The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1910-09-08
VICTORY OF OWENS
PUTsL0CAL G.O.P.
UP IN THE AIR
There's No Way Of sidetracking His
Candidacy and Party Leaders Fear Z
That His Heading Ticket Means
Democratic Sweep.
Republican Organization Not Likely
To Take ANY Part in Mayoral
Campaign.

Ao anu shashiuS Oh teetn pro-
vail in the city hall as a result OF
Tuesdays primary, as far as 1t con-
Germs the mayorty.
wouldn't 1t be great joke if
Owens should beat out Phil Brett
meyer?' was a remark heard fire.
quently Wednesday, before the result
was apparent. Now that the Joke"
has become a reality Ii has ceased
TO be funny. Now all one hears IL:
What In thunder are we going to-
dor"
That's the great question. What
are the Republicans going to do about
II! owens has been nominated and
he will stand as the Republican can
didate for the mayoralty unless he
can be induced to withdraw, for II II
too late now TO put an Independent
candidate in the field.
When the Republicans talk Of the
possibility of owens withdraw from
the contest they reckon without
Proctor X. He Is not that kind of q
man. He Is out to win and he con-
fidently believes he has a chance IL
the Republicans want TO take him
on the ticket they'll have to use force
and that has even been suggested.
Il wonder IL we couldn't kidnap him
and spirit him away somewhere until
after election?" suggested one OF the
Republican aldermen who has just
been re-nominated. Owens was the
center of an interested group at Girls
wold-st. and Michigan-ave., Thursday
morning and entertained his auditors
for several minutes with his views on
municipal ownership and other issues
Of the campaign. There Is no back
ing out for Owens now.
The Republican aldermen and once
holders generally have good reason to
take alarm. With william b. Thomp-
sons election assured IN advance they
are fearful of Democratic victory all
along the line. II IL really . serioue
matter with them. Openly some DE-
declare that they will support Owens
| for. the simple reason that he's the.
party's choice, but In their private
conversations they express the wish
that some way. could be found ou&
OF the situation.
Owens nomination places the Re-
publican city committee In rather
| embarrassing position. The commit
| tee Is not very keen on taking up the
cudgels for Owens, yet, IL II does not.
1t will be an acknowledgment that the
committee has no confidence in its
candidate for mayor. The North End
Taft club, one of the strongest Re-
| publican organizations in the city, IL
also In peculiar position.
AS far as the North End Taft club
| is concerned there is no candidate
for mayor" says Arthur Layton, an
| officer of the organization.
Bets are already being laid on the
mayoralty; not simply on Thompson's
election, for that Is conceded, but on
the size Of his majority. One bet OF
$25 was laid Thursday morning that
Thompson's majority would be great
err that the total vote for Owens. A
similar bet was made once on Mayor
Pingree, when he ran against Sam
Goldwater and the man who made It
won.
Great gobs of gloom hung over the
mayors office, Thursday. Republicans
of high and low degree, including
numerous appointees. came into offer
their condolences. Even the mayor,
who maintained cheerful attitude
while the battle Of the ballots was
raging, seemed a trifie less clipper.
He insisted. however, that he had no
regrets.
| Il have had the experience and l
am satisfied to step down." he said.
Il had thought some of announcing my
retirement quite while ago, but de-
cided to remain on the job while
longer II the people wanted me. l
have tried to serve the city con-
scientiously and believe have made
good appointments. Detroit never
had a better police commissioner. The
men | have appointed to the water
board are practical men. and as to
Park Commissioner Hurlbut and Pub
lie Works Commissioner Haarer. their
works speak for itself.
Il shall continue working toward
street car settlement as long as |
am in Office and hope the matter win
! be in shape to submit to the people
before the end Of my term. I say
now, more emphatically than ever the
only hope Of a speedy settlement lies
I'm making terms with the company. Ii
would take Ave years at least TO get
municipal ownership, and in the mean-
time the people would keep on paying
their nickels."
City Treasurer Koch is not one OF
those who shares the general alarm.
1T has been demonstrated num-
Der of times that the people vote In
telligently," he said. II, for one, win
not concede Mr. Thompson's cleo
ton, but IL the Republicans should
turn in and vote for him do not think
1t will necessarily injure the rest OK
the ticket. You will find that tho
great majority Of the voters vote Tor
the men they want elected and DO
not follow q column blindly Just be-
cause a certain man happens to head
the ticket"
Commissioner Hurlbut Is certain
that the vote on the mayor does not
express the will OF the people OF Do
troit.
IF the rank and file had turned
out the result would have been diner
emit" he said. In this instance the
knockers made II point 10 get OUT
and with the assistance OF the DEM
ocrats. accomplished what they set
| -. a. 40 Owens IA not the party1