The Detroit times., 1910-10-13
OWENS IGNORED IN
OPENING SPEECH
BY THOMPSON
Ex-Mayor Delivers Modest Little
Homily On His Own Political vir-
tues and Business Integrity, With
Never Mention of Proctor.
Democratic Candidate Still Popular
Person, Scores Greeting Him
Familiarity as Bill"

All candidates for political strife
simply hate to talk about themselves,
and like Proctor Knott Owens. Will
lam b. Thompson is no exception to
The rule. Wednesday night, Mr..
ThomL son fired the. premier gun In his
campaign for mayor of Detroit. His
single effort was noble one, mod.
est. unassuming recommendation of
the political virtues and business IN
tegrity OF William Is. Thompson.
But as the former mayor himself
remarked before mounting the ros-
trum In National hall, at Hastings-st.
and Willis-ave. all Is fair In politics
and war. and one must really be
pardoned IL one talks about ones self.
The east side hall was. a very say
and giddy affair. First of all, II con-
veniently adjoins a barrooIn OF gen.
erous proportions. The hall proper
was In festive attire for an auspicious
occasion. Emblems of the Polish ma
ton were loving entwined with the
red. white and blue, all of which made
OF the institution a riot OF color.
Patriotism was surely at fever heat
and the setting was quite right, when
H.
augural speech.
He was chaperoned by Judge Will
lam +. Connolly. of the recorders
court. who remained discreetly in the
background, smiled approvingly and
rlapped right Justify at every point
made In the Thompson speech.
This Thompson man is a popular
person. Folk, the rank and file, love
90 tn. In. hn
public eye This fact was partially
responsible for scores OF men and
youths clapping the nominee familiar
~ on the back and calling him "Bill.
Even the children fingered long about
the Thompson automobile and that
neighborhood boasts some few juven-
ile inhabitants. They babe him quite
an affectionate farewell when he de-
parted in his machine, and the can
didate looked them over with quite
rs much affection and no doubt
wished that each ygithful shout OF
Joy was q vote already counted. 80
Aid. Deimel. OF the FIT. was~mRde|
chairman Of the meeting. The honor
was thrust upon him quite unexpect-
eddy and proved quite embarrassing.
He tried to gracefully shunt the per-
ents, but none would hearken to his
plea. He executed a grandiloquent
introduction for Mr.. Thompson. and
under those reassuring auspices. the
former mayor took the center of the
stage and modestly turned the spot
light upon himself.
Proctor Knott owens. his restless
and ever-laboring opponent. he treated
with sublime Indifference. or the
gentleman from Kentucky. he said
not a word Mr.. Owens has been de-
voting himself to talking about Mr..
Thompson and Proctor Knott Owens.
Mr.. Thompson talked about William
B. Thompson solely.
William p. Thompson Is business
man and wants to be known as such.
He said so In his opening remarks
Then he proceeded to tell those pres
ent Just who he is. and how long and
in what capacities he had served the
city. Mr.. Thompson feels that he can
In all Justice be very chary with his
political utterances. inasmuch as his
long record Of public service speaks
loudly for itself.
The Democratic candidate will have
a whole lot to say about things later
on. Wednesdays forensic Offering
was not even @ keynote speech. 1t
merely served as an introduction or
man who feels that he needs no In
PRODUCTION as far as the local public
is concerned. He touched lightly
upon the street car question and PROM
ised to enter into a more exhaustive
discussion OF that subject later on In
the campaign.
Thompson, the man, Is far diner
ent type than his opponent He does
his work silently and with little ap-
parent effort Proctor Knott Owens