the legislature copy OF said bill,
together with a prayer for the
passage OF the same and to ap.
pear before the legislature in sup
port of said bill
Resolved. Further. That the var
lOuS UldyOTb anu Ouitiuio VI 'hO
cities be urged 20 appear In sup.
port OF said bill and to urge its
passage in every way.
1t was on the suggestion of w. 4
Brown, city attorney Of Eapeers whose
little brush with Mayor Thompson
featured the morning session, that tho
league voted to submit the PROPOSE
ton in the form OF special Dill al
well as I'm the form of an amendment
to the home rule bill. He argued tha
the law already provides for tht
amendment OF city charters in this
manner, and did not see how IL al
amendment was going to make 1t any
more specific.
The other two amendments were
proposed by Robert w. Irwin, OF Graad
Rapids, chairman OF the charter re
vision commission now at work IN
that city, although Mayor Thompson
recommendations covered substanti
ally the same ground. The various
other suggestions proposed by the
mayor did not go to a vote.
A committee was appointed, now
ever. to take the munder considera'
ton. IL is made up as follows:
Mayor G.. II. Farrell, Kalamazoo
chairman: Mayor w. b. Thompson
of Detroit; Mayor George E. Ellis, oil
Grand Rapids; Mayor George Stew
art, of Saginaw; Corporation Counsel
p. ]. M. Hally, OF Detroit; Judge
Edward Cahill, OF Lansing; City At
torney r. w. Irwin, of Grand Rapids;
City Attorney w. +. Brown, OF La
peer; Mayor ID. c. Sauer, OF Jack
son; Mayor William l.. Walz, OF Ann
Arbor; by virtue OF his Office as pres
ident of the league, and +. X. Schreit'
err. Jr., of Detroit, secretary OF the
league.
Attorneys A. c. Angel and Hinton
e. Spalding, who represented the
petitioners in the municipal owner
ship mandamus case, did not avail
themselves of the opportunity to ad
dress the league, I'm response to the
invitation extended at noon. Both
said they were engaged.
Mayor Towner, of Ypsilanti, slur
ingly referred to Corporation Coun
sci Hally as the Great | Am" when
he rose to inquire how Hally propos
ed to get around the constitutional
DrOVlSlOU, WHICH, ht iubibtCa,- pft
vents the legislature from amending
the home rule bill as proposed by
Mayor Thompson. Mr. Hally ignor
ed the slur and replied with the ut
most courtesy. that there was moth
ing whatever in the constitution tc
interfere with the passage OF such ar
amendment. Mayor Farrell, OF Kala
mazoo. defended Hally, declaring that
no man in Michigan had accomplish
ed more for clean municipal govern
ment than he.
The cities represent at the confer
ence were: Adrian, Albion, Ann AR
Dor, Bay City, Benton Harbor, Cold
water. Detroit, Flint. Grand Ledge
Grand Rapids, Hastings, Holland
Ironwood, Jackson. Kalamazoo, Ian
sing, Lapeer, Manistee, Manistique
Marine City, Monroe, Muskegon
Muskegon Heights, Owosso, Saginaw
st. Clair, Sturgis, Three Rivers. Ira
verse City and Ypsilanti.
Admiral Booert Dead.