The Detroit times., 1912-01-18
ELECTION DATE IS 'SMDOO'
FOR MAYORS FRANCHISE
OPPOSITION TIDE RISES
Jan. % Will See "Grab" Given
Quietus-Sentiment Clearly
Against Pact
MANY MEETINGS HELD
Mayor Apologies To F.. F. In
gram After Referring To
Statement as Lie.
ANY MEETINGS HELD


tered all over the city, the Thompson
Hutchins franchise was discussed pro
and con, Wednesday night. Most OF
the gatherings took the form OF de-
bates. and an impartial analysis OF
the arguments and the manner In
which they were received, compels
the statement that the opponents OF
the franchise carried on the honors
OF the evening
Wherever they go, the franchise ad-
vocates are forced to admit that there
are serious flaws In the measure, that
the settlement" doesn't settle, and
that the opportunities for litigation
under the deal now openly advocated
by Mayor Thompson are many. Night
iy some Board OF Commerce emissary
is put to rout by the storm OF ques.
lions fred at him. The tide OF anti
franchise sentiment is rising hourly
and II 10 going to sweep all before IL
next Tuesday unless all signs fail.
As the date OF the election draws
near, the appropriateness of fixing II
for Jan. % becomes more and more
apparent II will be "skidoo" for the
franchise all right
Mayor Thompson was forced TO
apologize to F. +. Ingram for charac.
terlzing statement made by him as
lie. In meeting OF Eighteenth ward
citizens in Franks hall, Wednesday
night. The meeting was arranged by
the Board OF Commerce and DR.. Hall,
poor commissioner by appointment of
Mayor Thompson and an enthusiastic
franchise advocate, presided. But the
sentiment OF the crowd was clearly
anti-franchise. w. Il. Wreford, as
ufa - Al -
ftierce, had three questions to ask OF
Mr.. Ingram, but after hearing the first
one the crowd ordered him 10 "sit
down" and he obeyed.
Mr.. Nlmmo "Figgers."
The Lawyers club listened to a dis
cussion OF the franchise for several
hours, following their January dinner
In the Elliott-Taylor-Wo olfenden cafe
ii. NJ Nimmo as the principal speak
er In behalf of the franchise. gave o..
figures which he represented had been
taken from the ID. u. RS books, show
Ing that the cost OF paving work be-
tween tracks was $4,000 per mile,
diyided as follows: Track foundation,
$1,000; pavement foundation, 1880;
brick and granite nose against the
rail, $4,000
James Schermerhorn, publisher of
The Times, followed Mr.. Nimmo. He
said, in answer to his illustrations,
that the people were not compelled
TO keep on trading with the butcher
I! he sold them bad bacon; they could
use self-cured bacon. which cores
pended with public ownership: nor did
they have TO keep patronlzing a bar
Der who dishgured their face, there
being relief In the use OF a safety
razor, which is likewise the symbol
of the do.it-yourself plan.
Mr.. Schermerhorn could not repress
entirely admiration for d. IT, r. arti-
fee that keeps 1t comfortably back in
fhe shadows. while good citizens fight
Justify as to whether IL shall have
what IL wants when II wants IT. The
artful corporation could save money
1y Diminishing it's array OF legal talent
while II has so many officials. business
men and editors pleading frantically
FOR its side OF the Ease.
D. u. Rs Finesse.
D. ". X. inesse was in evidence, al
70. in holding tenaciously TO the van
age-ground, case Of the servant re-
ruiring the master to come to him for
terms
Always We are asking the traction
sphinx to open its unreplying lips and
say what IL will do for us. and when 1t
youchsafes ever so little there are
some souls that are inexpressibly
happy" said the speaker.
isn't IL high time we asserted our
sovereignty and compelled the corpor-
alton TO come, hat in hand, to the
municipality for terms? II will never
he while mayor after mayor yields to
their strategy and goes to them as sup
pliants when they should be placing
over the mayoral threshold, Here's
there we do business for the people.
Leave all hope OF franchises behind,
corporations who enter here.
Mr.. Schermerhorn said there should
be but a single line Of cleavage In
this campaign. instead OF permitting
the D. U. r. to skulk in the rear. while
good citizens ny at one another In
belligerent encounter in their Lehalf.
II should be an issue with the fran
ehise-seeking corporation in the open
in one side and the peoples advocates
Under a no-more-franchises banner on
lie other, he declared.
Mcvlcar Analyses Franchise.
John Mcvicar. chairman OF the citi-
sens' municipal ownership committee.
.nalyzed the franchise section by sec
lion, pointing out the many lOopnoles
he ID. u. r. could crawl through IL II
cared TO do SO.
George William Moore answered a
humber OF questions bearing on the
egal phases OF the subject, the mem
bers OF the club keeping him busy for
half hour. w. ID. Bigger, one OF the
Board OF Commerce speakers, opened
he debate with a defense OF the fran
ehise. The main reason he is for II
that II is fathered by Mayor Thomp-
on, he said.
The sentiment OF the club mem
lers, including many prominent mem
ere OF the Detroit bar, as reflected
their questions, was clearly anti
franchise.
The clash between Mayor Thomp-
on and Mr. ingram, in the Eighteenth
ward meeting, came when the mayor
declared that the franchise itself had
10 value.
"If it's valueless, why does the ID.
q. r. put up $4,000 to get the cleo
tion?, Mr.. ingram asked.
II want TO nail that lie right here"
cried the mayor, In wrath. Others
are using that lie. too"
my question was gentlemanly. and
II does not comport with your person