The Detroit times., 1911-04-18
MAYOR AROUSED
. ON HANLEY MATTER
Gives Out Tart Statement on Learn
ing Council Plans To Relieve Con-
tractor Despite Veto.

day morning, urging the aldermen not
TO let their personal feelings or the ar
guments of paid lobbyists sway them
In voting on the resolution TO relieve
James Hanley of the Fairview sewer
contract, the prospects are that the
resolution will carry owe rthe mayors
veto, Tuesday night.
Aldermen who have stood by Han
ley from the first are more determined
than ever to see him relieved OF the
unwelcome job since hearing of the
mayors statement.
II certainly shall not vote any diff
ferently than | did before" said Aid.
owen, of the First ward. II under
stand that the mayor refused to look
at the testimony that was taken by
the sewer committee In the Hanley
matter He seems TO have had his
mind made up and refused to change
it, And as for the lobbyists, none has
talked with me-"
Il shall vote to relieve Mr.. Hanley
regardless OF the testimony in the
case" said Aid. John Lodge. II am
going on Mr.. Hanley's personal state
ment to me. | have known him for
a great many years as man OF unim-
peachable integrity, and 1t does not
require any testimony to convince me
that 1t would be unfair and unjust to
hold him to his contract under the
circumstances"
mo lobbyist has seen me-" declared
Aid. Thomas Lynch, who has been a
staunch supporter of Hanley. The
mayors statement will not affect my
attitude toward Hanley a particle.
In giving out his statement, the
mayor said that he did not want to
be placed In the light OF himself lobby
ing with the council in an effort to pre-
vent the passage Of the Hanley reso-
luton over his veto.
Il do not propose to run opposition
to the lobbyists on the floor Of the
council" he said, Enthusiastically.
The statement follows:
Il am told that the aldermen will
attempt to pass the Hanley sewer
matter over my veto tonight.
would warn the aldermen that their
constituents are watching this matter
very closely, and will remember those
who fagrantly voted to set an ex-
ample In contract-breaking, and In de-
liberately squandering good money.
Personal feelings for the contrac-
tor ought not to enter into the con-
troversy of right or wrong. I, my
self, have known Hanley as a fellow
Democrat for more years than any
man In the council. Great pressure
was brought upon me. to induce. me
not to veto. I honestly cannot see
other step than the one took.
fAI. 30 th4 81
that I will stand by every word In
the veto. have thoroughly gone into
the matter, and am still Of the opin-
ion that Mr.. Hanley had the same
chances any one else had.
Let me ask the aldermen who
these lobbyists are? Are they work
ing for the interest Of Mr.. Hanley or
for the bonding company II seems
to me that several Of the gentleman
ly lobbyists have a reputation Of new
er doing anything for nothing. Let
the aldermen find out who Is paying
the freight, Mr.. Hanley or the bond
ing company, or both.
do the aldermen know that that
big sewer out In Fairview is full or
water. and that 1t Is going to cost the
city lot Of money to pump It out
Are they not even going to see to II
that Mr.. Hanley, at least. leaves,
what he has done In ship-shape? Do
the aldermen know that a first-class
firm places a price of $50
per lineal foot on the work that they
80 gracefully attempt to take of the
shoulders of Mr.. Hanley Do they
know that this balance of sewer
would cost the city on this basis about
$57 900?
"Do the aldermen know that this
same Mr.. Hanley. In 1905, received
a contract from the city for paving
Belle Isle bridge, amounting to $685.
TAT and, in short time, this same
Mr.. Hanley asked to be relieved, and
the council relieved him? Do the al
dermen know that II cost the city,
through re-advertisement. $39,259 to
get the work done, and that Mr.. Han
ley at that time caused loss Of over
$4,000?
II want the aldermen to go easy
in this Hanley matter. They need
not show any tender-hearted mercy.
Let them view this city contract
through their everyday eyes and not
their Official eyes, and let them say
whether the contention OF myself and
the minority committee Is not the
proper, the only proper one.