Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1921-12-22
Win Our State
Contemporaries
SHALL THE CITIES" RULE
THE COUNTRY" IN MICHIGAN

~ AiAANAoNN Rii ~ VIZ 'N~NN
institution abolishing the ''moiety
clause" in the present provision for
representation in the State Legis-
laturc. This scarcely sounds even
interesting; much less, serious. But
Michigan as a whole may well awak-
en-right now-to the fact that this
movement, if successful, will put alb
solute Legislative control over the
destinies Of SO Michigan counties
IN the hands Of eight OF these coun-
ties. Each of these counties, in turn,
is dominated by a large city. There
fore the ultimate result Of the De-
troit adventure will be to put
dominant legislative majority into
urban hands; it will be to give De
trcit, Grand Rapids, Flint, Saginaw,
Pontiac, Lansing, Battle Greek and
Jackson q legislative control over all
Michigan. Though Kent is one of
the urban" counties, and though
Grand Rapids is one OF the 'reign-
ing cities, The Herald distinctly
and definitely opposes the Detroit
plan, and it urges Michigan to awak-
en- TO real contemplation Of what
is involved.
A "moiety" is portion" The
State Constitution provides for the
recognition OF "moieties' when the
Legislature is applying its unit OF
representation" to she distribution OF
legislative seats. Under this rule
many counties are guaranteed mem
bers Of the Legislature whereas,
without it. they would be attached
70 other counties to form a larger
unit from which to choose State
representative. The removal of the
"moiCty' clause would result in a
straight appointment OF Legislators
20 population The immediate result
would be complete urban control
because more than cno-half of Mich
l9an's population lives in the eight
counties and cities listed above.
The total Legislature is constitu-
tionally limited 10 152 members
100 Representatives and 81 Senators.
AT present, Wayne county has five
Senator's and II Representatives.
Under the new Detroit plan, Wayne
would have 10 Senators and 81 Rep
reSentatiycs. Under the new Detroit
plan, the eight cities listed above
dominating eight would
have II Senators and % Represent
atives. This majority, in turn,
would be dominated by the Detroit
contingent. IN a word-speaking in
terms Of practical politics - Detroit
and Michigan would become we'll
nigh synonymous so far IS the State
Legislature goes.
The Detroit Free Press quotes
Councilman Nagel, sponsor for this
plan, as saying that "he hopes to
unite the cities OF the state in his
fight in which case t1c rural COM
munities viii be out-voted and the
lsnendment carried" We doubt
whether he can "anite the cities;
and we are sure that if he did, it
would not be for the best welfare
8cf Michigan as whole (including
sven these eight cities). He lets the
cat out 81 the bag when he says:
until the people OF Detroit have
more equitable representation in the
Legislature, they Will continue to
bear the bulk Of the state tax bur
den to the advantage of other por-
tiOns Of the state" He cannot
unite the cities" of Michigan to help
save Detroit from bearing "the bulk
of the STATE tax burden"-hecaus
tbs bulk belongs, rightly and justly,
Exactly where il is. Indeed, il is a
prcvable proposition that in times
past Detroit has borne less rather
than more of its share Of the state
tax burden" as equitably distributed
to relative and admitted resources.
Fundamentally, furthermore. there
is d serious principle at stake. Chi
cago is fighting something of this
battle in Illinois, but the Chicago
Tribune yesterday admitted that
city lie should have the conserv-
ative balance Of country life" We
believe" it said, that the most stable
state has the two elements in equal
counterpoise." Exactly. So long as
Home Rule" leaves Detroit untram-
meled in wholly municipal concerns,
il is best for Michiaan-and we be-
lieve best, in the long run, for De
troit itsclf-to have a "counterpOise"
between urban and suburban author
ity at Lansing. Big cities are prone
to an industrial restlcssness which
might not always produce a legisla-
tive spokesmasship which would be
permanently best, on sober second
thought, for the commonwealth Cor
for the dig cities" thcmselves). Big
cities have their inherent problems
in the solution of which they are en-
titled to be free from rural dicta-
ion; granted. But the converse
equally is true. The countrysidc-ab
solutely Fundamental in its contribu-
ions TO life, livelihood and economic
stability-has inherent problems in
the solution OF which il is entitled
10 be free from urban dctation.
Common Justice and common advan-
tage requires what The Tribune calls
"counterposc". and what the toun-
ders Of The American System called