The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1913-03-14
MARX ASKS ALL TO
STUDY NEW NJ. q. BILL


Continuea from Page OneD
council. Thursday night, In a special
session and again laid on the table,
the measure will go to the voters
April Z.
At the urgent request Of Mayor
Marx. the aldermen met in special
session TO pass on important changes
In the bill. as advocated by Allan
Frazer, the mayors special counsel
after brief study OF the main fea.
lures In the bill In conjunction with
Alfred Lucking and Corporation Coun.
sci lawson.
The present draft OF the charter
amendment cannot be further amend.
ed In time TO get II on the spring
election ballot. II more Objectionable
features or loopholes are found In the
amendments, II can be taken up ana
changed. but 1t will then be neces-
sary to hold a special election after
April Z. for the submission OF the
proposition.
At the last minute the chances for
submitting the amendment to the
electors In the April election. were
seriously menaced by slight insur'
gent move In the common council
Up to that time the aldermen were
unanimous In their approval of the
mayors plan for municipal owner.
ship. The threatened break came on
the change from a one to a three
man board. The bill originally pro
vided for fve-man board to be ap
pointed by the mayor. Later, after q
conference with Peter Witt. the Cleve
land railway expert, Mayor Marx sug
gested that the municipal railway
system be placed In the hands Of one
man appointed by the mayor and sub
ject to removal by the mayor, the
council to fix the commissioners sal
airy, and the measure was amended
accordingly.
Objections made to the unlimited
power placed In the hands of one
changed to provide for three-man
board, the members to be appointed
without salaries for indefinite terms
by the mayor and removable by him
at any time. This change caused a de-
cided futter in Thursday evenings
meeting.
Aid. Sherman Lttlefeh objected to
q three-man board.
I'VE don't want the responsibility
to be juggled by three men; we know
what that means from previous ex
perience with other commissions,
said Littlefeld. Let the mayor ap
point one railway commissioner who
will have control of the entire sys-
TEN. Then II anything goes wrone
we can kick to the mayor, and he
knows who Is to blame right of the
reel. II no attention Is paid to our
kicks, then we know what to do tc
the mayor in the next election"
Aid. Otto Reinhardt, chairman OIL
the franchise committee and a staunch
supporter OF the mayor in his street
railway fight. was inclined to accept
Littlefield's argument against the
three-map board. Several other al
dermen. Including Robert Rutter. one
of the old line councilmen, threatened
IN insurgent movement.
Aid. Lodge, chairman OF the coun
Gil committee on charter and city leg
islation. defended the bill in its en-
tirety. declaring that the changes
were suggested by the best legal trio
In Michigan. referring to Frazer
Lucking and Lawson.
At this point. Aid. Barnett. an &C
tive worker for the mayor In common
council matter, asked to have the en-
tire charter amendment read by the
clerk. II Barnett had any ulterfoI
purpose back of his reQuset. 1t was
not evident. but he was persistent III
his demands that the amendment De
read at length. Aid. Schultz. Frei
valid. Bleil and Owen spoke in favor
of the amended draft
Efttfeffeid presented an amendment
In writing, providing for a one-man,
instead OF a three-man. board. The
question did not get an affirmative
vote, even Lttlefield surprising his
friends by voting mo" on his own
proposition.
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