The Detroit times., 1915-10-12
]. A. Bell FavOrs Real
Nj. O., But Not
Pig-in-POke
DECLARES NEWS
is NSiNCERE
Trying to Put Over
Victory For Mayor,
He Insists
TO .Ae Editor Of The Times:

TO tAe Editor Of The Times:
There is no doubt that the street
railway commissioners are intensely
In earnest. and have faith In their
plan TO purchase the Detroit United
lines within the city hmis. They
are sincere In their belief hat the
plan Is good one and will carry
at the coming election, but neither
they. nor the people, will know what
price we will have TO pay for the
properly until the transaction Is
signed. sealed and delivered This
is not exactly good business. even
IL the nxing OF the price is left TO
the circuit judges after the bargain
is closed. and | cannot see why the
arrangement had TO be submitted
to the people in its present form.
have no fears for the outcome
OF municipality owntd street car sys-
tenn II IL is taken over in a rigidly
conservative way and placed in the
hands OF responsible commission
/ lAhc tue plfSNht tht, Win ANAi 80
surance that II can never be made
a tool for political grafters.
am convinced that the Detroit
News is not sincere in its screech
ing advocacy OF the purchase plan
| believe IL il doing the commit
sion's cause more harm than good
II looks to me as il its sole aim
is TO secure at least one victory fo-
the present administration. whi-S
Il has supported ever since its in
ception. and which carries with Il
little progress and the highest tax
rate In the history of Detroit The
News prints a long list OF names OF
splendid business men and calls at
tention to their reputation, trying
TO link them with the purchase plan
| In the hope that the ignorant voter
will lump II of "a a pretty good
thing. To be sure these business
men are all right, but they are only
, units in this large city and their
vote IL no more powerful than that
OF the wise cottage owner
Then. again. the News Is trying
TO maks us believe that this cam
paign Is for the purpose OF securing
municipal ownership OF the street
railway. again appealing 10 the IN
thinking voter. ! thought that is
sue had been fought out several
years ago and had won by rs per
cent majority. Am right--or Is
the News 10 years behind the
times,
As understand II, the present
campaign. and Ahe coming election.
were instituted for the purpose OF
determining the mode by which we
are to acquire the lines already IN
the streets and privately owned
whether We are to pay the D. L. r.
for It's physical system and for It's
watered stocks, and pay It's mort
cages and give II a bonus for its
trouble, or whether we shall order
II to vaeate the streets having al.
ready on hand the power. voted by
the people some years ago, and sus-
tanned by the supreme court. To own
and operate our own street railway
think the plan now before the
people should be soundly rebuked
on Nov 2.
Why does not the News propose
that the city. having money TO burn.
get busy and build all the extern
sions that are needed. rent them tn
the u. u. r, the same as the city
rented weedxaEd-spe..- Feft-st, Jef-
fersonave. and other streets, until
in q few years more the d. Z. r.
will be completely down and out.
with no franchise 20 stand upon.
when the city can get the present
system at It's own price. and when
the d. U. r. will have no time TO
take bonus or put over watered
stocks and inflated values nor bag
gle over extensions. The Job will