The Detroit times., 1913-06-19
lar Proposed Ordinance Will
bnly Tend to Further Delay
City Securing Control Of
Traction Situation
bHN McVICAR is
OPPOSED TO MEASURE
hvises Mayor to Steer Straight
Course and Avoid Danger
Gus Settlements"

Municipal ownership advocates are
from being pleased with Mayor
lrx's proposed street railway ord..
nee, the terms Of which were an
unced Tuesday. They believe that
hs q deviation from the mayors Of
peated statement that he has dedi-
ted his energies to the municipal
|nership proposition, and would de.
te his efforts as mayor to bringing
out city operation Of the street rail
Nv system.
Il IL feared by them that the pro-
sed ordinance, il II Ii passed by the
uncil. will only tend to further post
ne the realization of municipal own
ship. They declare that the road to
lnicipal ownership Is practically
bar and that il is only a question or
short time now when the city will
able to proceed under the new
arter amendment
John McVicar, member of the Mu-
cipal Ownership committee. and one
the pioneers in the cause, advises
e mayor TO wait and not NEEDLE
tn dangerous ordinances and settle
ent plans.
so far Mayor Marx has been loyal
his promises TO work insistently
d as rapidly as possible towards
frying out the peoples DESIRE said
;. McVicar, Wednesday Some OF
steps have not met with the ap-
oval of the municipal ownership
en-, including myself, but we are all
Hing to work for the big thing IN
ew--municipal ownership
AT the present time we have a
arter commission in session and un-
its labors are completed and the
Arter submitted TO the people, |
ink ii would be wise to wait. 1t Is
years last December since the first
digestion of municipal ownership in
bnnectiOn with our street railway
stem was officially made. as recall.
an ordinance that | personally
fafted and which was considered in
" house by Mayor 'Pingree. Clarence
Black, Alex. |. Mcleod, and others.
I'VE have fought a long. grim bat
b. l say, fight 1t out. Let the war
to the knife. The time il at hand
hen the city will be in a position to
unicipally control the street railway
Fstem. and 1t ID my prayer that |
We to see the day the finest street
kr system In the world is operated by
be city Of Detroit.
II believe that the assessment OF
De Fort-st. lines Is practically all per-
bnal. and | believe that the property
lay be seized or levied upon and sold
pr taxes. At forced sale the ID. U
equipment would be little more
han junk, and | don't believe that l.
ould be sufficient to pay the taxes
removed from the tracks. But there
surely enough civic pride among
ut citizens to buy II at sale and
arm II over to the city. Even II the
}. U. r. bought the property in at the
ale, II would have to put UP the cash
pr the purchase.
Let us conduct the fight along mu-
lcipal lines. now that we have an ad-
antage."
Charter Commissioners Frederick
+. Ingram and Thomas F. Ahern. who
re also members of the Municipal
ownership committee. are also oppos-
Id to any agreement with the d. U. X.
Ii this time.
1.-THE city does not want to run anv
risk of losing the advantage 1t has
gained after the long fight with the
b. u. r. said Commissioner Ingram.
This Is very inopportune time ia
bpring an ordinance that may involve
In agreement with the ID. u. K. The
people have adopted municipal own
ership charter amendment and the
tharter commission has spent weeks
improving this plan"
Commissioner Ahern declared that
day to-day agreement would be just
hs bad as u franchise. and that the
people would never tolerate an ordi-
hance that proposed dickering with
lhe d. U. X.
When the Lawson ordinance was be-
ing discussed before the council COM
|nittee on franchises, Justice Edward
+. Jeffries sounded his homely warn
ing, Don't rock the boat" This
warming Is again being sounded
against the Marx plan, which Is SINH
lar to the Lawson ordinauve In many
respects.
Mayor Marx stated, Wednesday
that he would have the peo-
Die vote on his ordinance II they
wanted to. The mayor was indignant
1t the suggestion that he was side
stepping municipal ownership by SUBJ
hitting o street car ordinance to the
council.
This Is merely a temporary settle
nsnt," said the mayor. Il will con-
.inue my fight for municipal owner
hip, and this plan will In no way in
terfere with the municipal ownership
program, I am told BY competent legal
1T was on the suggestion OF Allan
Frazer and Alfred Lucking that | de.
cided not to submit the ordinance to O
vote Of the people. but II they show
me that they want to vote on II | Will
give them the opportunity"
The state constitution SAYS that a
Isanchise grant must be approved by
threefifrhs of the voters. was in
formed by my legal advisers that II
the ordinance we're voted on by the
people, It might be considered a fran.
rhise In effect. if not In form. IL Is
up to the people: II they want to run
The risk. I am willing
Rule No. 81 OF the common council
rules OF order says: Every ordi-
nance granting, amending or renew
Ing a franchise grant for public util.
Ity, which may have passed It's third
shall, before final passage.
lie on the table 30 days. and II within
hat time q petition signed by is men,
bers OF the common council, or hve
per cent of the voters be filed with the