The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1911-04-18
GLASGOW ADDS
LINK TO PUZZLE
Says James Bill Which Gave d. U X.
Perpetual Rights, Reached Him All
Right, But Doesn't Know Author.

glasgow, chairman OF the Michigan
railroad Commission, has been giyeL
out regarding the introduction In the
legislature OF the James bill. which,
III Ii said, would give the ID. u. IL.
perpetual franchises in the streets OF
Detroit, but which was nailed" after
Corporation Counsel Hally had dis
covered the supposed joker in II.
The celebrated James BILL" Mr..
Glasgow says, which proposed TO
confer upon the railroad commission,
additional jurisdiction over electric
railways, came TO the office OF the
commission through an employe, who
placed copy on the chairman's
desk, The chairman read portion
or the bill, and not having time To
examine IL further, asked the employe
what its general purport was, after
which the chairman replied:
There may be some good things
in that bin, but II you take il over
TO the senate, IL must be understood
that IL is not a department measure.
and TO be right about IL, you better
hand II TO the chairman of the rail.
road committee, who is second.
termer. a good lawyer, and absolute
ly square, and II the bill is not all
right, he will tell you So
1t appears that when this gentle
man reached the senate, where he
was a stranger to nearly all the mem
bers, he found the chairman of the
railroad committee busy in commit
tee work, and was then introduced to
another member, who proved TO DC
Senator James.
The following day the chairman
OF the railroad commission was call
ed by phone and asked is the bill
presented to Senator James, yester-
day. a department bill, and does the
commission o. X. it? IL IL does, IL
can be passed easily?'
And in reply, the chairman stated,
No. sir, IL is not a department bill.
and the commission does not vohch
for it; We are not interested In A.,
and have not even read it,
The party making the inquiry said.
Senator James wants to know, but
the senator advises the commission
he did not do the telephoning.
The following day the chairman or
the. commission was, upon request
before the railroad committee OF the
senate, in company with Hon. john
j. Carton and the chairman OF the
railroad committee OF the house, dis
GUESSING several proposed amendments
10 the railroad and express bill, then
, before the committee. At the close
of this discussion the chairman OF the
senate committee asked, What has
the commission 10 say as 10 the
James bill, which, among other bills,
is before the senate for considers;
tom
Chairman Glasgow replied, We
know very little about that bill. IL
has not been considered by the corr
mission, and desire. here, TO have
il understood, that il Is not depart
ment measure, and while Ii may have
some merit, would probably need
careful consideration, and possibly.
amendments.
After Senator Miller, OF the com
mittee, had explained the bill fully,
/ Chairman Glasgow added, III that Is
! the purpose OF the bill, in my judg
! ment. IL would be unwise for the coin
mittee to report IL favorably or the
(, legislature 10 pass II, without giving
, the people of the cities affected tncre-
\ by an opportunity to be heard Inc
motion was then made and carried
that IL be not reported out Senator
u
ed before the committee in its behalf,
/ The commission, or any member
j hereof. never vouched for the bill or
urged its passage. The bill had no.
been considered by the commission,
] two of the members not having SEEN
It,"
I I'VE have no definite knowledge IA
! 10 the statements claimed to have
been made by Mr. Darwin, but will OBJ
! tain the same upon his return to the
office. We can assert positively, that
the bill was not prepared by the de-
partment. or with the commissions
| knowledge or consent, and We have
no definite information where or by
whom il was drafted. AS to It's merit.
II is still claimed, by good legal and
/ legislative authority, that there was no
Joker" whatever that may mean).
as was claimed in the bill, and that
! II is a good bill and all right, but sim
ply represents one phase OF the big
street car fight in Detroit.
I'VE are pleased herewith to offer
a voluntary statement, furnished the
commission by the railroad COMMITTEES
of the senate, which We feel fully dis
proves the assertion that Senator
James, the railroad commission or its,
chairman were in any unusual or ir-
regular manner connected with the
bill or its presentation.
"The chairman of the commission is
free to state that he. personally, be-
lieves the time Is not far distant. when
bill will be passed by the legisla-
ture, which, while 1t may not take
from cities their right to grant fran
chises and their protection Hereunder,
will grant TO some disinterested board
larger measure OF authority over the
operation and regulation OF street and
interurban railways, and thereby In.
crease their efficiency, and relieve
them from the burden of complying
with varying local political condl-
| TONS"
Statement by Senate Committee:
The James bill, relative to put
ting interurban railroads under
the supervision of the state rail-:
road commission, came up before
the senate committee on railroads
on Tuesday, April 18th, 1911, Mr..
| Glasgow, chairman OF the commits
sion, being present, at the request
OF the committee, which at the
| same time had under consideration
several other bills.
Mr.. Glasgow stated to the com
mittee that, while he considered
4 that the bill had certain merit he