The Detroit times., 1913-06-26
PUBLIC OWNERSHIP men
INCLINED TO FAVOR MARX
STREET CAR ORDINANCE

|, cision until next OCTOBER al the
earliest, the Marx plan will tend to
keep the street car matter before the
people, and 1t will also show them
that the mayor Is not idle. II the d..
". r. officials remain firm in their
declaration that no city railway line
can be successfully operated on a
three-cent fare basis, II Is not likely
that they will accept the mayors
terms. Their attitude In the public
meetings will indicate to the people
what course they will have to pursue
to get municipal ownership
Mr.. Moore will leave town Thurs
day and will be away for a couple of
weeks on a business trip. He expects
to have his list of suggestions TO the
mayor ready on his return.
my advice to all is to try out the
mayors plan and give him every OPP
portunity to negotiate with the d. u.
r. for the purchase OF the system"
said Mr.. Moore Instead OF critics.
Ing the mayors plans. | think the bet
ter course is to carefully study them.
pick out the good points and eliminate
the bad features. The mayor admits
that his plan Is not perfect. think.
however, that 1t Is 80 far ahead OF
other plans that have been offered In
the past, that we can, by hard work.
whip the ordinance into such shape
that 1t will be in the form Of an IRON
clad contract The benefits OF three
cent fares and extensions to be de-
rived by the people In the interim,
while incidental to the realization OF
municipal ownership. will all help
The following Is an excerpt from an
article which appears In the latest Is
sue of the Electric Railway Service, a
I'D. U. r. publication edited by A. d.
B. Van Zandt, publicity agent Of the
company:
Through the public press all the
provisions OF the ordinance have
been made known and undoubted-
ly by now all who are interested
In these provisions have read
them.
The ordinance has been refer
red to the franchise committee
for its consideration.
Accompanying the ordinance
was a communication from his
honor. the mayor, asking for
full and free discussion OF the
document, with suggestion that
the Detroit United Railway be in
vited to take part in the discus.
sion.
IL such be the desire OF the
council committee, the Detroit
United Railway will be very glad
to enter into a full and free dis
CUSTOM business-like discus
sion-of the proposed ordinance.
The Detroit United Railway has
always been ready and willing to
discuss the so-called street rail-
way problem The Detroit Unit
ed Railway has discussed 1t with
Mayor Pingree. with Mayor Brett
meyer, with Mayor Coda, and with
Mayor Thompson.
The Detroit United Railway has
nothing to hide.
This is the attitude the company has
always ssumed-willingness to enter
into discussion" To date the dis
cussions" in which the ID. U. II. OFF,
Gals have taken part have never been
pI oductive of any good results to the
city, the d. U. r. preferring to talk
ut great length and then go into court
before granting the city single con-
cession.
Corporation Counsel Lawson, who,
with Alfred Lucking, drafted the Law.
FOE day-to-day agreement plan, which
was turned down by the mayor and Is
now In the hands Of the council COM
mNtee on franchises, the same com
mittee that will handle the mayors
ordinance, smiled broadly when asked
Wednesday morning what he thought
Of the Marx street railway ordinance.
IT'S all right, a very good ordinance,
should say, and one that | can rec.
ommend," declared Lawson, whom the
mayor accuses of being opposed to
municipal ownership.
why your strong Endorsement OF
tho mayors plan?"
Because 1t Is practically the same
plan that drafted few months ago.
only not quite as good in some re-
coects,' replied the corporation coun-
sci. Compare the two drafts, which
are now in the hands of the council
committee on franchises, and notice
the few points of difference between
the two ordinances. Several of the
sections in the mayors ordinance have
been copied verbatim from mine.
THE title is practically the same,
and II is good title, because | spent
great deal of time on 1t. The fare
clause Is different, the Marx plan call
ius lOT u btIdlSHt luTce-CeHt rare Ou
oil lines at all hours: mine provided
for a rate of fare similar to that now
In force on the three-cent lines.
THE paving clause is different. The
Marx plan provides that the d. u. R.
shall pave between the tracks on the
three-cent lines. / did not include
these lines in my ordinance because
do not think that the courts would
compel the d. U. r. to pave between
the tracks on these lines, while a
franchise now in existence says that
the city must do the work. Would that
DO a reasonable demand?
The purchase clause is the same
In both ordinances. doubt IL the
people can vote on the plan OF pur-
chase as provided for in the Marx
: ordinance. The Marx ordinance also
: states definite time for the exercis-
ing Of the option to purchase, which
! do not believe Is good idea
THE arbitration clause and the
clause providing for the payment OF
|, tack taxes and rentals are new. do
net think an arbitration clause ought
: % be in the ordinance for a number
, Of reasons. II Mayor Marx Is able 70