Amending The Charter

The city council again took up the charter amendments, last night. This time the matter came up in the shape of.a rèsol ution by Aid. Manly as follows: Resolved, That in the interest of economy we deem it necessary that our city charter be amended by the adoption of all the resolutions that have passed the common council, now pending before the legislature, excepting the resolution establishing an additional ward, also excepting the resolutions that tend to remove from the council the confirming power. Be it further resolved, That our representative be most respectfully requested to use all honorable means to have the charter so amended as to comply with this resolution. And be it further resolved, That a committee of five, consisting of the mayor, Aids. Martin, Wood, Ferguson and Prettyman, be appointed to visit Lansing at a date to be fixed by the committee to whom said charter shall be referred, said committee to use all honorable means to have the charter so amended as to comply with the resolutions of this council, and to oppose all other amendments that may be presented to the legislative committee. This resolution provoked an animated discussion. A motion to indefinately postpone it was lost by a tie vote. The motion was then lost by a vote of 9 to 2, Aid. Manly voting against the resolutions himself. A motion to reconsider was laid upon the table. The status of the move to amend the charter is hard to determine. As a matter of fact there is no agreement on the part of the council as to the desirability of any of the amendments, and the legislature can best suit the people by letting the whole matter rest in innocuous desuetude. The only agreement on the part of the council and the citizens is in opposing the third-class city charter which all concede, might work harm to the city. By the time the legislature again meets, needed amendments to our city charter will have been determined upon and probably by mutual consent, as was 'die present charter, when adopted.