The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1911-12-02

tice Jeffries iRterposed another ques-
ton. emphasizing his point with a
gesture. Of the. hand -
Let him answer shouted Mayor
Thompson I'm a voice that could be
heard half block. Don't talk with
your hands,
Earlier i'm the discussion the mayor
reminded the Justice that he was not
presiding over session OF police
court.
Mayor Is Peeved
f'rm going to answer your questions
in my own way" the mayor insisted.
I'm not on the witness stand in the
police court Don't forget that
LATER the mayor completely lost his
composure when he took exception 10
statement by the police justice.
Don't Won put any lies into this
ordinance. he roaTed. You've got
to state things as they are. ] won't
stand for it,
Justice Jeffries started the mayor
going BY asking why the purchase
price was not fixed in the ordinance.
subject 20 any capital investments TO
be made subsequently.
I'm glad you asked that question, .
returned the mayor THAT is Just
what the ID. T. r. wanted. For two
or three days they argued with us
in an effort to have the price fixed in
the ordinance. but said no. | never
bought anything in my life where I
paid for il In advance. That is not
the way | do business. SO am the
man responsible for not having the
price fixed in the ordinance and | am
glad 10 take the responsibility
"And isn't the reason you refused
10 fix a priceN because you knew the
price would be - prohibitive that II
would bury your ordinance beyond
resurrection?" pursued Jeffries.
NO, that is not the reason" re-
piled the mayor. 1T is simply this
II We fixed price in the ordinance.
we would have 10 have an appraisal
and that would mean long delay. II
took a year in Cleveland We ha@
some experience with the Bancroft APP
praisal.'
IF you were TO bargain with me
for the erection OF building. would
you not insist on knowing what that
building was going TO cost in adj
vance7"
II tell you, don't want TO know
what the property's worth. The
whole system may be obsolete in
three or four years. In that case, 1t
wouldn't be worth any more than
junk, so what's the use. of fixing a
value now? -
And that settled the matter as far
as the mayor was concerned.
Urges Real Municipal Ownership.
Justice Jeffries addressed the COM
.mittee at some length, urging it TO
give the people an opportunity TO vote
on real municipal ownership before
submitting the franchise. IL was a
splendid talk, and he was given re-
spectful attention.
1T has been intimated 10 me-" he
said, that II municipal ownership is
submitted alone, then some OF our
public saviors are going to take the
matter into court again. but they have
let II be known that. If the two propo-
sis>0ns are submitted together, they
will be satisfied. They rely evidently
on being able to confuse the issue in
this way and accomplish the defeat
OF municipal ownership. You gentle
men owe 1t as a duty 10 this commnn-
ity To submit The municipal owner
ship amendment first and -aione. The
people are not clamoring for this or
dinance.l We have beer4 paying Ave
cent fares for several years and can
continue 70 pay for a few months
longer We have no right to, suppose
that the d. u. r. 10 going 10 lie down
when 1t gets this franchise. All il is
looking for is new lease Of life and
then 1T will continue TO fight ms at
every turn. !. l don't believe Mayor
Thompson has hypnotized this cor
poration.
II submit IN all fairness that the
people of Detroit are entitled TO a
vote on municipal ownership at this
time without being plunged into
further complications that are likely
to postpone this fight for l3 years
longer.
Here Is a corporation, owned by
few foreigners across the way, who
have often slapped us in the face.
that stands today as the biggest law
breaker in the community. 1t has
said TO the citizens of this communi-
ty repeatedly, in effect: You can
go to hell. And now. when it's
franchises are expiring and we have
an opportunity TO take over the
property, IL is proposed that we give