The Detroit times., 1917-01-18
Coal and Food Prob
lens Reveal Need For
More Local Powers
LARGE SUMS ASKED
FOR STATE SCHOOLS
Bill Provides For Prog
ress In Good Roads
Work
BY w. L. cALNoN.

LANSING. Mich. Jan. iS.--IIome
rulo for cities was slogan of much
effectiveness n few years ago and
there Is 20 be strenuous effort
made In The legislature 10 revive It's
force and give II new vitality. The
object Is 10 enlarge tho power Of
cities 30 take hold OF problems.
,nch as scarcity OF coal and high
cost Of foods. and handle them for
the general good.
The home rule idea has been los
ing ground In The past few years and
he way II WAS made use OF in the
recent wet snddry campaign didn't
give it much valuable advertising
But the coal scarcity OF this winter
aud the efforts Of various municipal
i,ies 10 combat u and cut down the
cost of coal a. well. has revived in
ruany communities VA this and other
states the idea 81 making some prsc
lical use OF home rule and general
CITY powers. or OF getting more Of
such power u necessary
Kalamazoo has tried our the munic-
ipai coal yard plan and Il Is pro
nounced a success there. both as per
iains TO getting coal and as TO low.
or prices As veil. Highland Park.
Detroits northern suburb has tried
The plan. among others. Many other
towns. including Lansing. are hgur-
ing on trying 10 out.
From Kalamazoo comes word that
more power Is needed by cities
along the line 81 carrying on such
enterprises as fuel supply. city mar
keling 10 offset high living costs,
and similar enterprises Just now
much additional power l. TO be ask
81 VIII BE- known on The arrival Of a
OH nov in preparation and expect
nd here within . few DAYS from the
CELERY city The bill Is designed 10
meet what kalauazooltes believe Is
necessary. in view oi their coal ward
experience this winter. 10 care for
UGH city enterprise
The only matter that came up in
tAf hNAHh VI ~ H-fs't nv nAAffN H'hNAtn
yesterday afternoon that did no,
concern money was put over 10 next
week That was Bill" Martz's rnso.
lJiion 10 replace tho legislature with
4 commission OF l3 member to
make tho states laws. on motion
Of Rep. Martz the resolution was tab
LED until next Wednesday
- The hrst real argument OF the scs-
sion was had and it involved the
expenditure 81 a couple OF hundred
dollars rho only resolution nitro
Guced asked for fag appropriation
Eieven bills wor- introduced and all
dealt in one way or another with
money ono constitutional amend
mcnf WAS proposed that affects sal
aries
Water Is Made Issue.
The house argument was over the
purchase OF bottled water FOR The
usc OF the nemhers \ resolution
instructing the sergeant az arms 10
purchase ,ho water during tho ses.
ZION was adopted several DAYS ago
when offered BY Roy. Stevenson, of
Detroit. and Rep Charles W. CLARK
II pansyile. Ingham county. moved
10 reconsider the vote
Rep Clark said that this was "one
~ the little leaks that ought 10 he
wiped M" and that j, had cost 1896
for bottled water during the 1918
session Besides, Lansing water ia
as good as any in the state. he con.
tended. thereby standing M for the
big town OF his home county
Rep, Flowers, or Detroit, and Rep
Edwards. OF Tloughton. both house
veterans, declared ihcy can not
drink Lansins water and would have
70 buy bottled water II none was
available IN the house. Rep. Stey-
onson recalled that tho house tried
lour years ago to set along with
ansing water and did so until the
early spring frcshcts came along
hen u sent rush order for water
from tho springs AZ Mt Clemens i,
only cost cents .-7fav per member
10 gnt bottled spring water. no said
ON an aye and no vote the recon
sideration was defeated. tho older
members Of the house being con.
spicuoue IN their stand for the i'm
ported water eupply.
Would Display Flags.
Rep. Charles Houghton. Of Bay
CITY. then offered resolution for
he house to spend enough money
40 buy $50 small American flags TO
piace on tho desks in Representative
Hall Tho resolution was referred
~ The committee on military affairs
Chairman Culver. Of this committee.
aid after tho session that the com
niftee would hold public meeting
to ascertain the sentiment for fag
display
Salaries OF $4,000 a year for the
justices Of the state supreme court
are asked In n bill introduced BY
Rep. Flowers The present salaries
are $1,000. Rep. Flowers also intro.
duced a proposed amendment 10 the
COnsfitutfon IN include supremc ius-