Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-05-20


than by citizens of Philadelphia.
There is no home rule when the city is
required to go to the state lawmaking body
when it wishes TO amend its charter. Nirtu-
ally the only home rule provision in the
bils--argumcnts on which n legislative
| committee are hearing today--is that which
gives to the city the right to decide whether
work for which definite specifications cannot
be prepared may be done by contract or di.
rcctly by Il city department.
| TWELVE states have constitutional or
l. statutory provisions which give the cities
control in greater or less degree over their
| local affairs and over the processes by which
! those affairs shall be managed. Arizona,
| California, Colorado. Missouri Nebraska,
Oklahoma. Texas and Washington have
! granted home rule to cities with population
in excess of fixed mnimums. In Colorado
| the minimum population is 2000. In Mis-
! souri, it is 100000. Michigan Minnesota,
Ohio and Oregon permit cities and villages,
! regardless of their size. to decide within
! certain limits how they are to be governed.
! rTNllE autonomy of the Michigan cities is
L protected by mandatory provisions in the
state constitution. That document directs
the Legislature to pass general laws for the
incorporation of cities and villages. The
next section reads in this way:
Under such general laws the electors
| of each city and village shall have power
ana authority 10 frame adopt ana amend
its charter and TO amend an existing
cnarter OF the city or village heretofore
granted passed by the Legislature for
Ibe government of The civ or village and
through its regularly constituted au-
thority to pass all laws and ordinances
relating to its municipal concerns subject
to the constitution and general laws of
the state
In obndienco IN ,bo command Of thc cop-
stitution tho omisInt,ro hos ,oassod - con-
craI law for thn ;nrornorotion Of citos and
for rorio;nn and or,onLi,,s troir a,a,.ars
I-ndor tbis lo,. om,, ai+r ,,tiah dos;ros ~
roviso ;ts ob,r+o. NOV, do CO ,,,ho,, ;ts lon;s
1ativo bodr hv n tbroo. ffths ,oto or who,
, not;t;on sirrod L,. , ,noa;sd ,,uonont;o,
of tbo ,o+ors of +ho a;t,, oaI. for ~ rro
,idod ,bo ,,otors ;ndor.o ,Lo rlor r,tor, q
is snbmittoJ to thon, 1f tbo ,o,ors thinL
tho charlton should ho rou.r;+ton thon q
conmiss;o, or n;no oIoo,ors I'LL ho Lo,o,,
,ho d" d,tr ~ ai,;n "nu s"am oe narseu WIN
thinks nccossarv whon tho commiss;on
has comnlctod lis work if must submit tho
revised cbartcr 70 the voters for thcir an
nrovol. and when thcv have indorsod if II
Zoos info effect
Detroit LAST voor rcvrote its charlton undor
this law. tho votors onnrovcd If and tbe citv
is now working updcr body of laws adonted
hv tbe nconlo themselves
TTNHE Michigan law also provides for
tro,,hI;nn tlo stn,o an ,ma ~ mi.nou'
The legislative bodv bv a tbrep- ffths vote
NAV propose the amendment or II NAV he
voters. In either event if must he submit
ted TO the electors at n primary snecaI or
regular election held not less than twenty
days after the proposal Before the amend
ment or the revised charter is submitted to
the voters it must be submitted to the gov
ernor. who NAV veto or indorse IT, II he
vetoes il the charter commission or the local
LEGISLATURE which originated if NAV over
ride the veto by n two thirds vote and suh
xnit the changes to the electors. If the
changes are proposcd by an initiatory peti-
ton the veto of the governor has no effect
whatsoever.
-
TT WE had in PENNSYLVANIA a law of this
i kind everv on6 Of tho cbanses nronosod in
the charter hills now before tbe J,eqislaturc
in Harrisburg could have been made riol,+
hero ot home, If tbev commended themselves
TO the Judgment of the electorate. and II
would have been unnecessary for deIegations
of citizens to On to tho state canitol re .rcuo
in their s,nnort and the fine of tbe I,aoisia~
tnre could have been devoted to the con-
sideration Of general legislation affecting tho
whole state
TIME limits within which the Michigan
/ oitioS oro ,orr,i+,od 70 oo+ for ,hon,soi,..
.o aIaon,,, Jof,,.d ~, a,n.I w sto.,,.a rri':
'hon.ors ,,'st o,,,.ossir ,,nn,;da Co. ,.n;-
th;nas ond thora aro , ooptain thiUns U ..t;ah
.h a"u ' ,,at .meoJ 90 d. ' .5 aa: "4lcn
nt .nI ".' h;eh Gt NV" ~ W anu e.'"ln
.r' ,oains .ns so .hn,n,s may u0 Vi no' as
my NV ueeaue .Io.onr Ir amo,,ia; ,;u A.,
o;.ina J.. n,nat po .S I;a1pt;i tne
.I's' n ~ sI.' la' aho sYe ~ oous
anu p,o''uI 1 io - ano. .asule,' an
assessor vi poaiu VI 'assessors anu poaru