The Detroit times., 1910-09-12
PR0CTORsAYs HE'LL
WALlOP OUR. HARD
WHEN HE'S MAYOR
Means To Get Square for Strap.
Hanging and Shivering On Corner
Experiences; Something Coming
To Michigan Phone Co., Too.
Welcomes Promised Support of Brett
meyer and May Challenge Thomp-
SON To Joint Debate.

II Proctor X. Owens. Republican
nominee for mayor, ever becomes the
city's chief executive, and he GER
tainly thinks he will, the ID. u. z.
will rue the day II treated him like
1t does other piebian patrons. Mr..
Owens doesn't mind being a strap
hanger so much, but he draws the line
at seeing cars rush by him as he
shivers on the street corners In the
winter time.
The Michigan Telephone Co. is also
going to get wallop. provided, az
course, that Mr.. Owens sits In the
mayors chair. The company, he says,
has given him poor service, and he
means TO let the fact be known ofhci-
ally II the opportunity comes to him.
'If I become mayor of this city"
said Mr.. owens. Monday morning,
I'm going to let the ID. u. X. and
the telephone people know I'm mayor.
It's bad enough TO make people hang
on to straps In the cars, after they
pay their nickels, but when 1t comes
to making people stand In the cold
on the street corners while the cars
rush by them, say it's going too far.
That's the way I've been treated and
l know OF many others who nave
suffered the same way. This way OF
using the people has gone on long
enough. and IL become mayor, ] VIII
certainly make the ID. u. X. come 10
time. They won't be able to monkey
with me. The company can put more
cars on the lines instead OF giving up
its dividends to those Montreal stock
holders (Which will be news TO the
Montreal stockholders). That money,
anyway, should come to the citys
Golfers.
I'VE want municipal ownership In
this city, not only of the street rail
way, but all public utilities. Public
Ownership Is success In other cities
and I'm sure 1t would be here, too.
Anyu ay. let us try 1t. The ID. u. X.
has had it's way too long in Detroit.
II could have been made to come 20
time IL there had been mayor strong
|'enough. I am strong enough and Ill
prove 1t, II the electors give me
chance. The company will find II Is
running up against stone wall IL II
tries to run me.
81 am a poor man, and II | am
elected, will be the first poor man
| The electors have ever had to repre-
sent them In the city hall. know
Ihow q poor man has got to pay his
taxes or lose his property, and how
the d. u. r. and other big corpora
4 tions of the kind can get around the
law. II is the poor taxpayer that
want to protect, and at the same time
see TO It that the big fellows, like
1.-THE ID. u. r.. get no favors.
"The telephone service in this city
has also got to be improved, IL | be-
lcome mayor. Indeed, | would have
1.-THE city own the telephone lines, just
4 as Il should own the street car lines.
I However, will certainly make 1t
I nv business to get better service Tor
/ the time being should | be mayor.
4 The service now is simply abomin-
able. | don't blame the girls who
work at the switchboards. They do
their work all right; the trouble Is
THAT the company doesn't employ
enough of them. The company Is
pocketing its profits instead OF EN-
Iploying sufficient help"
Mr. Owens said he was glad OF the
promised support Of Mayor Brett
meyer.
"I met the mayor for the first time
lin my life when friend took me over
Ito his Office in the city hall, Saturday
lafternoon," said Mr.. owens. HE
seems to be a fine fellow personally.
HE said he would support me un-
qualifiedly believe he should do
THAT. for he Is still member OF the
Republican party. The Republicans
saw At to nominate me instead of
him, but that Is no reason why he
shouldn't continue to be good Re
publican"
do you plan to challenge Mr..
] Thompson, the Democratic candidate
for mayor. to a debate on the street
car question and other matters?" was
asked Of Mr.. owens by The Times.
II don't know as yet about that"
Mr.. Owens answered. However, | am
going to have a big downtown meet
ling pretty soon and the public will
then have a chance to hear my views
lon the different questions. | want to
meet every taxpayer and voter in the