The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1912-01-05
Rev. w. F. Hopp Comes Out
Squarely Against Measure
After Careful Study.
SAYS PUBLIC OWNERSHIP
is THE ONLY SOLUTION
"All Over But Shouting" Says
Mayor-Of Course He's
Still Neutral.

The Rev William r. Hopp, pastor
or the Evangelical Lutheran Bethel
church, at Mt Elliott-ave. and Hen
dricks-st, declared, Thursday after
noon, that he is in favor OF municipal
ownership OF the street railway sys-
tenn. and does not believe that the
proposed Thompson-Hutchins fran
chlse, is good proposition.
Pastor Hopp, whose church mem
bership Etncludes many OF the most
solid and influential OF Detroit's Ger
man population, has made a careful
study or the proposed franchise grab,
as Is evidenced by a copy OF the ordi-
nance, underlined and checked In
many spots with pen and ink, lying
on his desk, and he says that after
going over II very thoroughly, he does
not believe that IL is a good thing.
Il am municipal ownership advo-
yate," he says, principally because
know public ownership OF street cars
is a great success in many German
| cities. where the government owns
and operates the railways, and the
cities own and operate the street cars.
You Will find the best of service there,
and the street car question is settled
! for all time
II have talked with many of the
men in the neighborhood, and found
the sentiment against any franchise.
and for municipal ownership also
| believe that the sentiment among my
! parishioners is strongly for city con-
| troll OF the street cars, as all who
have mentioned the matter TO me.
seem to be opposed TO the franchise.
Its all over but the shouting"
said Mayor Thompson gleefully, TO a
! Times reporter, in his Office. alate
/ Thursday afternoon, expressing his
confidence In the success OF his fran
Ichise plan at the polls. Jan. 90. He
repeated the statement, Friday morn
ing, but left off the shouting" part
lof It, When reminded of his previous
statement he denied having made X
until The Times offered TO produce a
witness TO the conversation,
We'll maybe | did say it, finally
admitted the mayor, and ii ] did
meant il, for it's the truth. It's all
over | believe, as far as the people
are concerned. / believe their minds
are made up and that they VIII not
permit themselves TO be influenced by
the lies that are being printed about
me and the ordinance. AS ] have SAID
many times before, in my speeches.,
lies never hurt anyone
Among the mayors callers, Friday
morning, was colored man to whom
the mayor referred as Johnny Inc
man was evidently staunch support.
er OF the mayor and his ordinance, and
had come 10 make suggestion in real
earnest
You ought to give the people more
! time to study this thing. mayor" he
said II was up town last night. and
every fellow | met was talking against
| the ordinance. | don't think they un-
derstand it yet and they ought to have
more time to. get II through their
heads. I'm a good friend OF yours, al
Though I'm q Republican. and | want
TO see this thing go through. I'm on
the board up In my precinct and ! GER
tainly Will do all can for it"
| Mayor Thompson declined TO give
the mans name TO The Times.
The campaign has reached the bet
ting stage, and II you have any money
to put up Ernest w. Kurz. the mayors
| secretary, will tell you where TO get
I IL covered Ernie says he Is already
holding the stakes in "fve and one
! half" bets on the ordinance, at odds
OF to that ii viii carry. He explain
ed the half a bet" by saying that
/ only one OF the men making the last
bet has put up.