The Detroit times., 1910-10-15
THOMPSON DANCES
WAY into FAVOR
Two-Step Features One Friday Even
ing Neeting-Still Makes No
Reference TO Owens.

10
A Thompson campaign without Q
Of diversion would not be complete
In hts vote-hunting expeditions OF
former years, william b. Thompson
the Democrat candidate for mayor. al
ways made II q point to take In q
dance or two nearly every evening
This years campaign will be no ex
ception. ~ nt
Following his speechmaking tour
Friday night, Mr.. Thompson attended
q dance given by the Modern Wood
men of America to dedicate their new
hall at No. 46 Grand River-ave. His
appearance was hailed with delight
and he was at once pressed into ser
vice to lead the circle two-step. A
speech was demanded, but the can
didate made no reference to political
matters.
The most important meeting Of the
evening was In Doss' hall. Lansing
and Dix-aves. Attorney John Ken.
nedy presided and stirred up much
enthusiasm with his oratory. Again
Mr.. Thompson refrained from men.
tioning his Republican opponent
Proctor X. Owens, but Mr.. Kennedy
saw At to hand Proctor a few" right
from the griddle.
Mr.. Thompson put In q good word
for Aid. Konkel and Garvey, OF the
Sixteenth ward, and predicted their
reelection by handsome majorities
Addresses were made by several
other Democratic candidates. While
the meeting was primarily Demo.
cratic gathering, some Republican
candidates appeared. including Sena-
tor John N. Anhut and City Clerk
Charles A. Nichols and were well re-
ceived.
Mr.. Thompson, in his speech. again
went after the d. u. r., expressing
himself as being absolutely opposed
to the granting OF any more fran
chises on any terms. He also made
an earnest plea for q business admin
istration of city affairs.
He said In part:
The next two years will be years
OF great Importance for this section
of the city. A new street railway
corporation IL knocking at the doors
of the city, asking permission to run
north and south three-cent fare line
through this territory, not upon q
franchise basis but upon q day-to-day
agreement with the city, In which the
right OF the city to own the tracks
and equipment within the corporate
limits 10 expressly reserved. You
want experienced and able men to
deal with this new conner so that your
rights will be fully protected and
your needs will be amply satisfied.
so engrossed has the city been In
this perennial pickering and SQUAD
bling that every other aspect OF
municipal growth and progress has
been subordinated to II. Mayors and
aldermen have been elected year In
and year out solely on the street rail.
way issue, while other pressing needs
Of the rapidly growing metropolis
have been but inadequately consider.
ed. For instance, the dust of street
railway controversy has obscured the
pressing need for free public bath
houses on the west side Of the city
and public play grounds for the chill.
dren. II IL time that this sQua bbling
over the granting OF new franchises
or the meaning of old ones should
cease forever; that the city should
learn from its bitter experience that
franchise grants are like the old
Tu al VA NhC oC0b VCIy CdSy " tdh0
upon our backs but well-nigh impos-
sible to shake on.
The curse of the age IL the COM
bination Of rotten business and rot
ten politics. The almighty dollar
has no friends, no conscience, and
no morals. Hence comes the pollu-
ton OF the pure stream Of municipal
activity by the foul waters, Of the
franchise-seeking corporation. Hence
comes the bribing Of public officials
In city, state and nation for legisla-
tive or executive. yea even judicial
federation Of unholy methods. The
cry OF the time Is for honest men in
public life, but how can you have
honest men in public life when you
hold out these tempting prizes of
franchise privilege?"