The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1913-03-07
MUNICIPAL OWNERSHIP
BIG THING-W. T. dust
tContinued from Page One,

4
A study of the home rule bill will be
necessary before We know how far
we can go. I'm not a lawyer. and 1
don't know the extent of the commits
sions powers
Il am not in favor OF block-shaped
ward. The ribbon,ward system is the
wards diversified In character. IL
saves us from political river-front
district. such as the block system
would give us. Under the present
system. the best citizens can control
our elections provided they are in
terested enough 20 vote.
lam not in favor of commission
| form of government, because believe
| II removes the government further
from the people than the present
form, even If the commissioners are
elected / believe IN political dis.
tricts, for | think the people In n
small district can keep better watch
of their representatives than the peo
ME OF whole city. The commission
form would create the danger that
| the city government would pass into
the hands OF group OF men repro
senting one particular section OF the
city, or one group OF interests. Even
now we have a continual struggle be-
tween the people of the outlying dis
tricts, who need improvements, ana
the people OF the older-settled part OF
the city who already have pavements,
lights and sewers. and don't like 10 be
taxed for improvements In the new
sections. Suppose the government
/ fell into the hands OF the latter class
how would our boundary districts
I be built up? Ii is hard enough as IL
/ is for districts like the Seventeenth
ward, which is much larger than the
city Of Jackson, to secure adequate
improvements, though it is assured
representation in the council ana
board OF estimates.
81 am In favor Of party elections.
| It is the struggle between parties that
brings out the voters and makes peo-
pie take an interest in elections. !
am in favor OF the recall, so that II
the party cannot control its members
in ONCE, the people at large viii De
able to protect themselves.
\ Il
sion. / am against prohibition. I'm
a German, with all a Germans love
of liberty to lead his own life. think
his own thoughts and worship In his
own fashion. | am opposed 10 any law
that will force us to live according TO
someone else's code. II the Puritans
want to live under a Puritan govern
iment, left them go to New England,
L.
Icontrol. | don't believe they should
try to force their system on popula-
ton as diverse as is that of Detroit.
Fred X. Schmalzriedt. also nominal
ed by the Republicans as members at
large of the charter commission, said:
II can't understand why | was put
on q LIQUOR mems slate. il / was put
on. / never saw the slate, and don't
know that II existed am not retain
ed by the liquor men, or by any other
Interest. doubt IL there have been
FIVE saloonkeepers numbered among
Der but two. Nobody approached me
during the campaign TO attempt 10 In
fluence my views on any subject. |
entered the race at the request or my
friends. and am now, and shall con-
tinue to be, unpledged to any fraction
or movement
II believe that Detroft's new charter
| should have written into IL all the
municipal ownership powers granted
| by the constitution. We can then
make use OF them or not. just as we
| please. or as circumstances demand.
! At anv rate, we shall have them. and
We shall be able 20 use them as a
club. II for no other purpose. We
should be able to take ADVANTAGE o.
| all the powers that we are permitted /
to have.
There are other matters on which
the people have pronounced favorable
| Judgment such as civil service pro- !
vision. There are still others on which
the peoples opinion is still unknown.
I am ready TO listen 10 all reasonable
arguments on these propositions. II
there Is a sufficient demand. | believe
that these propositions should DC sub
mitted- to :ha-people. for thaHi - Ae-
termine whether or not they shall be-
come par Of the city charer.
| The municipal ownership provision
mus be submitted to the people with
out being entaneled with any other
issue Once that is adopted, We can
go ahead with the rest OF the charter.
We must work out plan OF submis-
sion by which the municipal owner
ship question will be separated from
all others. n we can submit other
| important changes separately, that
viii be a good plan. The charter
should not be thrown at the people IN