The Detroit times., 1913-06-28
CHARTER BOARD
( EhASCULATES
RECALL PLAN
tOvlslon Requiring rs Per Cent
OF Voters to Sign Petitions
Regarded Impractical
COMMISSION SPLITS ON
NON-PARTISAN BALLOT
ieSt Vote Shows Tie, But Some
progressive Members Are
Absent

"uuloulh 10 tue IeChll ptoposhi
which we're adopted by the charter
commission. Friday morning. will In
the opinion OF Commissioner Judson
hradway and other supporters of the
plan make II ineffective and useless.
The commission took up the dis
question OF initiative, referendum and
al recall measures which had been be-
al gun the day before and passed with
|7 out important change the legislative
Sts Of the new law. An effort was
III .re 70 make the requirements for
a. referendum petition per cent OF the
voters as determined by the last cleo
fI Ion. The rule for initiative petitions
| was fixed at per cent and II was
argued that there is much less tend
ency 10 refer laws, and that the re-
q Clements should be less stringent.
7 y was defeated however and the
referendum petitions will require 8
per cent.
In beginning the recall discussion,
Commissioners Broadway. who drew the
proposal, modelling II upon the laws
already operating liz number or
cities, explained that 20 per cent or
the total vote Is generally recognized
as high restriction upon recall petit
tons. He wished TO make the law
practicaL he said. but not too easy
Commissioner Szymanski moved that
the requirement be made 26 per cent
This was passed In spite Of opposition
from Commissioners ingram and Brad
ny and other friends of the recall
easure.
Commissioner Burton then moved
that as further restriction only those
who had voted In the election which
put man into Office should have a
right TO sign a petition TO recall him
Commissioner Broadway stated that
any such rule would emasculate and
make useless the whole recall plan.
Il have studied this question: said
Mr.. Broadway. and think | could
prove that in all cases where such
nigh restrictions have been placed on
the recall II has never been exercised
The recall has not been abused when
II has been easy because voters In
general are fair and 90 not care to
resort to~it except Under unusual cir
cumstances."
Voters have been unfair in recall
l-g good officers said Mr.. Burton
N Los Angeles they recalled judge
just recently who should never have
lost his place on the bench, 70
II they did recall him. said Mr.
Bradway, that proves that the re-
,1ictions in that case were not too
Nigh because The majority shall rule,
and If We don't frame this law so a
majority OF the people can recall a
man OF what use is it,
The Burton motion carried by a
standing vote Of 10 to ). Commission
or Broadway wished TO find some way
% putting the men on record, but no
rollcall was allowed.
Mr.. Tossy tried TO have a provision
in regard TO procedure in the clerk s
Office when petitions are filed, adopted
in toto from the Denver city charter.
The speedy manner In which his mo-
ton was voted down aroused his re-
sentiment and the result was a long
,Eangle over rules. which was renew
ID again when the commission arose
.<om committee of the whole. The
rules we're finally changed TO allow
members 70 bring up on the floor OF
the commission amendments which
had been voted down In committee OF
tue whole.
Debate upon the non-partisan ballot
proposed had progressed only a few
minutes In committee of the whole
when Commissioners Guthard. Sly
manski. and other opponents OF the
principle awoke 10 the fact that the
adoption OF rules for a non-partisan
election would settle the general prop
osition. Commissioners Guthard arose
TO remark that II was all scheme"
10 put som ething over" on the oppon-
ents OF non-partisan ballots. He was
assured that all members OF the com.
mission understood II as a presenta-
tuh OF the non-partisan ballot matter,
= 20 be settled one way or the other.
1t was moved TO adopt the section
Of the plan then under consideration.
The opponents Of the non-partisan bal
lot could rally nine votes and there
Mere only nine votes Ia favor OF the
Measure. The committee Immediately
arose and dropped the subject TO take
il up again when absent members re-
turned TO their desks. Commission
ers Ferris and Wreford. known to be
champions OF the non-partisan cleo
ton bill. were absent and II is certain
that twelve votes can be secured for IL
when II comes up again for adoption
Commissioners Kocher offered a new
proposal establishing an old age pen
sion system He stated that civil SER
vice rules would prevent men from
entering the city's employ at an adj
vanced age. and that IL was the duty
81 the city to follow the lead OF Euro
pean cities in providing for the aged.
Ms bill makes II obligatory upon
ery "employe" In the city. not OF the
py alone, but of any corporation or
firm, to pay tax OF 81 per year to the
pension fund. Citizens over 65 years
OF age can draw upon this fund at the
rate Of IS week If they have fulfilled