The Detroit times., 1910-03-24
SAYS ORDINANCE
MEANS LOW FARE
DR.. Carstens Discusses "Fifty's" Set
Element Before Wholesalers -,
Clyde Webster Speaks, Too.

IF you want settlement of the
street car question, work for II"
This was the message which DR.. j..
II. Carstens, of the committee OF fifty,
gave to nearly hundred members or
the Wholesalers & Manufacturers
association at their MONDAY luncheon
In the Hotel Cadillac Wednesday.
Frank ii. Conant, vice-chairman of
the fifty" presided. and the two prin-
cipal speakers were DR.. Carstens and
Clyde |. Webster. who drew up the
committee Of fifty ordinance.
do you want settlement OF the
street railway question In the city or
Detroit?' was DR.. Carstens' beginning.
In response to many cries OF assent.
he went on. Then go to work. Work
as The committee Of fifty did"
Carstens declared that no fifty bet
ter men in the city of Detroit, taken AS
a whole. could be found than those
chosen by Mayor Breitmeyer.
Five or six years ago, people used
10 come here and say that we had the
best street car system In the country
continued DR.. Carstens. 1T is not so
now. They say our system Is bad"
THE reason Is that nothing has
been done for improvement. In 10
years not mile of new track has
been laid. yet the population OF the
city has doubled In that time. 1t Is a
bad situation, and the committee has
given particular care to extensions
The speaker went on to explain the
plan OF extensions and then reverted
to the fare question, saying that the
sliding scale plan had been chosen In
stead OF fiat rate so as to get tho
cheapest rate possible at all times.
While he himself believes that three
cent fare would pay now, the many ex-
tensions to be made complicate the sit
uation so that no one can guarantee
whether IL would pay in a year.
DR.. Carstens expressed his own be-
lief that the rate of eight tickets for
a quarter would never be lowered, and
he called attention to the fact that,
even il a higher rate had to be used
temporarily, the increase or the work
ingmens hours TO five hours day
would still be great benefit to the
laboring population.
DR.. Carstens argued for a five-men
commission instead OF single street
railway commissioners. He then went
on to discuss municipal ownership,
saying that the municipal ownership
plan also called for commission. He
drew other likenesses between the
two plans.
He argued that the d. U. RS fu-
ture expense would be cut down by
the replacing with new track and cars
of old equipment which now costs a
big sum annually to repair and which
has simply been patched together to
last until settlement Is had. The in
PRODUCTION of pay-enter cars will also
increase receipts by 10 to 15 per cent,
he said. and the great growth OF the
CITY will be another guarantee OF per-
manent low fares under the commit
fee of fifty plan. With regard to the
Bancroft appraisal he insisted that a
million more or less would not make
any great difference.
CLYDE |. Webster was introduced as
"the man Of the hour" He thanked
the association for adopting resolu-
lions fayoring an immediate settlement,
hui told them that they should not
indorse the committee of fifty plan I'M
III after Il has been passed by the
council. That ordinance may be
amended in many ways before 1t Is
passed. he said, and he added that the
committee invites suggestions for i'm
provement.
There is no high-fown language In
this ordinance" he said. There is
nothing capable Of two meanings. 1t
Is lust a plain business settlement in
plain words"
He then urged the members of the
association, knowing the need OF an
Immediate settlement, to see that the
ordinance Is fairly presented to the
people of the city. For this purpose,
he suggested that they call their en-
ployes together in meetings. assuring
them that speakers would be provided
to explain the provisions OF the ordi-
nance and what 1t would do for the
city and the neNnle.