The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1913-07-12
llORITY MAY
|EFUSE TO SIGN
new CHARTER
Representatives. of Politicians
On Commission Opposed
TO Progress
8GUTHARD SAYS PEOPLES
WILL HAS BEEN CRUSHED
Non Partisan Ballot Is Most
Unpopular of Reforms With
Ward Bosses

Although everything seems TO be
4 peaceful In the charter commission at
Y present, the minority members. most
h0f whom.Hre personal representatives
SOf prominent machine politicians, are
4 oonsidG flAG making a definite organ
19ation and when the charter is pre-
oented for signatures they may refuse
\ 70 Ign because OF the non-partisan
ballot and other reforms which they
4 ray should not be incorporated. Their
\ Threats to refuse TO sign the charter
are not causing much fear among the
mAj0rity members, who would be glad.
mt any time, to have the ward polil'
clans and their representatives take
m open stand against the reform mea'
eures.
Eddie Barnett, Park Commissioners
Dust and Sherman Littlefield all have
personal representatives in the com
xmisuion, on the minority side OF the
fence, and those men are bitter be
xeauae the steam roller tactics OF the
ruling twelve. which were adopted In
the commission, are being continued
Fin tie revision committee
~.fhe majority OF the commission
q xIected by the people" said Jacob
4 0utIArd, minority orator, were with
SQs md It is only by death and change
and the scheming OF certain newspa-
)per1 that the majority has been made
lnto.a minority and is utterly power
lesa to give the people what they
want
PERSONALLY, want 10 see this CHAR
ter 70 through. and when | say that
mean I want II to be such charter
that 1t will be accepted by the peo-
ple. ANY other kind OF charter
would not be worth supporting, am
not saying that any minority member
will refuse to sign the charter. | only
,aay that the majority ought TO consid-
Or the possibility OF that when they
overeide the will of the people"
The non-partisan ballot with us
~culminating vote" system Is the prln-
,ciple that goes hardest against the
wishes OF the minority because 1t IS
4 the hardest thing for ward politicians
10 overcome. They insist that II sub
United at all the question ought to be
an alternative single proposition and
not an integral part of the charter.
Asschool for electrical inspectors
1nayt be established in the citys IN
ppection department by a provision IN
the new charter. The commissioners
Diseased, Thursday afternoon, rec
omri endatiop by Deputy City Clerk
Guys In ~ and tentatively approved
Ene& McC leary. an electrical en-
\ gineer, ADDRESSED the revision commit
tee of t6S charter commission and as
serted that. 40. per cent OF the cleo
trical work done In the city Is not IN
opected, and presents great hazards TO
life and property.
James Couzens. president or the
Boafd Of Commerce, was asked 10
comS before the commission, MONDAY
(, Afternoon, and discuss the advisable
nv 0f making two new wards tn the
district on both sides of WOODWARD,
north OF the boulevard.
Ulection law changes came up again,
PThursday. and Commissioner Heating.
Who was leader in defeating the
civil service provisions in the election
laws. when considered before. advocat-
Cd eyaminations for chairmen or the
elecfion boards. II the chairman
ohOuld fall to pass the examination
6 is 6lace should be filed by the couh-
Z ell, which could nominate any other
member as chairman. Other sheht
changes were made in the law, and IL
vas revived according to keatings
plan
The members OF the poor commits
6ions ppsared before the charter COM
1xmioGaon Friday afternoon and asked 10
.hayj several changes and additions
made to the section OF the charter
which governs the poor commission.
"a provision was recommended which
would make 1t possible to improve and
I oxtehd the scope Of the labor bureau,
(which II now operating under the sup
nPy5r1on OF the poor commission.
4 Persuasion to create charity loan
hur1au was also asked. The poor
cOmobsioners suggested that they
touenG to have something to say about
( the 6ity Fairgrounds. Under the new
chaser the poor commission will like
\ ~ ID known as the welfare commits