The Detroit times., 1908-08-06
WOULD LET STREET
GAR CO. MAKE
6 PER CENT
BRElTMEYER'S SOLUTION" OF
LOCAL TRACTION PROBLEM rs
CHIEF PLANK IN PUBLISHED
MAYORAl PLATFORM.

Philip Breitmeyer has declared his
platform as a candidate for the Re
publican nomination for mayor. He
makes the street railway issue his
chief plank, and. In general way,
outlines his plan for dealing with 1t.
Where details are not fully given.
Breitmeyer will amplify in his cam
paign speeches. 1t Is understood that
he will take up his platform, section
by section. in a series Of campaign
talks SO that the voters may know
just where he stands.
Breitmeyer's idea seems to be 70
have the city appraise the various
lines as the franchise expires. he
would then have the council allow the
ID. u. K. to operate the lines on q
basis of six per cent dividends, all
further profits going into Improve
ments or being turned over 10 tue
city. or being used to reduce fares oy
being charged against the companys
profits for the next year.
Breitmeyer's statement foiiows:
The mayor to be elected this fall has
one issue TO meet which STANDS on.
above all others--the street railway
issue. our present mayor was eieS's :, u
two wears ago on the specific promise 10
Get ia scent fares Inside of half of
his rst term OF office: All he mas Oh
fered is the Hally ordinance. measur ,
which. on account OF It's impractieaoil.
ity, produced a lawsuit, which canho,
be finally decided for several years ana
which Is based on the abrogaton on
rights which the United states courts
have repeatedly declared TO De con-
tracts.
This kind of delay produces no re-
suits in the lowering or street cal
III ~
control OF It's own streets and now ls
the time TO start. We want no more
franchises to be capitalized and bonded
by a street railway corporation for our
children and their children TO pay In
terest on, Any franchise We would
grant now would. no doubt. with the
growth OF the city. be as unfair 10 our
children as the present franchise Is TO
u.s. Detroit has been run by the street
railway companies long enough. now
let us do some Of the running our
take from private interests the rights
which really belong to the people. let
us permit the use OF our streets on the
Appraise the actual value OF each
line as fast as parts OF the franchises
or that line expire. Provide that the
city controller shall. at stated Inter-
walls, audit the books OF the company on
each line TO be operated under this
plan:
Allow any street car company to use
which an, honest capitalization will al.
low to pay operating expenses and
per cent on the money Invested and no
more. In this way, reduction In fare
must follow and Detroit VIII get the
lowest fares in the country.
Place the direction OF the service TO
he rendered absolutely in the hands or
the common council
There IL no sane reason why the man
who works should not be carried TO
and from his work with the same de-
gree OF comfort that he can get TX he
goes to a ball game or circus. The
company should be required TO put In
spur tracks near all large factories or
In "a thickly settled district; place cars
there at the quitting time for the con-
vonience OF the workers.
In my campaign. | have dwelt much
on civic Improvement. I regard the
street car settlement as the all-impor-
tant matter OF civic Improvement, but
there are. other things we must look
after too, ~
where the city may entertain big gath
erings with smaller rooms where our
own people may hold meetings. we
must have public lighthouses In differ
ent parts of the city; we must buy our
school sites large enough To provide
permanent summer and winter play
grounds for future generations Our
street and alley paving and cleaning,
our shade trees. lawns and sidewalks
are all matters OF civic Improvement
which we must look 20.
We must see to II that our city de-
partments work together. go that each
may know what the other IL doing
and the work snail dovetaii. saving the
public money and the annoyance OF
having streets and alleys torn up with
unnecessary frequency
V Is with these. views that I have
become candidate 6r mayor.