The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1916-08-09
Refuse to Submit Three
Charter Changes to
People
OPPOSE ELECTION
COMMISSION PLAN
But Initiative Petition
Will Force Its Sub
mission


submission TO the voters by the
common council. Tuesday night, but
one OF these will go on the ballots
al the fall election through initia-
tive petition. in spite of its veto by
the aldermen. Seven other proposed
amendments were taken from the
table and adopted for submission.
In communication 10 the council
| Mayor Marx asked submission OF
all proposed charter amendments
on the table declaring there is gen.
eral demand for reforms in municipal,
administrator and the electorate
should have the chance TO express
it's will.
Proposed amendments lost for
submission are: To have constables
appointed by the mayor; to cut ward
representation in the common coun.
Gil from two aldermen TO one alder.
man. and TO create a city election
commission
mission is the one that will be sub
mltted 10 the people over the coun'
ellis rejection. Mayor Marks com.
mittee on city and charter legisla'
ton recommended such an amend.
ment, and an exactly similar pro-
posal was submitted by initiative
petition, accompanied by an affidavit
Of suflciency that makes il binding
Amendments TO be submitted "a
the voters are: To reduce the in
terest on street paving taxes from
seven TO four per cent; 10 give the
council power TO create new wards
and change ward boundaries; to al
low the council authority to add
newly. territory to present
wards: to abolish the board OF esti.
mates in its present form and make
this body consist OF the mayor. cor.
poration counsel, controller, city
clerk and city treasurer, 10 give the
council power TO control public
utilities and rates 10 increase the
terms OF city and ward officials from
two to -four years; to give the coun.
Gil power TO appropriate for hos
pitfalls.
Aid. Lodge. who moved the adop.
ton OF all the amendments. told
The council II would be useless to
oppose submission of the election
commission plan because of the
initiative petition.
"Why should this council have
something crammed down its
throat ?" asked Aid. Lodge. This
amendment will be submitted. coun'
ell or no council aud you might az
we'll vote for it,"
Aid Barnett had just spoken in
vigorous opposition to submission
OF the amendment.
This scheme was Concocted by
Pliny Marsh. of Highland Park, who
wants to dictate TO Detroit how II
shall handle elections" said the
alderman. Il want TO 20 on record
AS in favor of the present system,
which Is as near home rule as we
can get"
Aid Guthard was another oh.
jector He said the election com.
mission would not be as efficient
as the present plan, because officials
would be sent to act in precincts
where they were not acquainted.
II won't argue If you can't see my
point" said Aid Lodge, testify. after
there had been many outbursts and
the chairman had maintained order
with diflculty A motion to take
the amendment from the table was
lost, 26 TO IL.
Aldermen who voted against the
submission OF the election commits
sion plan are Ashe. Barnett, Bur
ton, Cranshaw, Ellis, Freiwald, Guth'
ard. Hindle, Jakel. Kocher, Krim'
mel, Kunz. Lempke, Move, Richert,
Robinson. Rollo, Rutter, Starkey,
Wenzel, A. e. Wilson, Wing, link,
and Zoeller.
The only Ave aldermen who voted
to let the people vote on appoint
ment of constables by the mayor
are: Bell, Kronk, Lodge. Scheman'
sky and Vernon. Aldermen who
voted against the amendment TO re.
duce ward representation are: Ashe.
Burton. Dill, Ellis. Hindle. Jakel,
Kunz, Move. Robinson. Rollo, Rut'
ter. Starkey. StefanowskI. Wartell,
Wenzel, A. L. Wilson, w. J VIII.
son, Wing. link and Zoeller.
Aid. Barnett, though voting for
submission OF the amendment 10
abolish the board OF estimates an
nounced he would vote against It at
election. Aid. Move cast the only
vote against submission of this char.
ter change Aid. Guthard opposed
the plan to have constables appoint.
ed by the mayor. III the people can
vote us laws, they can elect their
own constables." he declared.
There was little comment on the