The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1886-05-14
"The owosso Times and its Self
Alleged Principle"

Under this voluminous, high-sound-
ing caption, the Corunna lndepend-
ent proceeds to say something's it
supposes. And what is il? That our
readers may fully understand we re
print the entire article, although
some portions of it, as written by the
editor of our contemporary, are un-
worthy of place in any respectable
sheet. 1t reads as follows:
In answer to our statement that Owosso
had repudiated its debt to the T., A. A. d
N. NJ. railroad, and that the Owosso TIMES
"nevcr stands upon any principle of its
own" but had whitfield about on the water
works question, that paper takes occasion
to deny the matters we. alleged, and winds
up with this interesting bit of reading;
Come, now Mr.. Independent contradict
what you said or stand convicted OF being
deliberate and malicious liar. Noquibbles
uow-no tergiversation without dishonor,
and you cannot be too quick about the re-
traction for your own credit.
In answer to the above we simply re-as-
sert every statement we have made, and
can prove them by THE TINES own Ian
guage. In reference to the railroad matter
in its last issue that paper says:
THE TIMES AYERS that the city of Owos-
so never owed the T., A. A. Il n. nj. rail
way single dollar Our common council
donated$10, 600 for public Improvements at
one time during the term of Mayor Estey,
and it is presumed that the money was
given to Mr. Ashley in aid of the construc-
tion of the road from ST. Louis to Owosso.
1t was simply donation. Mr.. Ashley
asked for $4,000, the council only
gcve $4,000 but he never would
have had that had Mayor Nelan been in
the chair. 1t is said that certain private
citizens agreed to give Ashley money TO
help him in his railroad project and The
TIMES has always favored buying and
paying for anything that will be n public
benefit, but the people of Owosso have
never made any such contract, and this
fact every man who reads the council pro-
ceedings knows. Owosso people always
do just as they agree, and if they shall ever
agree to pay Mr.. Ashley or anybody else
! for public Improvement in their city they
will pay il.
In its issue of April 2, just before cleo
| tion and when the matter was about to be
voted upon, THE TINES contains the fol-
lowing, which not only sustains every
statement we have made, but also convicts
THE TINES Of pittng its honor against its
desire for cheap popularity, and of being
the worst kind of whittier:
On Monday night the common council
voted to submit TO the electors on Monday
| of next week the question of bonding the
city for 80, 900 to aid the Toledo road in
constructing an Independent line to Du-
rand, there to connect with their southern
branch. When the arrangements were
made to build this road, THE CITY VOTED
TO GIVE THEM $4,000, half of which was
paid when the road was built north, and
now Mr.. Ashley asks the city to issue the
other $4,000 in bonds TO be delivered to
him when the road is in running order be-
tween st. Louis and Toledo. He agrees to
build and equip the road and make it a
competing line, and moreover he agrees to
secure his own right Of way. thus saving
the city that expense. To do this we un.
derstand would be in accordance with the
arrangements made by n committee Of citi-
zens appointed at q public meeting to COM
plete the arrangements with Mr.. Ashley.
In ANY CASE Owosso's FAITH AND CREDIT
DEMAND THAT ITS CONTRACTS BE HONESTLY
CARRIED OUT as should also Mr. Ashley's.
So much for the railroad matter. Now
we will see where it has whitfield on the
water works question. THE TINES last
week says:
The Independent knows that THE TIMES
has been openly for water works first, last
and all the time.
The Independent knows that THE TIMES
shortly before election went back on the
water works question, aud on those lawful
city expenses in general; it also knows
that THE TIMES business manager, (what
ever that may signify when approached in
this office in reference to their change ci
front on the question, replied to the effec
that it was merely matter of policy. ant
to catch popular favor. This fact we car
prove beyond any doubt.
Now if this is not enough to satisfy TIL
TINES where the "quibbling' comes in, WI
can furnish more on application. 1t isno
our desire to call the editor of THE TINE
"a malicious liar" for we do not care L
descend to the level of obliterated homo
which he stands on, nor do we wish I,
make our columns the bearer of that sor
of language which by its use has relegatct
THE TIMES to the sphere Of bar room loaf
ers, and displays in it editor the mainsprinl
of total depravity, neither do we ask o
expect any ''retraction" from such source
, We simply invite THE TIMES to swallow
dose of its own concoction. and to chev
, any morsol of principle it can find in it
above utterances.
A few weeks ago this paper at Cor
unna made the statement that Owoss,
had repudiated its railroad debt
This accusation we denied and stateC
that Owosso never owed Mr.. Ashle,
or his railroad a cent, but that il haC