Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-03-11
Council Denounced for OBJ
struCting Vote by Citizens on
Peoples Document.


ton of council indefinitely delaying
submission Of the matter to the peo-
pie. Many suggestions for a big mass
meeting TO protest were heard on every
side, and some significant develop
ments in the charter reform fight are
expected within the next few days
Mayor Woodward declared today that
many persons had urged him 70 call an
indignation mass meeting in the Audi
forum. He said the general impress
sion OF councils action was that they
had endeavorcd to complicate the whole
matter. so as to bewilder everybody.
1T is the same sort Of petty poll
tics they have been playing all the
time" he said Their whole game is
to preserve all the little petty politI-
clans in Office, and they are fighting
every move that might loosen the grip
Of this little clique on tle city gov
eminent.
Would Kill Reform Move"
They would kin the whole charter
reform movement They have dismiss
ed the charter revision committee Of %
without acting on its recommendations
But mind YOU, have not approved the
resolution abolishmg that committee"
Joseph LoeWus Of the Second ward.
asserted that councils action revealed
gross insincerity. He pointed out that
council created the committee of 20 and
dismissed it before hearing its report,
at the same time declaring they were
acting in good faith and thanking the
committee for its work.
"Councirs charter was prepared mi
secret ! heard Alderman Nutting tell
an official yesterday before the meet
ing to keep the copy ne had secret from
everybody. That doesn't look like rep
rcscnting the people 10 me he de-
clared.
Plans Kept Under Cover.
When Alderman Nutting and the
fourteen other pouncilmen offered their
resolution providing for certain charter
amendments. it was the first time these
plans had ever been made public They
were not even read in council, and the
resolution contained no provision for
informing Cpun'li u tit toIhpittt Nou-
tents Of the resolution. only Council
man Claude MasGn's motion instruct
ing the clerk to furnish copies to the
members Of council prevented what
seemed to be plan to adopt them
without any consideration or discus
sion by the council in open session.
The plan is to have the amendments
made into law by the legislature with
out submitting them to the people at
all
Vote Bv PEOPLE Blocked
Having caucused ina secret and fran
ed "A program under the guiding hand
of AIdine Chambers. councilman and
defeated candidate for the mayoraIty
by James q Woodward. council pro-
cteded to block "a vote by the people on
the new charter as smoothly and easily
as the running of well oiled machine
Alderman James r. Nutting. who has
succeeded to the nosition of floor leader
70. the reactionaries since Mr. Cham
bers' retirement, began the action with
the introduction Of resolution to dis
miss the charter revision committee IF
%. The report Of this committee had
not even been read
on an yea and nay vote to adopt the
resolution the yeas were Is and the
nays II. Singing criticisms hurled
at the CLIQUE. caused several who had
pledged themselves to the caucus pro-
gram to WAIVER. But the majority
stood firm. though most of them took