The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1913-04-16
Commission AdOjurns ntll
Wednesday Afternoon After
Naming Committee to
Draft Program
MAYOR URGES THAT
FEW CHANGES BE MADE
Says Chief Principle To Be In
cluded in New Basic Law
Is City Ownership

elected chairman or the charter com
mission which convened In the coun-
ell chamber In the city hall at 10
o'clock Tuesday morning 10 begin the
important work OF revising the city
charter.
After calling the roll, City Clerk
Lindsay administered the oath OF
once to the members. Commissioned
Edwin DENLY nominated Commits
sioner Dust, and as no other nom
nations were heard. Commissioners
Patrick Heating moved that II be
made unanimous. Commissioner
DENLY and F. F. Ingram escorted
Commissioner Dust TO the chair,
Commissioner DENLY formally intro
ducing him.
II thank you, gentlemen. heartily
for the honor you have bestowed
upon me and | trust that you Will
overlook any shortcomings on my
part" said Chairman Dust. We
are all here for the purpose OF per-
forming the duties that have been
assigned to us, and urge that the
important work OF revising the city
charter be done in the shortest pos
sible time and with the best Inter
cts of the city at heart"
Chairman Dust raped for order
and the charter commission was Of
fcially in session. The chairman
Impressed the other members with
his brief, direct speech and ener-
getic manner.
Commissioner J. j. Guthard was
the first to ask the privilege or the
floor, moving that the chairman be
empowered 10 appoint all commit
tees. AS an amendment, Commits
sioner Heating moved that the chair
man appoint committee or fve on
procedure 10 designate the commit
tees and their duties
Then the members proceeded 10 get
into parliamentary snarl. AS a
substitute for the amendment. Com
missioner Joseph Merrill offered
resolution providing for the choos-
ing of committee on committees
consisting of Chairman Dust and
Commissioners DENLY, Ingram, Bur
ton and Ferris, this committee TO re-
port In the next session, recommend
Ing the selection of such committees
as 1t may deem necessary, the per-
sonnet to be decided in the follow
ing manner: Each member 10 desig-
nate to the chairman his preference
OF committees on which he wishes 10
serve, naming first, second, third ana
fourth choices, these preferences 10
be recognized as far as possible.
Commissioner Heating and others
objected TO this plan. declaring that
1t was an attempt TO usurp the powers
OF the chairman. The motion was
lost by vote of 10 TO ), Commission
ers Ingram, Campbell, Ferris. Ahern
and Merrill voting for Ii.
Keating's plan finally carried and
Chairman Dust appointed Commits
sloners DENLY, Guthard, Hacker, Dan
dell and Heating on the committee on.
procedure.
Lieut.. Alvin Hicks was made SER
geant-at-arms OF the commission and
Roy Coughlin, of the city clerks Of
Zee, messenger.
A special invitation was extended
to the mayor to address the commits
sion, and Commissioners Tossy and
Burton escorted his honor TO the
rostrum. The mayor complimented
the commission on its choice for
chairman and urged the members 20
use their best efforts 10 give the peo-
pie what they want in the matter OF
charter revision.
Il don't think the charter ought 10
be changed very much, said the
mayor But there are some features
that must be changed. The principal
question of course is municipal own
ersAip. While the people have adopt
ed 1t, there Is no telling what the
courts will do. We are now trying
to have the case in the circuit court
heard as quickly as we can SO that
It will be possible to correct any
errors found in the amendment while
you gentlemen are still in session"
The mayor said he would keep in
close touch with the work OF the com
mission.
Commissioners Burton suggested
that as the city boundary lines were
not clearly designated in the old
charter, the city engineer be instruct
ed to furnish the commission with
the correct boundary lines, SO the
commission can start to work on
charter revision in the next meeting
which will be held at o'clock, We'd.
\ nesday afternoon.
Commissioned Heating requested
that Judge p. j. NJ. iIally, former cor
pOratiOn counsel, be invited 20 ad-
dress the commission. Wednesday
and this was agreed to- The com
mittee on procedure will recommend
that q committee be appointed 10
Al work on the revision OF each chapter
in the charter and will also recon-
mend that stenographic reports be
taken Of all discussions in the meet.
ings.