The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1911-01-18
TO DOUBLE TERMS
OF CITY OFFICERS
Aldermen Plan To Submit Charter
Amendment Making Extension
To Four Years.

Extension OF the terms of the
mayor, city clerk and city treasurer,
aldermen ana members OF the board
or estimates from two TO four years
Is the plan contemplated by the Re-
publican aldermen In the common
council. Aid Thomas Gilman, OF the
Eighteenth ward. Is engineering che
plan and will introduce In the coun-
ell next week. for submission to the
people In the coming spring election.
charter amendment extending the
terms OF the aldermen and estima-
tors and providing for the election OF
one from each ward every two years.
That Is as far as the scheme goes
for the present. To extend the terms
OF the mayor and other officers men
toned another amendment will be re-
CURED later on.
The four-year term idea, as far az
the aldermen and estimators are con-
cerned, was considered by the Repub-
lican members in secret caucus,
held in the city clerks office. Mon
day, at which Aid. Gilman presided.
All the aldermen present pledged
themselves to support the proposed
charter amendment. This Is quite at
variance with. the recommendation
made by Mayor Thompson in his In
augural message, that one alderman
be elected from each ward every
year, to serve for two years as at
present.
I'VE are not declaring war on the
mayor. as has been intimated, said
Aid. GliDnan, Tuesday morning. This
plan has been talked OF for a long
time and we believe II is the most
satisfactory means that could be de-
vised for splitting up the elections
and making them less cumbersome
| IL the charter amendment goes
through, IL would be necessary m
1912, to elect two sets OF aldermen
| and two sets of estimators, one set
| TO hold Office for four years and the
other for two. In 1914 and every two
years thereafter. only one set OF al
dermen and estimators would be
elected, for the full term OF four
wears. That would be a good year TO
begin electing the mayor, city clerk
and city treasurer for four-year
terms, and in this way the general
municipal elections could be kept
separate from the national elections
Mayor Thompson Is not inclined TO
take issue with the council on the
proposition.
The council can go ahead and de-
anything IL likes he said. Il am
satisfied as long as the people nave
| the last say If the people want 10
accept this plan that has been pro-
posed then they should have 1t. AS
| 10 the four.year term for mayor, II
would hardly be becoming Tor me 70
discuss that IL the charter Is
changed In that respect, however,
think it should provide for the right
of recall.
"The four-year term idea for alder
men and estimators Is all right said
! CORPORATION Counsel Hally. only
would like to see the elections held
on the odd rather than ON the even
years, else there is bound to be con-
fiict with the national elections. IL
| that were done, there would be no
necessity for redistricting the voting
districts, as the elections would be SO
divided that the work OF counting the
ballots. would not be arduous.
"Of course, as most OF the presi-
dents OF the United States for the
next dozen or 16 years are going to
be Democrats, we have nothing To
! fear from the holding OF municipal
elections in conjunction with federal
elections. but as a matter OF absolute
| fairness and justice, the two ought to
be divorced, and that can only be
done by holding the local elections In
/ the odd years"