The Detroit times., 1913-05-16
Reactionaries, Led by President
Dust, Muster Sufficient
Strength to Defeat Den
by's Resolution
FIGHT WILL LIKELY BE
WAGED OVER AGAIN
Progressives Say They're Deter.
mined to Get Their PROPOSE.
ton Before People

BY vote OF IL to 3. the charter
commission. Thursday morning, de-
feated Commissioner Denby's resolu
ton for common council elected al
large.
The vote stood
For the resolution: Ahern, Bur.
ton. DENLY. Ferris. Ingram, Joy,
- Heating, Merrell. WrefOrd-9.
Against 1t: Burch. Dandell. Fisch.
er, Funk. Guthard. Hacker. Kocher
Ssymanski, Tossy, Wesch, and Pres
tdent Dust-11.
Orla b. Taylor sent letter say.
: fig that he would announce, Monday
whether he would accept election to
the commission as Mr. Campbell s
successor from the First ward He
was. therefore. not present to vote.
Commissioners Joys vote in the ar.
frmative was a surprise. Many OF
the members had believed that he
was against the election of aldermen
at large. believing that he would not
oppose the wishes Of Aid. Wartell
and Schemansky. But with Wartell,
the boss OF the Fifth ward, standing
at his elbow to tell him that he was
politically dead il he did not vote
according to dictation. Joy voted
AYE" and took his stand with the
: progressive members of the commits
sion.
The minority Is bound to stand to-
gether to force the issue before the
people. After the session. Commits
sioners DENLY. Ingram, Wreford. Joy
and others got together and decided
to accept no compromise.
II would have voted for MI. Dust's
scheme of nomination by wards and
election at large, as compromise,
said Mr.. DENLY. Now. however.
believe we must stand BY our colors
and force a clear issue. We must
vote against the nomination Of alder
men by wards. and try. II we can, to
secure an alternative proposition to
put before the people. so that they
themselves may decide whether they
want q council elected at large, or
!, not"
Whether the minority will have
votes enough to carry this project. 10
= question. II President Dust can BIO
won over to 1t, 1t will carry. for he
holds several votes Ia the hollow-si
his hand.
a A lobby Of aldermen stood in the
rear Of the council chamber, and o.
casionally stepped forward TO talk
to some of the commissioners. Among
them were Aid. Wartell. Freiwald,
Bleil, Wilson. Knapp, Littleheld, Dill
DeGalen and Reid. After The session,
Aid. fiittlefeld had sharp run-il
with President Dust the burden oil
which was that the people OF the
Twelfth ward will not stand for the
election OF aldermen at large, even u
they are to be nominated by wards.
The debate on Mr.. Denbys resoiu'
ton was sharp and clear. and LETT NJ
doubt IA to the position or any CT
the commissioners Mr.. Denb!
opened by saying:
THE present system Is crude. IL
logical and cumbrous. The claim or
its hackers Is that a council elected
at large would be unrepresentative'
I think that a mere statement or the
two systems 10 a sufficient answer
TO that objection. No system can ne
unrepresentative that gives every
citizen the right to vote Tor all the
officers. II any system Is unrepre'
sentative, II is one which prevents
the people from having voice In the
election OF all the aldermen.
"It is also claimed that under the
proposed system, the people would
not be in touch with their represen.
tatiyes. They will be closer; for II
cannot be conceived that the alder
man elected at large will not have
|. offces. and office hours. during whlch
they will listen to their constituents.
There will be assurance that griev-
ances will be properly heard.
"I am aware that In voting TOT
system OF elccting aldermen at large,
manv of us will be voting against
! our personal friends. l know now
hard II IL to vote for public duty
chen Il seems to conflict with the IN
ferests OF our friends, but you are
under oath to do your duty ana 10
vote for the best interests or the
CITY. In your hands Is the welrare
Of a half million people. You can.
not let their welfare be outweigneo
nv YOUR feeling for your friends. we
must act for the whole city. In Dus.
iness.like manner. and not he pullea
' this way and that By our INDIVIDUAL
constituents.
81 know men I'm the common coun'
| ell who would not be there II the
people OF the entire city had their
way. We shall probably have the
recall under the new charter; put
| failure to elect Is better than any re-
call"
Aid. Tossy acted as spokesman TOT
the other side.
1--WE are progressive city, ne
said. THE people who are trying 10
and fault with our government--and
think they mean Welfare taking
long chances. The city has pro
crossed under the Sresent form OF
government. and I defy anyone 10
md q. cleaner government In the
United States.
81 was under suspicion for awhile
may be yet. | don't know-and II
didn't take the people OF my ward
long to turn me down. The people
of the separate wards are able TO take
care OF the men who don't do their
duty. and also OF those who do.
IF this proposition Is put into our
charter, II will be defeated as sure
a. the sun rises and sets. II you want
to submit II as an alternative pro
posal, I will have no objections ID
such action"
Commissioner Merrell said: En-
cheney is gained by having few men
In control. The Ford plant IL run by
above Ave men. Lee 4 Cady, with q
49,