The Detroit times., 1917-10-25
LEAGUE is
FOR SMALL.
COUNCIL
Citizens Body Hard At
Work Boosting
Charter Reform

Aif Af'AAWAN ANALfNn ltAkuN -
now bending its efforts 20 interest
the people of Detroit in the pro
pOsal 20 revise the charter The
members hope 10 have a large vote
cast 80 that the expression OF Will
may be regarded as a majority cX.
preston The league viii work
from now until election day In an
effort 10 get the voters out. IL IS
hoped that at least 10000 will vote
in favor OF charter. revision and In
favor OF a smaller council
There are nine candidates for
members of he charter revision
commission and nine are 20 be elect
ed. \ single vote will elect every
man who name will De on the bal
lot. but the organization that Is work
ing for the good OF the city does not
want a commission elected In tins
way lts members want 20 see an
enormous vote rolled up in favor or
the revision and in favor OF the men
who will revise the charter, SO that
the members OF the commission viii
feel that they really have been elect
cd by The people and not by default
The attitude OF every one OF the
nine men who viii form tho charter
revision commission rs known All
favor small council At present
the figure Is fixed az nine members
elected az large instead OF by wards.
altho that number IL only a sugges-
ton II the people vote Tor "A re-
yised charter the commission VIII
write into II what the members
think they want. n they vote for
the charter Amendments providing
for a council of one member from
each ward. instead OF tw0, as al
present. tho commission viii feel
that Il is The expression OF a wish
10 have smaller body Of city
dads and viii feel free 10 go ahead
and write charter provision pro.
yiding Tor nine or 20 members as The
majority % the body wills This rs
on the authority 81 pllny w Marsh,
attorney tor the Citizens league,
and ". 2. Iovctt. the executive sec.
rctarv. II IS the Citizens league
which So sponsor FOR The proposal
no have Tho charter revised
While there has been little talk
about fixing salaries for the alder
men under ne new plan said MI.
I.oyott to The Times. "A small board
would bc cheap at any price II has
been suggested That the new council
nigh be- made up of mon who would
serve without any pay bur that could
not be done In clecting q small
council n rs tho hope OF AN students
OF city government that candidates
viii So found who Wll trult repre-
sent All fho people n the charter
We're to provide Tor a council thai
would serve without pay u would D..
possible for onlF wealthy men 'o.
serve. as the aldermen In a nine
man board will be- obliged 90 dcV"lr
great dedi of time 10 cry ou<'
mess.
AT present. with n board of alder
men OF ~ members an Si,z0o each
the city pays out about $4,000 IN
salaries Even ii small hoard IN
cluded ~ men and each man Was
given SALARY of $4,000 year il
would mean only $4,000 IN salaries
and other expenses would be less
A salary OF $1,000 or $1,000 would
encourage poor men TO try for me
election and thus everybody would
be represented. Also. With "a small
council the council chamber could
be rearranged SO that the citizen
could hav, "a little space m ~, ia
stead of The large room being taken
up almost entirely 10y desks oil the
aldermen
Tho candidates for the revision
commission have not talked much g
salaries but 10 IS known that a.
favor paving "a reasonable aiuount
that any ran who can De clctt
can afford to r1c tle City al leas'
share ol La cmc WOO kncn wa
not have boz a uucft ihat W'lE
roprcscntatlg ,Juu1 AFFORD Ia nc
long 10 ihe ,oIueu and give thed
time 10 the city,
LEADER ~ practically All political
parties ami MANY 81 The aldermen
ihemsplyre ave in favor of the char
TOR revision and in favor OF the spe-
cin- plan go reduce tho size OF me
council and al are now engaged IN
"A campaign for The purpose OF gct.
ting ont q large vote.
That II is impossible for couholl
compos.d OF g. members. selected
hv wards. to give intellieent consid-
Grafton to Tho city's needs ~ one ~
,bo point, made by Mayor Marx. Va
"A statement given out Wcdne' Gay
afternoon I'm this statement ne
strongly urges the proposed n'n'
man council. elected at large az
substitute for The present body Tn"
statement follows
tf petfolt is 20 moot nc big nroh-
Tome which confront ~ AS city ~
.,nllIf.u people it must DIS ara we
anti1uated ward system ~ chnoelhe
~ f.rislators and adopt ilo modern
and practical small council elected
at large tt.
,,,.,,,t.. ..s.luue auU SOON Wtl fo cone
vinr.d readily fhat with e rotn' or
a. ru.r,fhrra selft fsd W"ri7 ~ ia
ir,,..rsfhln 90 eIte Intelligent cone
sidsratfnn to tho rfts needs
Tho Nard sF.fem b. rarfn" nF ln
sehrfent aud costly fn TIE taxpayers
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