The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1912-01-06

showed 81 for the proposition and
$50 against II.
The Rev. William Hagen, OF No. AIS
pastor OF the Imman-
uel German Evangelical church, Ia a
convert to municipal ownership be-
cause he is satisfied that private own
ership Of the street railway lines OF
Detroit has provenna woeful failure,
after long and patient test. He is even
more strongly opposed to the pro-
posed franchise grab than is the Rev.
w. F. Hopp, quoted In The Times Fri
day.
Il am not exactly a municipal own
ership man In principle" says Pastor
Hagen, whose views are those OF a
deep student of public affairs. and are
given with care and precision that
make strong impression on his hear
ers. but | am strongly for municipal
ownership as opposed TO the propos-
ed street car ordinance.
Il have always believed, and still
believe. that private capital should
be given every opportunity as long as
IL serves the people well, but when
private capital fails to serve the peo-
pie well, then the municipality should
take over the property.
wv have had to fight for every
thing that We ever got from the ID.
u r., and today we are not getting
adequate service, nor Is the equip
ment Of the company what II should
be. One of the claims of the suppor-
ters OF the Thompson-Hutchins fran.
chise is that 1t will end all litigation
am afraid that instead OF that, We
w.fn llr.ns.a f1.fs fl.r.f Ixran
gained In the years or litigation to
date, and then new litigation will be
commenced. IL this measure passes II
stipulates that all the old litigation
must cease. Everyone must admit
that we have gained some Important.
advantages In the years or struggle.
We would lose ali OF that advantages
IL we adopted the ordinance.
Another thing to be carefully con-
sidered is rhe giving away OF per-
petual terminal rights in the city.
which would continue, as l under
stand il, even though the local fran
chises should De ended. Fine termfr-
al rights in the city are worth mil
lions of dollars. and should not be
carelessly given away. There is also
the matter OF giving the company the
right to charge straight fiye-cent fares
on suburban cars. which are classified
as cars doing a suburban business.
and plainly marked as such. ! am
afraid OF that clause.
The ID. u. X. knows every flaw In
that ordinance, right now, Their at
torneys know every point OF attack
I'm IL, and IL is the duty OF the peo-
Pile to become just as well posted on
It..
"One OF the greatest drawbacks. in
my opinion, is the clause hak.ng the
franchise operative within the city
limits as of the year 1911. lt was
similar clause in the Codd-Ilutchins
franchise that caused me 10 vote
against that proposition, In 1924.
which will leave flag ends within the
city, making IL impossible for the city
! to make extensions.
'I also feel assured that the city
| will be charged too high a price when
ID comes TO buying the property The
| outspoken intention is that the city
| shall paw a price TO cover the COM Z
pany's bonded indebtedness so far as
the city lines are concerned. inciud-
ed I'm these are the old 'three-cent
lines, for which. everybody knows. the
ID. u. X. paid $2,200.000 too much
when it acquired them.
The company acquired those lines
against the wishes of the people, who
wantede the three-cent lines to con-
tinue In opposition to. the other lines.
IL did the people no good when those
lines we're purchased and made part
of the ID. u. r. system. and | don
see why we shonid pay that $2.2OOs
600 overcharge when we come to set
| tie with the ID. u. X"