Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-01-02
Grave Responsibilities
OF the New Legislature


procedure and leaders have displayed willing
ness to tackle the problem without delay
But il is obvious that complete revision of the system
is compelling necessity revision that be brought
about only by many changes in the state constitution
Fortunately the question of constitutional conven-
ton will be on the ballot the general election The
voters then authorize convention to revise all basic
laws the requirements of the present instead
of attempting piece-eal patching of outmoded docu
ment designed for 1909.
The Michigan of 1909 exists no longer 1t was but the
bud of that has bossomed into great common
wealth with social beliefs political and industrial
economics, program of life
THE fundamentals of freedom-the inherent rights Of
free speech and assembly and trial by jury-wil be
preserved and reinforced the constitution But the
methods up 1909 for government of equal benefit
security inefficient today the sputterng
automobiles then Woodward avenue.
County government could be made compact unit by
eliminating the archaic and unnecessary offices Of sheriff,
drain commissioner surveyor and coroner-thus shorten
ing the ballot
Terms of office should run consecutivey to eliminate
frequent costly and confusing elections Our process of
elective franchise becomes ridiculous when requires SIX
statewide elections ii months, it does In the period
between September, 1910 and November, 1871.
DETROIT should longer suffer the penalties of
l. onedistrc legislative system which entices hundreds
of candidates the field and sends the voters to the
polls in hapess state of confusion.
The city must be divided into Districts just as it is
divided for the selection of state senators.
And while this subject, the Legislature should
search for method of requiring candidates for office
to be qualified to hold the posts they seek.
These proposals to be talked about and thought
about during the next two Public discussion will
produce valuable ideas for improving and simplify
Ing otr worn out mechanism
The bar and those citizen organizations interested in
better government should start work that when
the 1912 election is held the voters will realize the
sity for a constitutional convention.
MEANWHILE, Election Supervisor Oakley E. Distn
Vl and other officials have prepared bills to effect those
remedies which possible without constitutional
amendment.
First essential is abolition of that monstrosty known
the secret primary Dstn has discovered that $4,000
persons in Detroit disranchised last September
through inadvertently depositng their ballots in the dis
card box instead Of the official contaner
This procedure of giving every voter two ballots
with the privilege of marking only one-has bewidered
the electorate and disorganzed the whole machinery
The intent good but the method was wrong. AS
long no record is made on the poll books of party
aiation of citizen there is why the state
cannot return to the old system whereby the voter asked
for either Republican Democratic ballot.
A MOTHER necessary reform is a law permitting pro-
a posals to be printed the ballot by short summary,
instead of in full.
There is either. why election officials should
not be allowed expose fraud in the filing of petitions.
At the present time they required to accept all petit
TONS though in the handwriting and
though they discover that sgners not registered
voters, citizens.
These and other improvements should be made at
while the state for the larger task of COM
plete revision.
BAERlNG DOWN ON THE NEWS: