The Detroit times., 1913-04-26
MAKES I'll
SHORT Bl|I|||I|
CHARTER
FAvORS NON-PART1GA
MUNICIPAL RLD(
Declares Those Opposing ~
ipal Ownership Are ~Flel
ing Against Starr M

Bishop Charles d. WfllIalhs - "
dressed the charter comm1a6lon ~ sls
session. Friday Afternoon. advoca11
shorter ballot, In order that ~
citizens may, make = more iutGlllgdG
choice OF city omcers, greater ~.
poinuve power Of Z few onlciala, -
order that responsibility may 30 ceu@
tered, and large municipal powers, 70,
carry on pubic utilities. ~:
Il shall speak not ~ an expert, but
as al ordinary citizen affected b. thol
government said Bishop WillIams.S
The feeling Ii becoming more and
more general that municipal govorus'
ment ought to be divorced from party
politics. The fact that q man II =
Republican or . Democrat has moth
Ing to do with city government. which
Is a matter of housekeeping and ID
ministration. We want good admin
istrators. whether they are Of thtSs
succeeded In divorcing Municipal a..
ministration entirely from politics.
The city council advertises for ii
mayor when there Is q vacancy just
As an industrial plant chooses . maD0
ager. We are not ready for that heras.
but the people desire good adminiD2
tration in whatever way It con ~
gained. n
Il am In favor OF as few ~ possI-
bic elective oficials. with larger ~
pointive and administrative powerny
We must have more intelligent elec-
lions. Under the present system
every picsyune ONCE 10 ON the ticket,
and man OF ordinary intelligence.
and claim to be one. does not know
what. to do. can investigate Q half
dozen names. but outside Of that. 1
must go II blind.
In the interests OF intelligent vOt-
ing. We should have q short ballot.
This would enable the public to cen.
ter responsibility which 10 AZ yet not
conferred
I'VE must recognize that the func-
tons OF municipal government are 70
enlarge In the future. Whether We
believe In It or not, we must see that
the trend in the United States II for
the municipality to serve itself In tn
public utilities. Whoever lights
against IL Is fighting against the stars
In their courses
Il don't believe in the aspersionn
cast on our American ability to govern
our own institutions, or the statement
that we haven't the characer con
due our industries.
Whether the best results can be
reached by the commission form Of
government. am not expert enough
TO say. They might be reached un.
de: u small council. elected at large.
You can't fool all the people all the
time; and while q district may elect
Bath House John and keep him IN
poyer all the time, the people Of Z
whole city are not likely to be Inn
posed upon by politicians OF th2t
type"
Edward s. Greece also addressed the
charter board.
+, Bird S. Coler, former comptr0ller
OF New York, wired the commission
that he would arrive In Detroit, next
Wednesday morning. Brand Whit
lock. mayor of Toledo, telegraphod
that he cannot come before May 4.
and the commission will try to ar-
range another date with him.
A session will be held. Monday
night. in the mayors once to permit
representatives Of the Detroit FedeFo-
ton OF Labor, to be named. Saturday
night. to lay before the commission
their views on city government.
The Bureau OF Municipal Research.
New York. has offer0e the commits
sion literature and speakers. Con
troller Heineman will address the
commission when II Is considering
the city's fiscal system.