The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1915-10-26
Reasonable Price Il
Fixed Price, He
Tells Gr0cers
NO FIGURE is
NAMED, HOWEVER
George VIM. Moore Re-
fers to Cooley APP
praisal In Speech

"A fair and reasonable price II .
Axsd and definite prios--an invsnr
tori or cost price. II you please"
seatsd Richard I. Lawson. counsel
Tor the street railway oommiasicn.
IN bis talk on the street car settle
nsnt plan before about 20 members
g the Retail 0rocars' association
a the Sun building. Monday night.
There are plenty Of legal author.
iGiss holding that . fair and rsasoa-
able price II Q fixed and DEFINITE
price. Therefore. under the pro
posed contract We hope 70 take over
the d. u. n. property at fixed and
lsnnits prics. which IL . lair and
seasonsbls price. Can anything be
moro clear!"
In bic discussion OF the contract,
oeunssl lawson tried to argue from
Oe standpoint Of the srocers.
Ton are business men," he said,
and I want TO talk TO you shout .
essinsss proposition. II you gentle
men ars anxious 20 take over .
Dasinsss without delay will ycI not
- Wiling 70 make An agreement to
tDks the business at fair and rea.
sonable price! And don't you. In
poor private business deals. rely on
tie courts to enforce the terms Of
your agreements and prevent you
from being overcharged?
Il have assumed In my connec-
ton with the pending proposition
10 purchase for the city the prop
srty Of the Detroit United railway
In the one.fare sone, that the city
dssirss 70 own and operate the
street railway system. ! have also
assumed that the people are willing
20 pay . fair and reasonable price
eue the property. have also as
summed that the people would be
willing To have the Judges Of the
wayne county circuit court AZ tho
psics or value of the d. u. r. prop
srty. Upon these assumptions
proceed.
THE city of Detroit may acquire,
own and operate q 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 . railroad himself or would
he purchase . railroad II he were
sure that he could get II for what
4 10 fairly and reasonably worth?
III he attempts to construct the
Sai1road he will ind that his power
b do % 10 challenged. The cor.
psvAtion now occupying the streets
With q railroad claims under . con-
tsAct, which was made IN 1894. that
q has nrst right 70 build extern
sions 70 . railroad which has the
S1sht to remain In the streets until
1854.
this claim may be and 10. In my
jadgmeut. entirely untenable. Yet
e would BE- suhicien, to postpone
the time when the city might be-
On the construction Of . railroad
- its own. II would probably take
two years, perhaps longer. to liti-
eate this question.
Would q practical business man
condemn the railroad II he had the
right 10 exercise the power Of smi.
cent domainf
'sT'tat means delay. litigation and
many other things. 'vexations. IN.
neyeNg and dilatory. but II he exer.
ctsss ne power Of eminent domain
q must 10 exercised In the courts.
40 nowhere else. and one Of the
things that would have TO be done
would b to fx the price or value
q the property which he sesks TO
take.
"A jury. after hearing the evs-
6sacs, Axss the price he must pay
Sor the property. A jury may oIee
oerss. IN which case another Jury b
eallel. and this Jury may disagree.
eu1 - on ID inhnitum
sone jury may decide the neces-
slty Tor taking the property. but win
fan 70 agree on the price; another
nay aeres on the price, but not On
the necessity
Whereas, n he knew that he
Ovuld purchase the property for
what q y fairly and reascnably
worth. ami that price 20 be hxed By
. court, without . Jury. he would
Ave eliminated MI the other Quss-
tiene which would nscssaar1ly arise
n eoulonnatioa Drocse1ing.
ANY ordinary business man would,
Without hsh1tatioA. boy the property
eos what n u reasonably worth, Y
q weeo . matter of HE owa s1IAir.
he vee11 noe attempt - co.
49, . sa1ltoo1 II ssDue(it1ea wi(k
49, - c. - ooouoco - VoC11