The Detroit times., 1911-12-13

energies 20 further enslave the people
/ with new franchise.
lyon told us before election that
any franchise meant trouble and liti'
I CATION and only such service as the
I corporation holding the contract was
willing 10 give.
To-day you are advocating new
| franchise and 10 that same corpora
ton.
In your campaign YOU also SAID, IL
will be profitable TO YOU 10 inspect the
records of your aldermen and ascer'
tain why Il was necessary for the adj
vocates OF municipal ownership TO 20
out into the highways and byways 10
secure the signature OF nearly .uhh
citizens in order TO give YOU a chance
10 express an opinion on the question
OF municipal ownership.
Acting upon this suggestion we
have looked into your municipal own
ership record. Mr.. Mayor and ma
that a petition with 10000 names was
filed. but did not contain the name
OF William b. Thompson.
During the campaign Won said yon
would punish the u. T., h. for rs o'tt--
| rageous treatment OF the people, but
/ now YOU propose 70 withdraw ali suits
! brought 10 rieht the peoples wrongs
and 10 give the ID. L, r, for long
/ term OF years a new license 10 con
I tinue its outrages.
During the campaign you furiously
| denounced the ID. L. r. and called
I everything that was reprehensible'
/ but today YOU are with that unsavory
/ corporation. cheek by jowl. trying 10
| cajole the people into giving II a new
! franchise.
you were so careful OF the interest
| OF the u. l.. r. i'm drafting the Thomp-
| son. Hutchins franchise, that YOU re-
/ fused TO let the fare follow the flag,
that is, YOU refused TO have one fare
I go to any new CITY limits.
! WAS that because such a provision
would reduce the value OF the Thomp-
son-Hutchins' franchise?
You are telling the people OF Detroit
( that the franchise means one thing,
and Vice President Ferguson is telling
THE Montreal stockholders that it
means just the opposite.
All Things to All Men.
did you reach no better under
standing as TO the meaning OF the
4 franchise during that eight months OF
! secret conference. or Is IT a part OF
the plan 10 have the franchise mean
all things 10 all men?
I'VE can't agree with you Mr.sMay.
or. when you tell VS. 80 ne easiest
way 10 freedom is TO increase our fet-
tiers Of franchise slavery
/ We can't agree with you when you
tell us the shortest road 10 municipal
ownership is through franchise cor
ruption.'
And we appeal from the mayor 70
the people. We have called public at
tention TO the mayors record simply
10 show that while he has heretofore
said that he was in favor OF municipal
! ownership he is now confessedly and
avowedfy franchise man.
! And the old. old battle is on again.
/ The same old moral leper that has
! disgraced and robbed our city for
many years is moving forward again
/ 10 rob us OF millions more through
new franchise. And who are lined up
on behalf OF the d. L. R.?
First and foremost stands Mayor
/ Thompson. furnishing personally
lsigned letter every day to the pa
pers and making speeches night and
/ day 10 aid the d. L. r. in securing
1.-THE new franchise.
And side by side and shoulder to
, shoulder with Mayor Thompson stands
all the officers and agents OF the ID. u
X. Behind these and shouting for a
new franchise. is every franchise or
gan and every franchise advocate and
over and around them all is the enor
nous fund which the ID. L. r. is ready
TO hand out with lavish hand in or
der 10 secure this $25,00o,000 tempt
ling prize OF franchise privilege.
But the people OF Detroit cannot
be oajoled by Mayor Thompson into
putting on additional letters of fran
chise slavery and they cannot be
bought by the ID. IT, r.
I'VE appeal 10 all friends OF mum
| cipal ownership. all friends OF honest
| government. all friends of home rule.
all enemies of franchise slavery, and
/ all enemies OF franchise corruption.
10 repUdiate the Thompson-Hutch
! franchise.
Don't put on any more letters OF
franchise slavery. keep up the strug
gle against your present franchise
letters and We will soon be entirely
! free from our slave driver the ID. ".
r.
Let us notify the Montreal stock
holders that the people OF Detroit are
determined TO be free and let us drive
out OF our streets all franchise mong-
ers and all street car carpet bag
gers.