The Detroit times., 1908-04-23

the World can cnange you INTO a
pomegranate.
| know a girl whose father sends
her to the finest and most fashionable
school in America. He buys her
smart frocks and pays no end OF
money to the school mistress who Is
supposed to teach the girl good man
ners.
She doesn't eat with her knife any
more, and she has learned that ii
isn't the thing to chew gum on the
streets, but her heart hasn't been
taught single manner and her soul
hasn't gained one grace OF deport-
nient.
She laughs at old people. snubs
poor ones, and toadies to any one who
has something she wants to get.
A potato she was born. and potato
she will stay in spite OF all the mil
uon-dollar potato patches In the world
[ wonder IL money does amount to
such lot. after all?
municipal ownership and operation OF
a street railway system by the city OF
Detroit may only be procured In one
manner and that is by the issuance or
bonds; bonds not like all other muni-
falth and credit of the city OF Detroit,
bonds That could he sold at par and re-
qhlrinE an interest OF n per cent only
but bonds guaranteed only by the prop
critics and revenues OF the proposed
street railway system. and franchise
that franchise TO state the terms upon
which. in case OF foreclosure. the pur-
chasers may operate the same for 20
years from and after the date of such
sale OF the system, and franchise under
such foreclosure. Such bonds, ] am In
formed Ignailr nnataH with a n
year franchise carrying straight five
cent fare, at about so cents on the dol
lar when bearing per cent interest.
The only persons who actually know
whether n thrse-cent fare can be shade
succe sSfu financial proposition are or
necessity those who are in the street
railway business. many OF US who In
reality know nothing about IL. believe
Ii can be done. hut unfortunately lor
possibly fortunately, we are not OF
those who furnish the money to finance
such enterprises. But some things we
do know We know that the PROPOSE
tion must FIRST be submiued to the peo-
tive vote Of those voting on the meas
sure, before any steps looking toward
the issuance of the bonds can be taken
Now what is II that IS TO be submitted
to the people? Is IL TO be a proposition
10 give the car riders straight three
cent fare with universal transfers. or a
street railway experiment, which
should IL fail. will tie the city UP for
another 20 years 10 n straight fve-cent
fare. II the former. while the PROPOSE
tion might receive the necessary three
fifths affirmative vote. ~ requires but
little forethought TO realize the utter
impossibllty or disposing OF the bonds
At such figure and with such rate or
interest as could be cared for by a
street railway system operated on
three-cent basis. Three and a half per
cent bonds sold at par. necessitating an
issue just sufficient TO cover the con-
struction cost. liz quite a different prop
osition from per cent bonds sold at SO
cents on the dollar, necessitating abe
issuance % % per cent more bonds
upon which 10 pay the almost double
intercst annually as well as the 20 per
cent additional on the face or the nonus
themselves when they shall be retired.
amounting upon capitalization OF ten
million dollars. TO Ave hundred thou
sand dollars additional burden annual
w Should the alternative proposition
he submitted to the electors tine po-
lttitai street railway experiment with
its possibility Of eliminating In failure
other 90 wears OF straight five-cent
farcsi. ] imagine the affirmative vote
would he so insignificant as to scarcely
warrant it's counting.
lie n not about time we ceased both
erine with legal and petty technical ex-
periments and took up the question OF
the settlement OF the street raj
neoposition along strictly business
lines?
III municipal ownership and opera
ton has been placed beyond the scope
OF possibility and corporate manase-
mont must he considered. why not ac-
cent the situation and plan accordinS
I've why not plan out comprchens,ve
rcarranged street railway system Tor
the entire city. one that would both
make Ii more economical for the oper-
atfng comnany 90 well as more con-
ventcnt FOR the Inhabitants OF the CITY
OF Detroit. The present system. az
We All know is hodge-p odge. OF lines.
many of which were better out of exist
ence entirely and many others could De
far better placed, besides. several en-
TREY new lines are badly needed In
sections which NJ present are far re-
moved from existing lines.
An operating company should be
freed from the necessity OF guarding
against competition. as well az from
political interfering annoyances. The
| franchise ordinance should state ex-
nlIcitiv and in the mlnutest detail
everything that the operating COMPANY
would he obliged to do. and IL should,
guarantee the operating. company from
Interference or ANNOYANCE SO long as
| that was done. When tho operating
compapy failed In the performance OF
It's duties the law and the law alone
should he invoked TO compel comru-
ance Sucn franchise ordinance could
be prepared at the present time Just "a
well az later on. The terms OF II could
be made to run a stated number 90, OF
| last existing franchise, and Its pro-
visions could he made so that IL would
| be possible OF immediate acceptance.
not only by the Detroit United railway,
| but bv another -corporatirn should the
! Detroit United SOC at to decline ". The
Detroit United Railway Co. are. In my
opinion. the natural company TO look
| TO for continuance 90 street railway
| service In Detroit. They make the
claim that i'm accordance with the pro-
I visions OF their franchise they are enc
titled TO the first option on any pro-
posed new franchise. No marter wheth4
er that claim Is valid or not, no pos
sibie harm can arise from granting
them the preference. and one things Is
certain and that II if the franchise Is
offered to them and by them refused,
they are thereby estopped from further
/ legal Interference In the matter
I It Is high time that politics In
street railway matters was relegated
10 the rear. and that the city Of De-
froit went about Il In q strictly business
Ihke manner To ascertain whether three
cent fares with universal transfers.
are n possibility.
JAMES VERNON.
Detroit. April n. 1905.
~. "A