The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1914-01-24

Mayor Marks stand against the new
charter is being received with plying
laughter None OF the charters sup
porters is at all dismayed by the may
or's pronouncement, His detection
they claim. cannot possibly stay the
overwhelming tide OF popular senti-
ment IN favor OF better city govern
ment.
The mayor said one man well &C
qualnted with politics. is 80 afraid
that the business men OF Detroit viii
induce Edwin DENLY TO run for mayor.
II the new charter goes into effect,
that he Will do everything he can 10
defeat the non-partisan ballot. which
would make such a thing possible. As
matter OF fact. M. DENLY Will not
run for mayor on any considerations.
Everywhere about town, IL Is the
opinion of business and professional
men that the mayor has committed an
egregious blunder II he had waited.
they say, be would have seen his posi-
ton more clearly; but he denounced
the charter before he was aware where
he stood. and bis situation now is
laughable.
Friends OF the charter are ralying
10 its support with double ardor. now
that its enemies are in the open and
can be recognized. Charter Commits
sioner Ahern, commenting on the may
ef's letter attacking the charter. said.
Saturday
The municipal ownership amend
ment adopted by the people last spring
IN - IL. fltfs fVg f-tl-
ment The municipal ownership clause
OF the new charter is the same In
strument. carefully revised and made
workable. providing the necessary ma
chinery for the construction. owner
ship and operation OF the street rail-
way system b. the people. That Is
ono reason why the charter should be
adopted
Another is that the new charter
offers the people progressive legisla-
ton, such as the non-partisan ballot,
a department. OF recreation. depart
ment OF labor. q department of public
safety, and many other progressive
measures that Will be OF unreasonable
value TO Detroit. Ii Is my judgment
that the opponents OF the new char
ter, fearing the effect OF these pro-
gressive measures, are using the mu-
nicipal ownership argument and the
Verdier act 10 fool the electors of the
city into defeating the charter, and 10
prevent them from having a hand In
the municipal government, knowing
full well the great difficulty OF passing
any amendment to the old charter in
the face OF hostile council and adj
ministration.
The municipal ownership commit
tee OF the charter commission had the
assistance or such eminent legal lights
as Alfred Lucking. Allan IA. Frazer.
Jasper Gates ana Corporation Counsel
Lawson. in drafting its sections. and
they were well agreed that the charter
provisions are better than the amend
ment adopted by the people
Justice Jeffries also declares that
the supreme courts decision ought 70
have no effect on the charter election.
He says:
II cannot see how the sustaining OF
the Verdier law In any way detracts
from the general merits OF the charter.
II the charter is a good one. now Is the
time 10 adopt IL: II the charter, on the
whole. is a bad charter. now is the
time TO reject It.
1T would take years OF effort and
energy and loss OF time to undertake
to amend the charter by piecemeal TO
secure the advantages offered in this
charter
1.-The Verdier bill simply aids this
charter insofar as these features in
the Verdier law which are contained
In the new charter become the estaD-
lished law OF the city. This is dis
tinct gain. The municipal ownership
clause in the old charter is re-adopted
in the new charter. Those questions
are settled. and il Is proper to address
ourselves to the new questions, and
that is the extension OF the mayors
term, the separation OF city from ma
tional and state elections, the non
partisan ballot. the abolition Of the
primaries. the abolition OF the board
OF estimates. and the Capitalization
OF responsibility In the mayor and the
common touncil in the matter OF rails
ing the budget.
These are features which are dis
tinctly new In this charter. II these
are good, then they are of overwhelm-
ing importance in the charter and out
weigh fy-speck objections. IL Is I'M
necessary 10 walt TO take them up
one at a time; and our experience
has shown that II the common council
is TO be the board OF revision, very
few OF the up-to-date, progressive fea-
lures OF popular government will find
initiation in the common council.
Hugh Chalmers, head OF the execu-
tive board OF the citizens charter
committee. has issued a public state
ment OF considerable length, which
says in part.
THE decision OF the supreme court
has not altered my opinion or the
value of the new charter one particle.
am In favor OF adopting the charter
because | believe it's rs per cent
right and not more than rs per cent
wrong. We can make any corrections
needed as we go along. | like that
plan better than waiting TO amend
an existing charter that Is rs per
cent obsolete and not more than %
per cent satisfactory.
ITO rely on the existing charter for
any progress we hope to make In
city government IL 10 leave the In
1tlatlnK OF cnaTteI hHlthuihSh's W e"e
common council. and the council has
not shown any burning desire TO bring
about any charter amendments affect
Ing IT. own powers or status.
ITO emphasize the Importance OF
this single feature Of the charter. ]
need only mention the provision for
the nom bipartisan ballot In municipal
elections, and the opposition OF many
OF our most active politicians there
To. 4 have always voted the Repub-