The Detroit times., 1914-05-13

D
/ tracked the intent OF the Littleheld
resolution and allowed the election
date 10 stand. was defeated by a vote
OF l9 TO IA.
! Aid. Lodge, arguing against the
mayors political move to duck" a
! fight at the polls In the spring OF 1915
on hon-partisan ballot, declared tnat
the action urged by the mayor was
postponing for two years the demand
OF the people for charter amend
ments.
1T is simply showing these import
ant matters into the hazy future,
said the alderman. The mayors
communication is surprising. He pro-
poses to have us vote on the amend
ments the day we elect officials. DO
the people want the amendments sep
arating municipal from state and ma
! tional elections TO become operative
/ two years hence2 No They want
/ the separation OF elections, the non
partisan ballot and all other reforms
as soon as they can get them"
Aid. Lodge said he had predicted
during the charter campaign that the
common council. as IL is now consti'
tuted. would never submit piecemeal
amendments.
Aid. Allan, chairman of the commit
tee on charter and city legislation,
said the committee had worked ear
nestly TO give the people an oppoFtu.
nifty to vote on the best features In the
rejected charter.
Everybody was given a fair hear
ing before our committee aud the
members have no excuse TO offer for
the result OF their work." said Allan.
Aid. DeGalan, member OF the com
mittee wanted TO know why the may.
or OF some OF his political advisers
did not appear before the committee
with a request to have the amend
ment election 90 over 10 the tall.
1T is nothing more than political
move, bringing the matter up at this
time, and II is not giving the people
IA fair show" said DeGalan.
On the adoption OF the recindlng
resolution, killing the chances for a
June election, the vote was as Iol-
lows.
Yes Aid. Barnett. Behlow. BleiI.
Burton. Dill, Field treiwald, Gilman,
Goldner, Guthard. Hess, Hindle, keat-
ing, Knapp. Lemke, Littletied, Reid.
, Rntter Wartell. Wenzel and Wilson
-2l.
No-Ald Allan, DeGalan. Jakel.
Lodge, MOVIE, O'Brien, owen. Sche-
mansky, Schultz. Skrzych, Thompson
and Vernor-l2
The mayors communication, in part,
follows:
While | believe that the people
Of this city should be afforded an
early opportunity TO vote on the
propositions considered fox sub
mission. do not feel that the de-
mand Is such as TO place burden
OF SS5 900 or $4,000 on the-taX-
payers, for the holding OF u spe
cial election, with the fall election
only a few months distant Fur
thcrmore, II must be apparent TO
your honorable body THAT the vot
ers prefer to visit the polls In
weather more comfortable than
the customary brand OF the last
week OF June.
feel confident that Il Is the
desire OF your honorable body TO
obtain as complete an expression
OF the will OF the people as is pos
sihle on all OF the amendments
submitted II needs no argument
To convince you. take IT, that
With many OF our people out OF
the city during the summer
months, and torrid weather as an
additional handicap, only a small
percentage OF the voting strength
OF our city win turn out for an
election held in the week now con-
templated.
While 1t is true that II a special
oil 10
HE body, IL will be mandatory 10
submit those amendments initial
ed by the people, the circulation
and signing OF initiatory petitions
does not make the calling of a
special election necessary. If the
action of your honorable body
taken two weeks ago tonight may
be construed as providing for a
special election. believe that pub
lie opinion will commend your
adoption of resembling resolu-
tion. thereby saving the taxpayers
the money that would otherwise
be expended for an ill-advised and
unnecessary special election.
Police Commissioner Gillespie, one
of the mayors political advisers, was
in a gleeful mood when the mayors
friends In the council stood by the
administration TO prevent non-parti-
san elections and the separation OF
the municipal, state and national cleo
tions.
1T would be a darn shame IL
bunch OF Republicans couldn't put
something over on a handful OF Demo
Gratis" the commissioner said joking
ly TO Aid Jakel, Democrat, who was
inclined to crlticise the methods OF
the administration in making political
footballs out OF all matter OF public
interest.
"The trick was turned cleverly, Ill
admit but maybe the voters will have
the last say after ALL" was Jakers
reply to the commissioner.
The administration accuses Corpor-
alton Counsel Lawson, q Democrat OF
playing politics in preparing the pro-
posed charter amendments. The non.
partisan amendment has not been
submitted to the council by the COM
mittee. Chairman Allan explained
that oWaon hadn't nranarad AZ