The Detroit times., 1913-06-26
George William Moore and John
McVicar Find Much to Com
mend in Mayors Plan for
Temporary Settlement
N. O. COMMITTEE TO
HOLD MEETING SATURDAY
Will Discuss Measure and Offer
Suggestions for Making
1t More Effective

Municipal ownership advocates,
while not entirely satisfied with Mayor
Marks street car ordinance In Its
present form, will not attempt to block
the plan IL he can prove conclusively
= in the public hearings that the ordi'
nance Is a straightaway contract, CIV
ing the city the right to purchase the
ID. u r. system at the city's option.
John McVicar. chairman OF the
Municipal Ownership committee, VIII
call meeting Of that body. probably
for Saturday of this week In that
meeting the members OF the commit
y tee, with their legal experts, will 90
over the provisions of the ordinance
aud list OF suggestions to the mayor
will be prepared. Mr.. McVicar called
on Mayor Marx, Wednesday morning.
and assured him that he considered
the ordinance a step In the right d.
rection.
las long as the ordinance gives the
city the right to buy and Goes not
make any concessions to the d. u. r.,
think that the people OF the city
will favor your plan.' Mr.. McVicar
told the mayor.
The mayor assured Mr.. McVicar
that any suggestions from the mem
bers OF the Municipal Ownership COM
mittee would be gladly received In the
public hearings, and that his legal adj
visers would give them their most
careful consideration.
Attorney George William Moore.
member OF the Municipal Ownership
committee and an authority on Ques-
tons pertaining to municipal owner
ship, said. Tuesday morning:
Il have NOT studied the Marx ordi-
nance carefully. but on reading 1t over
have no hesitation in saying that II
Is the best plan that has been offered
to date for the temporary settlement
ct the street railway question. Per-
sonally, think that Mayor Marx Is
headed In the right direction and that
municipal ownership is his goal.
Since he has been In office, Mayor
y Marx has done more to further the
cause OF municipal ownership than all
the other mayors that have fought the
y. u. r. in the last 20 years. It Is
true that Mayor Marx took hold Of the
street car question at an opportune
time, but he has made good showing
thus far, due to his personal efforts.
!. The mayor has shown that he has a
powerful influence in the state legis-
iature and also in the common coun-
ell.
There Is this to commend the Marx
plan-the fight II In the open when
the people can see and hear what Is
going on. Mayor Marx has not gone
down to the d. U. r. Offices and held
long conferences with the cOmpany's
officials. He and his legal advisers
have framed an ordinance or franchise
for II Is a franchise in effect, and have
said to the people: Here Is our plan,
what do you think of it,? That Is the
right spirit.
IL have spoken with several mem.
bers Of the Municipal Ownership CON-
mittee, and we have agreed not to
give out any interviews at random on
the mayors plans. We will meet and
prepare our plans and the changes
we think ought to go into the ordi-
nance. 1t will then be up to the
mayor to hear what we say In the
public hearings and take our sugges-
tions for what they are worth.
Regarding the Marx ordinance, So
called. | see In looking 1t over several
features that ought to be changed.
am not entirely satisfied with the pur-
chase clause, although / would like
more light on 1t before making my
views public. Some time ago / draft
ed what | think Is an ideal purchase
agreement, and l will submit II to
=! the mayor along with other sugges-
lions. What we want In the ordi-
nance, Is a purchase clause that Will
give the city the option. to purchase
at any time without delay. This can
be done am sure, but ] do not think
arbitration Is the proper method.
"The city OF Omaha had the right
- by statute to purchase water works
system, the price to be decided by ar
bitration. The city appointed one ar
bitrator. the waterworks company an.
other. and these two selected the
third. II took the city IL years to
buy the waterworks system and ex
perts declared that the city paid twice
what the plant was worth.
81 would suggest to the mayor that
he advocate a special session of the
legislature to pass a condemnation
act that would give the city the full
est authority to condemn the property
of the d. u. r. The present condem
nation act Is not strong enough fol
this purpose
I. To nv mind Il will take severa
months to properly discuss and thrash
ont the various features In the Mar,
ordinance. The city. of course, II
not in a position at this time TO ous
the y. u. r. from Fort-st. What
would do. we're In the mayors office
would be to wait until the supreme
court passes favorably on the mum
cipal ownership charter amendment
which gives the city the power to bono
for the construction or purchase o
A railway system. Then I would sci
the bonds and place $10.000,000 Of
$4,000, 900 10 the city treasury. Tha
would call the blum of the ID. u. r
II the company refused to enter int
negotiations to sell, the mayor coult
Immediately order out gang Of mel
70 construct tracks In Fort-st. par
allel to the ID. u. X. tracks. II woul,
be an easy matter to get the car
and the power from the Edison pee
Die. The same could be done II
Michigan, Woodward, Gratiot ant
Jefferson-aves. The ID. U. r.. one,
they saw that the city was in pc
sition to successfully operate. woul'
never allow the city to tear up
single rail OF their tracks. The.
would Immediately come TO terms
fair and reasonable terms that tn,
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