The diamond drill., 1918-02-23
CHARTER ELECTION BRINGS RE-
QUESTS FOR INFORMATION
WE'RE GLAD TO ANSWER ALL
Present Law and Our Attitude
Towards Captain Richards Ans
wered in This Issue


ing the week We are pleased to re-
ceiye the inquiries either in person
or by mail and will gladly answer Il
we can. All we want TO know is that
your question Is asked in good faith.
Under the open Forum" on anoth-
er page will be found very fine sum
ming up OF the reasons for a charter
change, contributed by Mr.. Dwyer
which everyone should read over care
fully Mayor Gaffney states his atti-
tude towards the charter I'm the same
department His letter should be
read with care also
Two OF the questions submitted TO
us during the week are as follows:
"Will you please tell your readers
something about the old charter; who
wrote II and Why you recommend a
changer NJ. ID. II.
The law under which the city IS
now governed is what is known as
the general law for the government OF
cities OF the fourth class. IL was
passed by the legislature long ago and
when a community wished 10 organize
into city the organization was per-
fected under this law. OF necessity
it couldn't fit the local conditions Of
every place and so groups of men In
different places were in the habit OF
getting together and secretly having
laws passed through the legislature
effecting this or that community. This
process was called ripper legisla
ton" and IL got TO be SO obnoxious
that the people OF Michigan compelled
the legislature 10 pass what is known
as the Home Rule Act" Under this
act communities can adopt "a charter
written themselves and. after adopt
ing that charter they can at any time
amend the same by vote of the peo
pie. Communities all over the state
are getting out from under the gem
eral law and adopting their own char
ters so that local conditions can b.
taken care of and everyone i'm the COM
munity must know what change. "
any. Is proposed, and have a chance
TO vote upon Il. As T. the reasons
for change read the Communication
by Mr. Dwyer in another column.
ais II true that you and few others
are after Captain Richards scalp,
and that this charter Is one oi the
means OF getting him." NJ r.
No, II is not true. That Is piece o;
bunk" that has been handed out by
the gentleman who is managing the
campaign against the charter so as to
prejudice some of the friends OF
Capt. Richards and get them to vote
against the charter Captain Richards
and myself have been friends for sev-
eral years. and are yet There Is nc
reason why | should seek to get"
Captain Richards. The only way II
which Captain Richards Is effected
by this charter is that the ward sys-
TEN is abolished. and he nor no 9TH
er man can say who must hold the
Offices and what actions they must
take irrespective Of whether the peo
pie want il that way or not. So far
as Capt Richards personally, Is con-
cerned. no one wants to do him any
injury and no one knows Il better than
Capt Richards himself That talk
about trying 10 knock" Mr.. Richards
on the board of supervisors is also
bunk. Mr. Richards position is not at
all impaired by this charter. as he is
supervisor from Crystal Falls town
ship.
So far as the supervisor from the
fret ward Is concerned, Mr. Jacka
there isn't better man on the boarf
than lie Is. and, personally. woulc
be pleased to see him continue there
There isn't any reason why he can'i
do so as he has the same chance 10
be elected that any ether man has
All the people ask OF Mr. Jac'xa. or
Gny other man who sits as their rep
resontatiye Is that he actually repre-
sents them In public matters; In 9th
er words they want that representa-