The Detroit times., 1914-01-23


system. by purchase. condemna-
ton or construction OF new sys-
tenn.
II may issue bonds and build
such extensions as 10 sees ht
The decision means that civil
service regulations Will remain I'm
effect that the bonding limit
shall be- increased from TWO 10
four per cent and that the board
of water commissioners will be
permitted sto issue bonds I'm eN-
cess OF It's present bonded debt
90 enable IL TO make necessary
extensions; in addition. that the
city may amend the present char
ter piecemeal without first un
-dertaking revision.
In my annual message TO the
common council Jan. 10, com
menting on the necessity OF carry
ing out our municipal ownership
program, | spoke as follows
Should the supreme court de
cislon on the Nerdier bill be an
unfavorable one, It does not fol-
low that we must abandon all
hope. The charter TO be submit
ted 10 the electorate next month
contains provisions for city own
ership. In the minds of some.
the revised document may EN-
body certain flaws and inconsis-
tencies. Regardless Of these,
believe IL the duty OF every sin
cere advocate OF municipal own
ership 10 see that IL is adopted.
rather than to impede the pro
gress OF city ownership. The de-
fects in the charter may be elm
mated by piecemeal amendment"
The language In that paragraph
is extremely plain. II leaves no
doubt as To what my attitude on
the charter would have been.
had the Verdier decision been an
unfavorable one.
Whom that message was sub.
mitted. was convinced that the
charter TO be voted on Feb 10
contained many worthy as well Az
defective provisions. To adopt
the charter means that we must
accept the bad with the good fea-
lures; that In order TO obtain a
half dozen or more desirable al
terations In our government,
many others which are obviously
imperfect and costly TO the tax
payers, must be taken.
The present charter has been
tested and found TO be substan-
tial.
Under tho decision handed
down today, we may submit
half dozen. dozen, or a score OF
amendments. and permit the peo-
pie to select those which are de-
sirable.
II has been suggested that tho
new charter should be adopted
and that defects could then be
eliminated by piecemeal amend
ment.
The necessity for adopting
In the courts at great expense.
and amended at frequent inter
walls with expense 20 the taxpay-
ers. does not impress me.
believe il better to submit by
piccemeal amendment those
changes which are desired by the
people.
It Is not my intention to cam
paign for or against the charter
TO be submitted, Feb 10.
Because of the favorable de-
cision on the Xerdier bill, and the
reasons enumerated above, shall
vote mo" Feb. 10.
Corporation Counsel Lawson declil
ed 10 comment on the new charter, {
On the effect OF the courts decision
until he had received a copy OF 81
after
Many OF the aldermen were NOR
frank. Aid. Llttlefeld declared tina
he new charter Is now useless.
81 am not in favor OF ii, and neye
was" he exclaimed.
Aid Gu.hard, who was one OF IN
members of the charte
and fought every progre
,ive feature OF the document, was jub
ant
The new charter Is dead" he sale
We've got municipal ownership an
ciyil service: that's all we wanted
All the other changes are merel
'rills."
Aid. Lodge was non-committal
THE decision clears mp the situi
ion" he said ut Is a good thing, /
hat regard. We know where W
stand. whether the charter Is adopte
)r not"
Aid. Owen was inclined TO stand b
he new charter, and TO insist that il
passage Is necessary for good govern
nent.
But outside the city hall. citizen
n general are not disposed to give II
he good things which they have ba
led 40 long TO put into the new char
.er.
Hugh Chalmers, chairman OF the cl
zens' charter committee, did not hea
IF the supreme courts decision. or c
he attitude OF the city hall. till moor
"T don't see what difference TN
courts decision makes as to the valu
of the charter be declared. Thong
he court guarantees municipal owl
ership. the new charter broadens an
makes more effectivs the public owl
,rship amendment Besides. the cha
.er contains many improvements
which are not provided by the court
decision. The city needs Il new
much as ever II did"
Charter Commissioner Wreford gd
ed his teeth and said. Well put IN
charter through in spite of ever
hing"
One thing has been made certain
hat majority vote VII be suh'cien
20 pass the charter. II the suprem
court had held back its decision unt
fter Feb. 10. Il would not have bee