The Detroit times., 1908-08-05
WOULD LET STREET
CAR CO. make !
s. PER CENT
eREITMEYER's SOLUTION" or
LOCAL TRACTION PROBLEM Is
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 HID
chief plank, and. In general way.
outlines his plan for dealing with Ii.
Where details are not fully given.
Breitmeyer will amplify in his cam
paign speeches. II 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 To
have the city appraise the various
lines as the franchise expires. Ha
would then have the council allow tia
ID. u. h. To operate the lines on q
basis OF six per cent dividends, all
further profits going into improve
ments or being turned over to the
city, or being used TO reduce fares by
being charged against the companyl
profits for the next year.
Breitmeyer's statement follows:
The mayor to be elected this fall haa
one Issue 20 meet which stands out
above all others-the street railway
issue. our present mayor was elected
two years ago on the specie promise to
his rst term of office. All he has Of
fered is the Hally ordinance, measure
which. on account or Its impracticaDif-
ity. produced lawsuit, which cannot
he nally decided for several years and
which Is based on the abrogation or
rights which the United States courts
have repeatedly declared to be con-
tracts.
This kind OF delay produces no re-
suits in the lowering OF street car
fares The city OF Detroit must regain
control Of its own streets and now In
the time to start. We want no more
franchises to be capitalized and bonded
by 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 to our
children as the present franchise In to
us. Detroit has been run by the street
railway companies long enough. now
let us do some of the running our
selves. Our remedy Is clear. As we
take from private interests the rights
which really belong to the people. let
us permit the use of our streets on the
following plan:
Allow any street car company to use
| each line on the lowest rate OF fare
which an honest capitalization win al
| low to pay operating expenses and 8
| per cent on the money invested and no
| more. In this way, reduction I'm fare
must follow and Detroit will get the
| lowest tares in the country
Place the direction OF the service to
| DE rendered absolutely In the hands or
the common council
| There Is 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 IL he
| goes TO ball game or a circus. The
| company should be required to put in
spur tracks near all large factories or
| wherever many people are employed
In "a tnickly settled district. place cars
there at the quitting time for the con-
venience OF the workers.
In my campaign, have dwelt much
| on civic Improvement. 7 regard the
street car settlement as the all-impor-
tant matter OF civic Improvement. but
there are other things we must look
after too.
! We must have convention hall.
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
aur shade trees lawns and sidewalk
are all matters OF civic Improvement
which we must look to-
| DE must see to IL that our city de-
partments work together SO that each
| may know whate the other isr doing
and the work shall dovetail. saving the
! public money and the ANNOYANCE Of
! having streets and alleys torn up with
! unnecessary frequency.
u Is with these views that I have
become candidate for mayor.