The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1910-09-19
OWENS CORNERS
THE SPOTLIGHT
Republican Candidate for Mayor
Most Talked-of Man in City
Straw Votes Favor Him.

In Detroit these days there Is Just
one question as far as the political
situation is concerned. That is: Who
VIII DC the next mayor OF Detroit:
The insurgent movement. national Is
sues, Roosevelts doings and the
Michigan gubernatorial campaign all
are OF secondary Importance, while the
relative strength Of Proctor X. ovens.
Republican nominee fer mayor. anu
William ID. Thompson, his Democratic
opponent, Is heing measured.
In the shops and factories, In city
aud county offices. on the street cars
and in saloons. there Is only one topic
OF conversation and II has to do with
the mayoralty, Almost unheari OF be-
fore the primaries, Proctor h. Owens
has come TO be the most talked OF
man i'll Detroit. Although the cleo
ton Is two months away, bets arc
already being laid on the outcome I
the mayoralty fight. Naturally,
Thompson Is the favorite by long
odds. in spite of the fact that straw
votes that have been taken here and
there favor owens. II Is an unusual
and anomalous situation.
Many are the stories that are going
obscure lawyer, whom the Republi-
cans have placed at the head OF their
city tickets. Some of these stories are
doubtless exaggerated, but they show
the interest that has been aroused in
his candidacy and serve to illustrate
the candidates picturesque campaign
methods.
Although he once was a Prohibition
candidate for prosecuting attorney,
Owens is reported TO be making a
sti ong bid for the liberal vote. He
has even frequented some OF the dow n
town places, II is said. evidently To
back up his published statement that
he is not teetotaler. In one OF his
speeches before the primaries he Is
reported to have made tremendous
hit with q crowd OF laboring men by
declaring in substances:
Il hear they are going TO close the
saloons for three days so that the lao-
oring men can't get a drink. say
it's a downright shame, when Com
missioner Croul and the mayor can
60 TO the clubs and get all the booze
they want. When I'm mayor, things
will be different"
According to one OF the stories &C
ing around, poll OF the employees I'D
one department OF the Cadillac Motor
Car company showed that every one
of The several hundred men were Tor
Owens. In a straw vote. taken In
downtown cigar store, Owens received
119 out OF 122, IL Is reported.
Such Is the talk heard over the bars
and in public places generally.
If the election were held right now,
I believe Owens would be the win
ner." said a man about town Satur-
day morning. And several who heard
the remark concurred In II.
But several things are likely to hap
men in two months. There Is posi-
bility that Owens popularity may
wane as the campaign grows older
Ex-Mayor Thompson Is still In AZ
lantic City and is not expected TO re-
| turn before sometime next week. The
campaign has been all onesided thds
far. and even those who profess 10
believe that Owens has chance. ad-
nit that Thompson's vote-gettlns
powers must be reckoned with.
The fact remains that owens Is
the most talked-of man In local poll
tics today and there Is much specula.
ton as to whether Mr.. Thompson VIII
accept his challenge for public de-
bate. Bets are even being made on
this proposition, and the situation Is
one that calls for serious consideration
on the part Of Thompson and his ad'
visers. AT present they appear to be
undecided as to just how to treat the
challenge, and no decision will be
reached until after Thompson's re
turn. In view Of the fact that Thomp
son once challenged Mayor Breitmey
err. men about town fail to see how
the ox-mayor can consistently refuse
to meet Owens, and IL he does refuse
| how will he explain to the satisfaction
| Of the electorate?
Pending a reply from Mr.. Thomp
son, Owens Is chiefly at work amont
| the electors, shaking hands, preach
| ing lower taxes and municipal own
ership and making new friends. IL
spite of themselves. II seems al
| though the Republican organizations
which, at first, refused to recognize
| him as a candidate. would be compel
ed to indorse him for the sake OF the
| ticket. SO II would seem that Owens
stock, for the moment. at least, II
Il =