The Detroit times., 1911-03-13
.CONLON Denies
HE'S DARK HORSE
Says He Entered Race Understanding
Burton Was Not To Be Candi-
date-Stands Unpledged.

To the Editor OF The Times: +. G.
Osborn's communication In The Times
relative to his interview with me on
school board matters. is very anus
ing to me. and to say the least. lame.
| told Mr.. Osborn when he came 70
my Office that many people OF the
Second ward had requested me to be
candidate for school inspector; that
| had gone to Mr.. Burton and had told
him that would not be n candidate.
II he was going to be. and that Mr..
Burton had assured me that he would
not be a candidate for reelection;
that he was through as school In
spector. A day or two later the an
nouncement that was a candidate
appeared. Very soon thereafter Mr..
Osborn came To my ONCE, and said
that he noticed that / was a candi-
date for school inspector In the Sec
ond ward, told him that | was, and
there was no condition to II, either.
Mr.. Osborn stated that ii would be
necessary for me TO pledge that
would vote against the reelection or
Mr.. siartindale as superintendent or
schools In July, 1912. informed Mr..
Osborn that was opposed to factions
on the board of education, and that
member OF the board could not prop
taxpayers and the people IL he was
allied with any faction on the board.
IL was then that f. c. Osborn stated
that the Municipal league. himself and
his wife, and the decent people OF the
ward would not support any person
unless that person pledged himself to
vote against the reelection OF Mr..
Martindale Voting against Martindale
seemed to be the one qualification re-
quired by Mr.. Osborn. / told Mr.. Os-
born, as / have told many others. that
when the time came to elect sue
cessor to Mr.. Martindale, that IL
was a member of the board, ! would
vote for the man that l considered at
that time the best fitted for the posi-
ton and who would best represent
the interests of the schools OF Detroit,
whether II was Mr.. Martindale or
someone else. would not feel that
could do my duty as school In
spector in the interests OF all the
people II any person or organization
WAS I'D NOtC III ihO I'LL thc ooehANt -
saw how | should vote. as Mr.. Osborn
would have me do. People who know
me, know that I would not make any
pledges as to what | would do, II
elected, but that would endeavor to
do my duty as 1t appeared to me at
the time, and in the interests OF the
welfare of the masses. regardless or
what one person or few might think
or say.
What Mr.. Osborn says about my In
Producing Mr. Martindale when ! was
leader of the Business Mems class OF
the First Congregational church, is
evidently an after-thought, as Mr.. Os-
born told me in that interview that
he had represented CHM & Co.. school
book publishers, that my face looked
familiar to him and he thought prob
ably he had met me while | was SUI
perintendent of schools.
Some important legal matters In
ithaca. Columbus and Lansing de-
manded my attention, and l was out
of the city most OF the time for about
ave weeks after I announced that l
was a candidate for school inspector,
but during that time ! never stated
that was going to withdraw and 10
my knowledge, no such statement
was made by any person or newspa-
per, SO that Mr.. Osborn's statement Is
weak when he refers to a dark horse
entering the race at the last moment.
"Mr. Burton told me positively, that
he would not, under any circum-
stances. be a candidate for re-elec-
ton: that he was eight years school
inspector and had enough, and 1t was
on this statement that became a
candidate.
THOMAS A. CONLON.
Detroit March IL 1911.