The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1915-02-20
4COMMIS'N GOVT.
TURNED DOWN
CITY COUNCIL REFUSED TO SUBMIT
QUESTION AT APRIL ELECTION
IT SHOULD COME SEPARATELY
CounciImen Think Other Question
Would Obscure the Commission
Question At April Election


BY vote OF 4 to 2 the council re-
fused at its meeting last Monday night
to submit the question Of COM
mission form Of government for this
city to the electors at the election In
april The councilmen who voted In
favor Of submitting It were Ronback,
and Miesler; those opposed were PEN
glase, Klesges, Shells and Axeison.
There was little argument Council
man Penglase hit the nail squarely
upon the head when he said that in
his opinion there will be other matters
voted on at the April election that will
obscure the question Of change in
our charter. II must be remembered
that the local option election will be
held in April and that question will
undoubtedly have the floor against all
others.
Alderman Miesler took the ground
that the people can and undoubtedly
will force the election by a popular
petition and that while he is wholly
ignorant OF the good or evil of the
proposed move he thought that it
might as we'll be put up to the people
first as last
A large audience was present to
listen TO the arguments and witness
the work of the council. This new
question seems to have resulted In one
good thing; the attendance of more
Of the taxpayers at the council meet
ings. Mr.. Scadden spoke briefly in
favor OF the proposed move and stated
that the purpose OF asking the council
to decide upon the question at this
time was to save the city the expense
Of a special election.
In talking with the advocates OF the
change since the meeting there is a
sentiment that the council was right
In denying the request at this time as
II is generally agreed that there will
be number of important matters TO
vote In April and that the people will
forget all about the charter change I'm
their interest IN the other matters,
especially the local option question.
ewhile the special election will
cost us a few dollars, said d. NJ Ross,
Il think that II Is better TO have the
question OF change in our city gov
ernment voted upon separately and at
time when the people may give IL
special attention. We are all more or
less In the dark about II and this de-
lay will give all an opportunity to
study the question at greater length.
/ don't know but that the council did
the wise thing in denying the request
al this time"
Mr.. Ross sentiment seems 10 be the
prevailing one and there will be no
criticism of the council for It's action.
Just what the plan will be has not
been determined yet. IL may be that
the council will again be requested,
after the spring election, to submit
the question at a special election and
then II they refuse TO do so petition
will be circulated and the movement
Initiated
Since the commission movement
has been started here there are all
kinds OF information coming here from
other places, especially Marquette. 4
telling of the Improvement In public
AFFAIRS since the adoption of the char
ter form Marquette issued state
ment during the week showing that a
saving OF 100000 per month have
been made in the city administration
hy the commission over the ward sys-
tenn
AZ Munising the commission form
has been adopted II seems that the
powers in control OF the village ran
the municipality some $4,000 In debt
for which floating orders were out.
The people repeatedly refused to Is
sue bonds and as last resort chang
ed the form OF government to q com
mission. The village chose It's pio-
neer citizen, Tom Sullivan, 10 the heao
OF the commission with two Of his
supporters and completely repudiated
the opposition faction. Mr.. Sullivan
and his associates have now cieat
field and three years time 20 Show
what they can 40 towards betlerinA
the conditions At Munising