The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1912-05-20


I am getting wise to the demand for
the use of disinfectants in Detroit
politics. pending an effective cam
paign of sanitation by the more de-
cent and progressive element of this
city.
Il appears from the evidence &C
cessible that we municipality have a
government OF by and for the vote
swappers, brewers, saloonkeepers and
other privilege seeking interests I'M
der the guiding hands of Judge Con-
molly ct AL as custodians OF local
Democratic destinies; John ID. Mac
Kay ct al, as the Republican machine
and VIM. c. Manchester ct al. as pro-
tector of the welfare of the brewers
and booze boosters in general.
or course, we register and enroll
and talk politics and vote and make
motions and noises like citizenship,
but Il Is 'the gang that usually de-
livers the goods on election day.
Detroit elects IL representatives to
the lower branch OF the state legisla-
ture and according TO information that
has been handed to me, they are chos-
en- by the following method of un-
civil government in this boss-ridden
city:
AS many men as may get stung by
the bee OF political ambition are per-
United to get out their petitions and
get into the candidatorial swim.
The campaign goes merrily on dur
ing "the good old summer time" and
political booms are watered and Ter
tilted and made to appear to grow
and even bud, perhaps.
The nice young man with a dandy
reputation and burden OF ability and
wealth OF popularity and an evident
army OF friends, can buttonhole and
spellbind and kiss the babies and
smile until his face aches and go
awaiting with the idea that he has
cinch. but
Well, we'll see about the "cinch"
later.
The fight continues and the various
candidates for seats In the house or
representatives at Lansing near the
climaxical primary day with various
degrees of hope and assurance.
To the man cup a tree" the situa-
ton might indicate that the race was
anybody's, but to certain other man
the race looks practically and speci-
fically wen before 1t Is run.
Shortly before primary day VIM.
c. Manchester, attorney for the state
brewers association, goes into execu-
tive session and selects from the
bunch OF candidates the IL men who
can be reasonably depended upon to
vote right"
After the selections have been
made, the list OF dependables is sent
10 the saloonkeepers all over the city
and they are supposed to roundup
the bunch" The keepers OF the rum
shops and the "hangers-on" and all OF
the TRUSTEES" get strenuously busy
and the entire voting strength OF the
LIQUOR interests are concentrated on
the o. KID IL.
When the primary Is over and the
votes are counted and the result Is
announced the unsophisticated who
have seen supposedly strong candi-
dates sweepingly swept to defeat,
may marvc, as to how 1t happened.
Do you say or thing that this story
flavors OF fish?
Let ma cite some evidence as proof.
A bin to prohibit brewery-owned
saloons was passed at the recent sec
ond extra session OF the legislature
and when the measure came on for
the final vote in the house, EVERY
MEMBER OF THE WAYNE COUN-
TY DELEGATION, BUT TWO, VOT-
ED AGAINST THE BILL.
The two exceptions were Rep.
Charles Flowers and Rep. Noble Ash
ley.
I have been informed that occasion.
ally a candidate appears in the arena
who is too strong for the booze
crowd to tackle.
It's an awful situation that I have
outlined. Yes. it's worse than that.
IT'S terrible, outrageous, disgraceful,
ridiculous and intolerable. It's an
ugly cancer on the municipal body
polite. Let's "cut IL out"
The thing to do is to do something
more effective and resultful than to
simply complain of the malady that
afflicts us.
The thing to do is to organize and
now is the time 10 do It.
The campaign is now on.
Candidates for the Tower house OF
the state legislature are getting in
The field and Il may be that the real
ly progressive ones will imagine that
they are really running for office. It's
up to the decent and patriotic citi-
zens of Detroit to make their run
ming real.
Il is impossible, THIS YEAR, for
the anti-machine people of all parties
to organize in time to combine on an
antI-machine slate OF IL candidates
for the legislature and SMASH A BAD
SLATE WITH A GOOD ONE.
We have observed the un-American
and humiliating spectacle OF the De-
trolt political corruption octopus