The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1913-02-12
TURN TO LANSING
FOR SOLUTION OF
SALOON PROBLEM
Aldermen Ask Legislation Civ.
ing Them Authority to Fix
Number of Licenses
LODGE ORDINANCE
GOES DOWN TO DEFEAT
Measure Loses u to big
Crowd on Hand to Hear
Arguments

Corporation Counsel Lawson is not
sure that the proposed amendment to
the Warner-Cramton law, enabling
the council to use its own
discretion In determining the
number OF saloon licenses to be
granted, can be given immediate eff
feet II passed by the legislature.
Even IL II is passed, the corporation
counsel says, the constitutionality OF
the amendment will surely be at
tackled and the matter thrown into
the courts for an indefinite time.
May /, Is the date set for the grant
ing of new liquor licenses, and those
familiar with the law say 1t Is hard
ly likely that the amendment could
be placed on the statute books In
time to help the present liquor COM
mittee out OF its dilemma.
Aid. Harry Dingeman, chairman OF
the council liquor committee, said
Wednesday morning that he Will ask
the city charter and legislation com
mittee to take up the proposed
amendment Immediately and get 1t
to Lansing as soon as possible. this
dCllOH Dtth ouNhOA iEVu W
the council, Tuesday evening. Dinge-
man has received assurances from a
number Of aldermen that they will
go to Lansing and assist him In the
fight to put the bill through.
Meanwhile, Chairman Dingeman
asys that the liquor committee Will
go right on with It's work Of inves-
tigating the saloons In Detroit under
the present law and will attempt to
reject the undesirable saloonkeep-
ers.
should the council fail to secure
the amendment In time, / do not
think the work of the committee Will
be seriously hampered, said Dinge-
man. 1--WE are not In a hole as SO
many people imagine. We will drop
undesirables and we will not fill the
places. To accomplish this we will
simply continue TO refuse applica-
tions after certain number has
been reached. The law gives the
council the right to discriminate.
What is there to prevent US from
turning down licenses indefinitely
The Lodge ordinance to reduce the
number OF saloons In Detroit from
1893 10 931 was killed by vote
Of 81 to by the council. The or
dinance was drafted by Corporation
Counsel Lawson, who declared II to
be the only lawful way OF wedding
ont the undesirable saloonkeepers.
The aldermen who voted for the
Lodge measure are: Field, Heating,
owen, Reinhardt, Schultz and Yer
nor. Aid Field presided In the
meeting, as President Burton was
acting mayor in the absence from
the city OF Mayor Marx.
A large crowd OF saloonkeepers
and anti-saloonists was on hand TO
witness the proceedings. Every
available seat I'm the council cham
Der was taken and the gallery was
hacked. The remarks OF the alder
men for and against the measure
we're frequently interrupted by out
bursts OF applause and cheering
Those who would give their moral
support to the aldermen lighting a
gallant battle for the adoption OF tn,
ordinance seemed 10 be in the ma
jority in the gallery and in the lobby
OF the council chamber.
Aid. Lodge led of with mastery
plea for the adoption Of the ordi
nance lie was followed by Aid. Ed
die" Barnett, who eagerly championet
the liquor interests. Then came
Chairman Dingeman. OF the liquor
committee. who frankly told the al
dermen why he opposed the ordi
nahce. Aid, Reinhardt attempted the
difFcult feat OF explaining why III
was for the ordinance and against !
al the same times Aid. Heating sai'
j he would refuse 10 give his reason
for signing the committee report fav
oring the ordinance. Aid Blsil seize,