The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1912-12-30
SAYS ALDERMEN
PLAY DOUBLE ON
CITY OWNERSHIP
Secretly Favor Giving ID. u. X.
Permit For Extensions, AS
} serts Corporation Counsel
TRIED TO ANNUL EFFECT
OF FOREST. DECISION
Would Re-confer Rights On
Company Which Court aSys
DO Not Exist

With all this talk OF the people
demanding municipal ownership many
aldermen have come 10 me In the
past few months and said their con.
stituents want extensions OF the
street car lines and that they would
prefer TO pay five cents under come
kind OF an agreement whereby they
would get the extensions rather thrn
walt until the city has control OF the
hnes," said Corporation Counsel Inv
SOL, Saturday. These aldermen would
caution me not To- mention their
names as advocating such 4 plan but
they have Gone 1t just the same. II
they would have some backbone in
this matter there would be no ques-
ton about the outcome and the people
eventually getting the right kind Of
service. They should De either FOR or
against municipal ownership openly.
The time has come for a showdown"
Lawsons remarks were called forth
BY a discussion OF the probable out
come In the matter pertaining TO a
decree In the Fort-st. rental case N
decree is expected soon and this max
provide for the council ordering the
ID. L. X. out of the street. II is fear
ed that ii the council is given final
jurisdiction in the matter the Iinal
settlement wifi be strung along and
the city Will lose the benefit OF the
courts decision TO the effect that tie
ID. L.. X. has no right in Forts: ex
cept what the council choose To give
IL. Lawson has asked the court TO
set the date by which the con paI'v
must yacate.
After we won this suit some OF tie
aldermen were abont to undo it by
granting the ID. L. r. permission to
build an extension which would pro-
vide for routing Trumbull-ave. cars
down Fort .st., continued Lawson.
That wousd have given the ID. u. r.
the very rights which we contended
the company does not possess. Some
or the aldermen proposed TO me that
he ID. u. r be granted other cxien-
sions which would mitigate the e.
feet of that decision
Lawson is now working on the bill
to provide the machinery for carrying
into effect the constitutional amend
ments giving the city the right TO
amend its charter piecemeal This,
he said. will be introduced in the legis-
iature at The earliest possible mo-
ment and the legislature will be ask
ed to give il immediate effect. Lawson
pointed out some intricacies with ref.
erence to charter amendment and re-
vision which have not been consider
ed to date oy the aldermen.
The constitution provides that tne
city cannot buy the street car system
unless three-fourths OF the Dsople
vote in favor of it," he said. The
home rule act prov ides that we eau
not increase the bond limit unless two
thirds OF the people vote in favor OF
IL. We cannot have municipal owner
ship .withou. an increase In the bond
limit 1t would. of course, be easier
to get 4 three-fifths vote than il would
TO get two-thirds vote and an
amendement TO the home rule act may
be proposed fr this purpose.
1t requires only a majority vote
To adpt revised charter, unless in
the new charter provision is made .or
increasing the bond limit. II such a
provision were in the new charter it
would require a two-thirds vote TO
adopt the charter. That is another
arg lment for amending our present
charter piecemeal Only a majority
vote Is necessary to carry an amend
ment providing for municipal owner
ship. The difficulties OF adopting an
entirely new charter are so great that
a revised charter would probably be
voted down, while If We voted on sep
arate amendment from time 10 time
they would prbabiy carry