The Detroit times., 1910-02-24
Strike Is Plot to Cheat
Men, Says Pres. Gompsrs
BY w. G. SHEPHERD.

Phlladelphia is In terrible hole
Philadelphia, where liberty was born.
Back IN 1852 the city OF Philadel
phia was persuaded to surrender its
right TO take over the franchises or
the street railway companies.
Lets work together" said capital.
as represented by the company. Wen
allow your city council TO elect three
members OF our board OF directors and
give them full power to vote.
Philadelphia agreed OF course. IL
thought that its representatives on
the board would be real representa-
tives of themselves.
But never once have these city
directors represented the people OF
Philadelphia said an old citizen 10
me. The company was always able
to get its own men on the board
Pretty soon philadelphia wanted
lower fares. All the other American
cities were talking about lower fares
place OF American freedom-havc
lower fares, too?
Company Needed Money
But the representatives OF the city
o nthe board of the company wouldn
vote for lower fares. No. indeed not.
The company needed the money be.
cause il had to pay tremendous inter
est on the wateTed stock of the smaller
companies which IL swallowed up
when the franchise rights OF the city
were annul!ed in 1853. The Phila.
delphia Rapid Transit Co. showed ito
books. IL was almost bankrupt. on
the face OF 1t.
But the secret was that 1t was pout-
ing its money into the Golfers OF the
smaller companies.
Philadelphia began to declare that
the city hall officials were all members
OF gang, and that many OF them
owned street railway company stocK.
Then John A. Reyburn was elected
mayor. The people thought that
would help. He was to become by
virtue OF his Office MEMBER of the
street railway company's boarl.
Lower fares were due certainly.
But behold. Reyburn helped raise
the fares and the six-fCr-a-quarter
tickets were abolished II was as big
a surprise as the recent lowering" IF
the tariff
The public held meetings and reso-
luted vigorously. Right on the same
ground where our forefathers declared
for independence the people OF Phia-
delphia tried TO do the same thing
Scandal Drives Wolf From Board.
Reyburn only went ahead, saying,
The company must have the money"
Then the council elected Clarence
Wolf to he a city member of the Rapid
Transit board.
90 FyIg a
stock" was the cry that went up.
How can he represent the people,
He couldn't indeed. and the scandal
became So great that Wolf who was
the closest personal friend OF the
mavor. left the board.
But he was Immediately elected
vice. president Of the company
Seven months ago the street railway
men struck for higher wages-an in.
crease of cents an hour. Il was just
before election time. and James Mo
Nichol. a city contractor. who prom
sed the men that II they would return
10 work their demands would he
granted was So close a friend "
Mavor Reyburn that the men believed
ne coul dkecp his word
Election time came on. and the pep
pie. who had chance te vote for
Daniel Gibboney rs prosecutor ne
could and would now be helping ont az
iail lot Of citizens illegally arrested
since me strihe--votcd for the other
fellow. who hadn't criticized and
fought tho CITY hall gang
But McNichols promise didn't worE
ont
So the street railway men struck
again This time there Is no election
M hand
And evcry, day the MAYOR sits al 4
meeting Of the board ~ directors or
the company and talks over tn
method OF how TO win the strike All
about every dav some newspaper de-
clares that Henry CLAY. the COMMIT.
sioner OF public safety. owns $4,000