The Detroit times., 1914-02-05
Progressive Parry
Comes Out Tor Charter

The Progressive party, as a party
organization. has Endorsed the ne"
charter
A mass meeting will be held, sun
day afternoon at o'clock In Duff
field hall. Woodwsrd-ave. and Duff
feld-st., under the auspices or the
Progressive party, at which voters
will be urged 10 cast their ballots
for the new charter. Speakers from
the three leading parties VIII be
heard Edwin DENLY, president OF
the charter commission, viii speak
for the Republicans; Frederick +. In
gram, charter commissioner. Will
represent the Democrats. and former
Aid. Charles T.. McCarty and Char
ter Commissioner Ralph Hall Ferris
will talk for the Progressives.
The Progressive party has been
contemplating Endorsement OF the
charter for some time Its leaders.
such as National Committeeman
Henry VI. Wallace. County Chairman
John +. Smith. E. st Elmo Lewis
and Ralph Hall Ferris. talked mat
tiers over and decided that inRsmuch
as the National Progressive party
stands FOR good government. and
good municipal government depends
on the elimination OF party politics
and the election OF the flttest men,
irrespective of their politics. the
party ought 10 support the charter
which provides the means to this
end in the non-partisan ballot The
other progressive features OF the new
k,a al tn
smaller council. the concentration OF
responsibility. the abolition OF the
board OF estimates and other fiscal
provisions.
This action OF the Progressive
leaders is in direct opposition to that
OF Republican officeholders. who are
working hard against the charter In
an effort TO hang onto their Offices
and keep control OF the public
trough, and the Democratic Tam
many and the Vote Swappers' league,
whose members see In the elimina-
ton OF partisan politics In the city
administration, the crushing OF their
power.
City hall politicians are afraid that
the charter will carry, despite their
efforts to defeat ii. While loudly AN
nouncing that the proposed measure
has not ghost OF show, they Sc
cretly confess that they really have
no idea how the election will come
out. The best evidence that the al
dermen do not know where they are
at on the charter election is the fact
that very few OF them will attempt
TO forecast the vote In their own
wards.
Even Aid Littlefield, who Is bitter
ly opposed TO the new measure. con-
fesses that he has not the slightest
idea how his ward--the Twelfth--will
vote. Aid Wenzel has stated that
the Eighteenth ward will probably
support the charter. while members
OF the Marx machine claim that the
Delray district will vote solidly
against Il.
Aid. Dingeman and Schultz are d.
ylded on the charter sentiment in
the Seventeenth ward. Schultz says
that the ward will go for the charter
by a big majority: Dingeman has a
bunch that IL will be just the other
way.
Many OF the aldermen are making a
pretense OF keeping their hands on
the charter election. As many or
them vii. lose their seats IL the char
ter carries, II is hard TO believe that
they are not trying 10 influence the
vote In their individual wards.
Il am not trying to knock the
charter" says Aid Vernon. who will
address the members OF the Board OF
Commerce, Friday noon. giving his
views on some OF the new charter pro
visions Il believe that every voter
should be given a square deal on Feb.
10. and that he should know some
thing about the measure he Is voting
for or against have read the pro
posed new charter very carefully and
picked ont what / think are danger
ous flaws. These ! have submitted 20
the people: they can make their own
decision.
Mayor Marx Is so sure that the
charter will be defeated that hr viii
bet two TO one lie IS very anxious
20 have the new measure defeated
even though 10 increases his salary
and gives him added power The