The Detroit times., 1915-10-26
LAWSON
TALKS IN
RIDDLES
Reasonable Price ID
Fixed Price, He
Tells Grocers
NO FIGURE is
NAMED, HOWEVER
George VIM. Moore Re-
fers to Cooley APP
praisal In Speech
"A fair and reasonable price IL .

"A fair and reasonable price II .
fixed and definite price-sn invsn-
tory or cost price. II you please"
stated Richard I. lawson. counsel
for the street railway commission.
IN his talk on the street car settle
ment plan before about 10 members
Of the Retail Grocers' association
IN the Sun building. Monday night.
There are plenty of legal author.
tiles holding that a fair and reason
able price 10 fixed and definite
price. Therefore, under the bro
posed contract we hope TO take over
the D. U. r. property at . fixed and
definite price. which IL . fair and
reasonable price. Can anything be
more clear?"
In his discussion OF the contract.
Counsel lawson tried to argue from
the standpoint OF the srocers-
''You ore business men," he said.
and want to talk to you about .
business proposition. II you gentle
men ara anxious 70 take over .
business without delay will you not
BE- willing to make An agreement 70
take the business at a fair and rsa.
sonable price? And don't you. In
your private business deals, rely on
the courts to enforce the terms Of
your agreements and prevent you
from ksing overcharEed?
II have assumed In my connec.
ton with the pending proposition
to purchase for the city the prop
erty Of tho Detroit United railway
In the one-fare zone. that the city
desires to own and operate the
street railway system. I have also
assumed that the people are willing
to pay q fair and reasonable price
for the property. I have also as
sumed that the people would be
willing to have the judges Of the
Wayne county circuit court AZ the
price or value OF the d. U. r. prop
srty. Upon these assumptions I
proceed.
THE city Of Detroit may acquire,
own and operate street railway
system by either OF three methods.
construction, condemnation or pur.
chase. Which of these methods 10
proper and practical for the city TO
adopt? What would any sensible.
practical business man do under
like circumstances Would he con-
struct q railroad himself or would
he purchase q railroad II he were
sure that he could get IL for what
Il 10 fairly and reasonably worth?
''If ne attempts to construct the
railroad ne will fnd that his power
to do 90 IL challenged. The cor.
poration now occupying the streets
with . railroad claims under q con.
tract. which was made In 1894. that
Il has first right TO build extern
sions TO q railroad which has the
night to remain In the streets until
1894.
"This claim may be and 10, In my
judgment. entirely untenable. Yet
Il would be suflicien, to postpone
the time when the city might b.
Gin TIE construction Of . railroad
Of It's own. II would probably take
two years, perhaps longer. to liti-
gate this question.
"would 4 practical business man
condemn the railroad n he had the
right 10 exercise the power Of emi.
nsnt domain?
"1'hat means delay, litigation and
many other things, vexations, an
noy'rg and dilatory. but II he exer.
cfses the power OF eminent domain
Il must be exercised In the courts,
and nowhere else. and one Of the
things that would have to b done
would be 10 nx the price or value
Of the property which he seeks TO
take.
"A jury. after hearing the evt
fence. nxes tho price ne must pay
Tor the property. A jury may dis
Asrec. IN which case another jury b
salled. and this Jury may disagree,
Ind 90 on I'd inhnitum
Zone jury may decide the nsces-
lity for taking the property. but viii
all 70 agreS on the price; another
nay agree on the price. but not on
he necessity.
whereas, n ne knew that he
,ould purchase the property for
what Il u fairly and reasonably
worth, and that price to Be AIRED By
court, without jury. he would
lave eliminated ali the other Ques-
Ions which would necessarily arise
q condemnation pfoceedins.
ANY ordinary business man would,
Without hesitstion. buy the property
or what Il 10 reasonably worth, q
: were . matter q his own AFFAIR.
He would not attempt % CO.
&suoe . snllgooe r oounDoe1e1on vith
m0&&0m nm1nn>.n .ou~u>~.<ur~-~. - $3.50