The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1914-01-29
CHARTER FOES
ARE RESORTING
TO PLAIN LIES
CONTINUED from page one,.

ownership provision. Ii was the gen
eral opinion that the present chares
was Out OF date. and should be Ihodern-
ICED
When the municipal ownership
committee OF rhe charter commission
considered the municipal ownership
amendment adopted By the people last
year. II found II TO be somewhat un-
workable. Even after the committee
reported out me new measure. msny
of US thought thai II was not as com
plete as Ii should be. II was re-re-
ierred TO the committee. and We had
the help OF Attorneys Frazer. Gates
and Lucking. Thci. II was referred 10
the corporation counsel and received
his approval The attorneys opinion
was thai the street railway clause in
the charter was workable, and Will
stand any test 81 the courts vastly bet.
ter than the amendment OF last year
For this reason the charter should be
adopted.
II will say plainly. that II the oppo-
nents OF the nes charter were honest
ly in favor or municipal ownership ,.
the street railways. they would be sup
porting the charter for with the pres.
ent condition or affairs. il will be Snany
years before we can have municipal
ownership. whereas with the new char
ter in effect. municipal ownership is
assured la the near future"
Charles E. McCarty says:
The adoption OF the charter meam
goodnight To the politicians. and they
know It, IL also means greater effi-
tcfa Ia, "a. a Trndar
the present system. d. p. W. inspec.
tor. for instance. can do "a he liRes,
and he won't Dc fired SO long as II is
believed that ne can deliver 100 votes
With the new charter. parties in city
government will be abolished, the pow
er OF the inspector will be ended, and
the politician will have to show eff
cheney or lose his job That's why all
the politicians are opposed 10 the char
| ter"
Justice Jeffr'es. In an address be-
fore the workers OF the Paige-Detroit
Motor Car Co. Thursday noon, said
In part
1t is strange that those who OPP
pose the charter make no specific OBJ
jections TO II. The objections they
make are merely general in char
acter. There is no doubt that they
have some specific objections TO It,
but they do not seem to have the
courage to come out and make them.
For instance, Controller Engel says
/ that IL the new charter Is adopted. IL
will be Immediately assailed by the
courts, and inasmuch as the old char
ter has stood the test OF litigation. We
ought not 10 adopt the new charter.
This Is no objection at all. because,
If the new charter, wherein II contra
venes the old charter. does not stand
the test of the courts, il leaves valid
the old charter--that part OF IL which
he says does stand the test OF the
courts.
Every new feature that may be
added to the old charter may be at
tackled. and, indeed, there Is no fea-
ture In the old charter that some
lawyer. IL he feels so disposed can
not hang lawsuit on. This fear OF
| litigation is absolutely puerile: for II
II were 10 stop all legislation because
! someone attacked It. we would never
get anywhere. Indeed. we would
never have any legislation at ALL and
opposition TO the charter on those
grounds. is absolutely absurd.
Mr.. Engel says TO add anything to
this charter might weaken the valid
ity OF any bonds that may be issued.
Then, II we amend il by piecemeal.
we are in the same position OF attack
ing the charter; because, let me re-
mind him again, this new charter pro-
vldes that the old charter. insofar as
II does not come In conflict with the
new charter. shall be part OF this
charter
He says there are good things in
the new charter II might be well for
Mr. Engel TO tell us what they are
and be frank about IL. He says there
is no danger to the city bonds In
| piecemeal amendments. because the