The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1910-09-08
MAYOR. Defeated
DECLARES HE'S
SATISFIED
I'm Content To Abide By viii ~
Majority" He Says When Count {
Shows Owens Has wrested Nom
nation From Him.
Belated Returns Make Few Changes
In Results As Announced
Wednesday.

Proctor X. Owens has been nomin-
ated as the Republican candidate FOR
mayor over Mayor Breitmeyer by -
majority somewhere in the neighbor-
mood OF 200. The man whose candl-
dacy was generally regarded as joks
is victor In one of the most remark
! able contests In the political annals
OF this or any other city. II is not
personal triumph for Owens in any
sense, however. He was practically
unknown TO the voters and had no
party backing, but he got the votes
| because Breitmeyer could not get
them. The Republican electors. aid
ed TO some extent by the Democrats.
seem TO have taken this means OF
regulating the Breitmeyer admins
tration.
AT first II was thought that the
owens landslide was a Democratic
trick AS matter of fact, however.
| Mayor Breitmeyer's losses were heavi-
est in the strong Republican wards.
Until the returns began to come in
from the outlying districts, in the
Seventeenth and Eighteenth wards,
the mayor looked winner. but after
Wednesday afternoon Owens began TO
forge ahead and he maintained his adj
vantage until the last of the available
returns had come in. The tally sheets
OF four or five precincts had been lock-
ed in the ballot boxes. II was discover
ed. but the indications are that these
| figures will not change the result.
The Republican party is up In the
| air. as result of this contest, as far
as the mayoralty is concerned. With
Owens as the party's candidate, VIII
liam b. Thompson, the Democratic
nominee, Is as good as elected right
now without ever turning hand.
Rather than support owens, the prob
abilities are that the Republicans will
put an Independent candidate in the
field IL there are no legal obstacles In
the way, but it would be difficult TO
persuade a strong man to make the
run under these circumstances. The
mere fact that he was running as an
Independent would initiate against
him. Right now the prospects, for viii
liam b. Thompsons election look very
bright indeed.
Mayor Makes Many Breaks.
Several things worked against May
or Breitmeyers denomination. He
has made many bad breaks since he
has been in the executive chair. Early
In his administration he put his foot
in It" by declaring that the tax rate
was too low. This declaration
estranged many votes that otherwise
would have gone to him In the prim-
airy. His attitude was the subject Of
severe criticism on the part OF one OF
the German dailies lately, and the pa
per In question Yields no little influ-
ence among its readers. Mayor Brett
meyers appointment OF Frank H..
Croul as police commissioner was. also
unpopular with the Germans, that is
the liberal Germans. because Croul
clamped the lid on too tight, in their
opinion.
The failure of the mayors plans
for settling the street car problem
was another factor in his reputation.
In spite of an overwhelming senti-
ment for municipal ownership, the
mayor has repeatedly declared that
he was not in favor of il at this time:
that, in his opinion, conditions were
not just right for municipal owner
ship in Detroit. These declarations,
Occupied with his statements, made in
jall seriousness, that he is the best
mayor Detroit ever had and has set
tied everything but the street car
question" undoubtedly cost him many
votes.
Then, too, the vote on the mayoral-
ty was very light. II totaled only
about $4,000.
The mayor had host OF knock
ers." Friends OF Former Police Com
missioner Fred w. smith, whom he
refused to reappoint, We're all against
him, over in the Twelfth and Four
teenth wards. where he lost heavily,
DR.. e A./McCosh, who claims that
the mayor went back on a promise to
appoint him police surgeon, is said to-
have turned many votes away from
Breitmeyer.
Mayor Breitmeyer accepts the stu
alton philosophically however.
| Accepts Defeat Gracefully.
II am content TO abide by the will
OF the majority" he said. late We'd
nesday afternoon, when the last glim-
mer OF hope had fiickered out. Il have
no opology to make for any act OF
mine since | have been in this office.
| have done by best and have given
much of my time. my money and my
earnest thought TO the different
problems that have come mp. I shall
continue TO be just as fond and proud
of Detroit as though were mayor
again and want to thank my friends
for all they have done for me"